Appointed as official pastor of Miyazaki Church
Father Cimatti was appointed official parish priest of Miyazaki Church on February 1, 1927, just one year after arriving in Japan,
and served as parish priest for two years and three months, until the spring of 1929.
During this period, the Miyazaki, Nakatsu and Oita churches that the Salesian Order was in charge of were separated from
the Nagasaki Diocese and belonged to the Fukuoka Diocese for about a year. After that, as Salesian Orders, they were dependent on the China Province,
but in 1928 they became an independent mission area and a vice-province of Japan, and Fr. Cimatti became its head.
The work of Rector Cimatti
Now, let me say a few words about the work of Rector Cimatti.
At the time, Miyazaki Church was a church in Miyazaki Prefecture with around 200 parishioners. With the help of Father Antonio Cavoli,
who served as his assistant,
he was able to visit the homes of the majority of parishioners in a short amount of time and understand the situation of the church's parishioners.
The majority of the parishioners were from Nagasaki and were descendants of persecuted Christians.
Unfortunately, the parishioners were far from the church, had never received a visit from a priest, and fear of persecution meant they lacked zeal.
Far from evangelizing, they shut themselves in and only went to church once or twice a year.
In addition, they believed that believers should not associate with non-believers, and that children in particular should not play with non-Christian children.
Father Cimatti took various measures to gain new believers and change the narrow-minded thinking of existing believers.
First, he decided to make frequent home visits. He also held solemn Japanese celebrations in the church in addition to Catholic celebrations,
encouraging many people to attend, and with the help of newspaper reporters, he began writing articles in the newspaper and in flyers. He also held concerts in the church,
turned the churchyard into a playground, and invited town authorities and missionaries from Kagoshima to attend, all of which contributed to publicity efforts to spread the word about the church.
In 1927, two famous people who visited Japan and Miyazaki City worked to introduce Christianity to the Japanese people.
One was General Nobile, the famous Italian who discovered the North Pole, and the other was Father Peter Riccardone, Vicar General of the Salesian Society.
After his visit to Japan, Father Riccardone returned to Italy and said, "Father Cimatti is using his many talents and heart to attract the Japanese people in Japan."
Set goals
At the beginning of 1928, Father Cimatti set the following goals for the Salesians working in the churches of Kyushu:
"Visit parishioners who live near the church at least once a month. Visit parishioners who live far away once every three months.
Write and distribute flyers, newspaper articles, books, etc. to help people understand Christianity better.
Invite the town's leading figures to celebrations."
After traveling around Miyazaki Prefecture, he felt there was a shortage of missionaries, so he wrote to the Superior General in Italy, asking for more manpower.
"Please send missionaries to Japan, but please send people who pray a lot, who are steadfast, and especially who maintain chastity and are patient.
In Japan, people who are quick to anger and impatient will alienate the Japanese people."
These are the words that make us know Rector Cimatti.
Father Antonio Cavoli wrote about Father Cimatti's apostolate:
"Father Cimatti devoted a lot of time to the sacrament of reconciliation, especially on celebratory days. Every Sunday,
he would give a catechesis to the faithful in easy-to-understand Japanese, explaining the Ten Commandments.
He also spoke to fathers, mothers, and youth groups. In his speeches, he emphasized the practice of the Ten Commandments,
frequent participation in the sacraments, and active evangelization. Miyazaki Church quickly became a model church for other churches."
Here are some words from the father of one family:
"From the time Father Cimatti became the parish priest of Miyazaki Church, I began to feel that priests were very close to us. Father Cimatti spoke with emotion.
He loved us, and we respected and loved him."
Cimatti Museum Father Marsilio
January 6, 2020
Go to the index page of Father Cimatti's life
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