Yokkaichi Aspirantate, GIA province

By Our Own Correspondent

Yokkaichi, Japan, 16 September 2016 -- Three Salesians (one Salesian Brother and 2 Salesian priest) are living with 15 Junior Aspirants, six of them joined just last April 2016. Since the opening of Yokkaichi Aspirantate in 1995, some 84 junior and senior high school students entered this Salesian House and 6 of them are now living as Salesians SDB.

After the closing of Yokohama Aspirantate in 2010 it’s the main entry into Salesian life experience in Japan. Only some of high school or university graduates start their Aspirantate in Chofu-Tokyo.

What does attract them to follow Jesus in the footsteps of Don Bosco? How do the young Catholics become Salesian Aspirants? How do we journey together in order to help them to listen to the call of God?

Our Aspirants share: ‘I’m happy here mainly due to family spirit, talks at the table, for many opportunities and activities that I would not be able experience in my family. We study, talk, pray, eat, laugh and play together.’ Some of the senior high school Aspirant appreciate more the apostolic experience they get as animators during the summer Bible camp or through their Sunday apostolate in parish Sunday schools.

The recent statistics reveal interesting facts: Since 1995 among the 84 Aspirants 67 joined Yokkaichi house thanks to the Bible Camp (one week in summer near Nojiri Lake since 1974), largest group among them come from Nagasaki, Kanagawa and Tokyo area. 61 of them (73%) entered as 1st year of junior high school students and 27 of them did continue after the senior high school graduation (18 years) to the Tokyo-Chofu senior Aspirantate. Japan province Salesians are consoled by the fact that 30% of them are fruit of our Salesian parishes or schools, while almost 60% are sent to us by Salesian Family members (majority of them by Caritas Sisters of Jesus).

Fr. Daisuke Kitagawa (Rector) with Fr. Takei (Economer) and Br. Kikama (Assistant) are focused on the accompaniment of the Aspirants, teach in their school as well are involved in the pastoral ministry around Yokkaichi. Also Suzuka parish (12 km distance) is entrusted to the Salesian Congregation since 1998, with Fr. Nosal being resident there. Over the 20 years about 11 practical trainees were involved as assistants to the Aspirants.

As any other of 700 boy students of nearby Kaisei (Piarist Congregation) School the Aspirants are performing for most of their day their academic duties. Actually the SDB community share the living space and chapel with two Piarist Filipino missionaries. Piarist School lay principal, Mr. Shimomura expressed his wish to have more Salesian aspirants as Kaisei School students.

Daily life in the Aspirantate starts with the Morning Mass and Lauds, Assembly at 8 AM and apart of the school duties there is a variety of typical Salesian Oratory environment and close relationship among the 3 Salesians and 15 Aspirants. On weekends and vacation time the Aspirants are involved in some apostolic activities of the province.

We ask your prayers for our junior aspirants in Yokkaichi - as well for all three Salesians involved in accompaniment. Three times a year the Aspirantate does publish ‘Yokkaichi Diary’ made of contributions done by all Aspirantate members. In this way they contribute to the growth of vocation culture in the province.

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