" - Winnie the Pooh
Oura Cathedral
The next morning, we set out to find a Catholic mass. We stopped first at Oura Cathedral, not knowing a better place to start. (Given that I'm Catholic, and it was a Catholic Cathedral, this post gets a little ...preachy... because of what I felt as I visited. Consider yourself warned.)
Outside the cathedral is a small garden. It's very serene and peaceful. It had a plaque that gave us chills to read. It really drove home for me the dedication of the Japanese Christians. To have silently believed and hoped for so many years and so many generations that someone would come back and help them rebuild their community. To maintain faith when all around them were tortured, or worse, for believing. To not give up hope and dedication when they lost their support infrastructure. Any of us that believe in anything should be so dedicated to our cause.
"On Feb 10, 1865, the French Missioner Fr. Berivard Petitiean (later first Bishop of Nagasaki) dedicated the Oura Cathedral a month later on March 17, about 14 residents of Urakami visited the church and approached Fr. Petitiean, one whispered, "Our heart is one with yours. Where is the statue of Santa-Maria?"
Thus did these people reveal the faith that they had treasured and transmitted through 300 years of fierce persecution, this declaration of faith by the Japanese Christians, unexampled in all of history, has now the acclaim of the entire world.
The profoundly moving moment of Discovery has been recreated by a Christian artist of Nagasaki on this relief, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the event.
March 17, 1965"
Then, we continued up to the Cathedral. It's a smaller church, like any of its time. The stained glass is very detailed and pervasive. The altar was golden and ornately decorated and carved. We weren't comfortable taking pictures inside and much of it was blocked off so we could only wander through the pews and take a moment to reflect.
Obviously, with so much blocked off, they weren't holding mass. When we left, though, we found the newly built Oura Catholic Church across the road. It was comforting to be there. Even though we didn't understand the words, the ceremony was the same. That sameness and comfort - I guess that's what brings me back to the Catholic Church despite having issues with so many of the beliefs they preach. The priest knew the English to offer us the host and smiled when he said it. It was just a nice experience given how long we've been away.
Outside the cathedral is a small garden. It's very serene and peaceful. It had a plaque that gave us chills to read. It really drove home for me the dedication of the Japanese Christians. To have silently believed and hoped for so many years and so many generations that someone would come back and help them rebuild their community. To maintain faith when all around them were tortured, or worse, for believing. To not give up hope and dedication when they lost their support infrastructure. Any of us that believe in anything should be so dedicated to our cause.
"On Feb 10, 1865, the French Missioner Fr. Berivard Petitiean (later first Bishop of Nagasaki) dedicated the Oura Cathedral a month later on March 17, about 14 residents of Urakami visited the church and approached Fr. Petitiean, one whispered, "Our heart is one with yours. Where is the statue of Santa-Maria?"
Thus did these people reveal the faith that they had treasured and transmitted through 300 years of fierce persecution, this declaration of faith by the Japanese Christians, unexampled in all of history, has now the acclaim of the entire world.
The profoundly moving moment of Discovery has been recreated by a Christian artist of Nagasaki on this relief, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the event.
March 17, 1965"
Then, we continued up to the Cathedral. It's a smaller church, like any of its time. The stained glass is very detailed and pervasive. The altar was golden and ornately decorated and carved. We weren't comfortable taking pictures inside and much of it was blocked off so we could only wander through the pews and take a moment to reflect.
Obviously, with so much blocked off, they weren't holding mass. When we left, though, we found the newly built Oura Catholic Church across the road. It was comforting to be there. Even though we didn't understand the words, the ceremony was the same. That sameness and comfort - I guess that's what brings me back to the Catholic Church despite having issues with so many of the beliefs they preach. The priest knew the English to offer us the host and smiled when he said it. It was just a nice experience given how long we've been away.
posted by Wynnie | 03:06
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