On Japan's Catholic Outposts, Faith Abides Even as the Churches Dwindle

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lucybeebee said:
Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is the case? Does a rise in material prosperity nessesarily lead to a loss of faith?

nytimes.com/2008/04/06/world/asia/06japan.html?scp=3&sq=Japan&st=nyt
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It was certainly the experience of the people of Israel that intermarriage and commerce with their neighbors caused their children to be absorbed by the surrounding cultures. Prosperity
seems to add to this by providing our children with “choices.” that are contrary to those taught in church or in the home.
 
It’s no surprise. A Catholic community on the extraordinary outskirts (and in an extreme minority, due to a combination of factors) where even the secular culture is having a lot of problems…

That, plus the fact that Japan has its own language (and an intimidating one) makes preaching and sharing the Catholic faith from the outside quite a challenge. And finally, even if those issues weren’t present… the Catholic Church desperately needs to think up better ways to communicate the basic tenets of faith, etc.

I was extremely disappointed to find out that ‘internet ministry’ article was an April Fool’s gag. That’s not a silly or funny idea - it’s downright brilliant.

Edit: I want to clarify what I mean here. Even Japan’s secularism is breaking down. So few children, quite a lot of suicides, increasing disconnect from a lot of previously cultural values unique to Japan. It’s heartbreaking.
 
Not mentioned in the article, but I can’t help but wonder if they aren’t still also hurting from the fact that the heart of Japanese catholicism was quite literally nuked 63 years ago. That’s not really so long ago in the scheme of things. I would imagine that the best and the brightest were concentrated there for schooling and dicocesan headquarters. That’s the generations that SHOULD be an inspiration to today. Instead, they are gone. 😦
 
Having lived in Japan for 4 years (Tokyo and Nagasaki), Japanese church looks despressing, but it is far from death. It is still very traditional. Women wear veil to church and men and women sit on the opposite of each other. There’s no shaking of the hands during “peace be with you.” They bow to each other.

Japanese people are very xenophobic and that’s a reason why Catholicism is not cathching on. Also, Japanese persecuted a lot of Catholics during the Edo period. You can find Catholic church everywhere in Japan. About 70 per cent of all churches have an average attendance of less than 30, though membership is double this figure. Many people work on Sundays and do not attend church every week. Still many of these people who cannot attend every Sunday are active in church during the week.
 
I responded to the article a while ago on my blog
catholicinjapan.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/ny-times-article-on-japan%e2%80%99s-catholic-outposts/

MugenOne metnioned some things I would like to comment on though. Not all women wear a mantilla. Maybe it is more common in Nagasaki but here in Tokyo it`s maybe around 5%. Not all churches have separate seating for men and women. I have been in many churches and have never seen such a thing so I would say it is the exception rather than the rule.

“About 70 per cent of all churches have an average attendance of less than 30, though membership is double this figure” what is your source for this number?. In the more urban areas Sunday morning mass is usually very busy at times such at 7:30 and 9am. I dont go to a very big church but it is packed at those times, and much less busy for the evening mass.

“Many people work on Sundays and do not attend church every week. Still many of these people who cannot attend every Sunday are active in church during the week.”
Again I dont understand this as actually Sunday is the one day most people have off, and even if they have to work many churches have mass Saturday or Sunday evening plus very early Sunday morning, so there is really no excuse.

P.S I am new to the forums so hello 😃
 
Not a surprise. The claim that the Catholic church is vigorous in non-Western countries - despite its collapse in Europe and America - is false.

In Africa Catholic bishops are fearful of the conversion of many Catholics tf Pentecostlism. South America will be predominatly a pentecostal Chritian region in 50 years. India is seeing a shrinking of the Catholic church while evangelicals are growing but they offset one another and the Chritian population in India is stagnant. China is diffeernet. Catholics - above and underground - are barely 15 million. But Pentecostals are perhaps 100 million.

Tibet. 10,000 Catholics. A million evagelicals.

The face of Christianity is changing. Papal visits will not stem the tide. Christianity is emerging into a new pentecostal, evangelical faith and RC will become increasingly a tiny remnant. Yes, I know there are those who defend the tiny remannat line. I don’t buy it - JMHO.

Why is Mormonism and Petecostalism growing in Japan when Catholicsism is collapsing? Pray on that. The efficacy of the martyrs so touted does not seem to be being fulfilled. Pray on where the Spirit is leading the faithful.
 
Catholicism is not collapsing in Japan it has barely had a chance to grow! Except for a short time when it was introduced it was banned for about 400 years, then the Meiji era rush to modernization, and right into WWII and no religious freedom again. After WWII another rush to rebuild, not to mention a large number of Catholics were killed in the bombing of Nagasaki. Today people are the most educated and informed they have ever had a chance to be but there is of course materialsim but even more so a lack of anyone actually doing any Catholic evangelisation. There is no Japanese version of Mother Angelica etc to even introduce Catholicism. Do the majority of gaijin, especially English teachers, live a good example of a Catholic life? No! Maybe people in general should say a rosary for Japan instead of saying the lie that Catholicism has failed here. Oh and I guess someone forgot to tell the 10 new Catholics who entered the Church on Easter vigil at my parish that they shouldnt have bothered because the Church has failed.

How do you know the numbers of Mormons and Pentecostals (sp?) are growing here? If they are it is because they probably do more “advertising” than Catholics but Catholicism has not failed.
 
vee8 said:
Catholicism is not collapsing in Japan it has barely had a chance to grow! Except for a short time when it was introduced it was banned for about 400 years, then the Meiji era rush to modernization, and right into WWII and no religious freedom again. After WWII another rush to rebuild, not to mention a large number of Catholics were killed in the bombing of Nagasaki. Today people are the most educated and informed they have ever had a chance to be but there is of course materialsim but even more so a lack of anyone actually doing any Catholic evangelisation. There is no Japanese version of Mother Angelica etc to even introduce Catholicism. Do the majority of gaijin, especially English teachers, live a good example of a Catholic life? No! Maybe people in general should say a rosary for Japan instead of saying the lie that Catholicism has failed here. Oh and I guess someone forgot to tell the 10 new Catholics who entered the Church on Easter vigil at my parish that they shouldnt have bothered because the Church has failed.

How do you know the numbers of Mormons and Pentecostals (sp?) are growing here? If they are it is because they probably do more “advertising” than Catholics but Catholicism has not failed.
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The timing of this thread is interesting to me.

The other day I was speaking with my daughter about I would like to see the next WYD (North America, to help my pocketbook lol). My daughter said she would like it to be in Japan. I told my daughter that I felt it was very unlikely but if it did take place in Japan it would be in Nagasaki. When my daughter asked me why, I could not come up with an explanation other than it was not because it was nuked.
 
If WYD was held in Japan why would the only likely spot be Nagasaki? Basically Nagasaki is the de facto place for any Catholic event as it is seen as the most Catholic place in Japan. When Pope John Paul II came here in the early 80s he held a big mass and guess where it was? Yup Nagasaki. If I recall correctly from looking at his schdule a while ago he did spend a bit of time in Tokyo but I dont recall reading that any big events took place. I think he just met with the late emperor Showa and that was about it.

This fall there will be a beatification of 188 martyrs and guess where it will be held? Yes Nagasaki again. I also looked at the WYD website for the route of the WYD cross on its way to Sydney and I didnt notice Japan on the route at all. Actually after a quick google it seems the wyd cross has never been here.
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/Colonia2005/rc_pc_laity_doc_20030805_cross-history-gmg_en.html
 
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