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From August 6th, (the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima), Sacred Heart began ten days of prayer for peace in solidarity with the Oblate community in Japan. The observance will continue through August 15, the  Feast of the Assumption. This past Sunday at Sacred Heart we were joined by Pax Christi North California and had a grand Eucharistic Celebration (our choir even sang in Japanese) followed by the making of lanterns and the blessing in the Peace Garden.

The church was full and the tone for the gathering was set. In the congregation for the first time was the grandson of a survivor of the blast. His grandparents were farmers and lived outside the city proper. What spoke to him was the Camphor/Kusunoki tree in the center of our Peace Garden. The Camphor/Kusunoki tree is a sign of hope, for it was the first tree that put out new leaves after the blast and fire. The U.S. government said nothing would grow for 75 years!

To see this man connect with this tree from his family’s city was a mystical experience. After mass, many people also came for the crafts and the refreshments, which included miso soup with rice.

Later in the afternoon many of us gathered to attach our lanterns on the wire that was connected to the Peace Poles. (May Peace Dwell on the Earth). The pictures tell the story.

It’s That Time of the Year in Japan…

As the month of August begins, I am reminded of the “Ten Days for Peace”. In February 1981, the late Pope Saint John Paul II delivered his ‘Appeal for Peace’ at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, stating: ‘War is the work of human hands. War is the destruction of human life. War is death.’ This appeal was an invitation to all people throughout the world to work towards the abolition of nuclear weapons and to strive for peace.

 

In response to Pope Saint John Paul II’s appeal, the Catholic Church in Japan designated the period from 6 to 15 August as the “Ten Days for Peace”. This is a special period during which we are invited to reflect on our responsibility for peace and to take action for peace especially today as we live in a fragile world.

 

Every year, the “Ten Days for Peace” takes me to Hiroshima. From my own experience, this special period serves as an opportunity for Christians as well as for people of other faiths across Japan to pray and to engage in peace activities. On August 6th , people from all over Japan and also from abroad visit Hiroshima to remember the unforgettable past and to pray for peace. In spite of the sweltering heat, the place gets crowded with people.

 

…”Let all the souls here rest in peace, for we shall not repeat the evil.”