Letter from Fr Gaetano Compri, Japan

(accompanied by a photo of Mt Fuji he took while flying back into Tokyo)

TOKYO 23 april 2011 --

My dear friends,

I returned on Wednesday 20 Aoril, from Nagasaki where I was presenting an exhibition on the Shroud.  In the space of four days I held 11 conferences of an hour and a half each!  850 people took part, all very enthusiastic. The newspapers also spoke of the event. The Lord has left us this wonderful relic as testimony to His death and Resurrection and it has become so useful to me for making Him known;  I thank Him for this gift. Last december my fifth book on the Shroud was published. This time it was prepared as a pocketbook and 10,000 copies have been printed.

     I turned 81 this year! Thanks be to God I carry my years well. I have been a missionary for 56 of those years, and it is something I carry on with great joy because this is what the Lord has called me to.

The plan originally was for me to come to Italy in May as part of a pilgrimage. The earthquake, however, has set those plans back to better times in the future.

     Today in Tokyo it is unseasonally cold and wet. Poor victims of the earthquake-tsunami!  Every now and again we feel an aftershock here but we are good distance from the disaster zone. It has been a terrible trial but I am certain the Japanese know how to recover from it.

     As you know I am the vice postulator for the cause of beatification of the Venerable Fr Vincent Cimatti, founder of the Salesian presence in Japan. I hope that he will soon be proclaimed Blessed. Last year I published his autobiography in Italian, published by Elledici. If you read it you will understand the greatness of this holy man, and also something of the work I am doing.

     I am attaching a photo of Mt Fuji which I took from the plane on my return from Nagasaki.

Happy Easter and may the Lord protect you and all your dear ones.

Fr Gaetano Compri

Salesian missionary in Japan

Brief note from Fr Andy Wong - written to me but no doubt he'd want to say much the same to eveyrone else!

Dramatised Way of the Cross, Christ the King parish, Tetere

by Bro. Moise Paluku sdb

It was one o’clock when all the parishioners of Christ the King Parish assembled in Don Bosco RTC to commence the acted-out Stations of the Cross.

In fact, people came from all corners of the parish in the early hours of the morning to join Christ’s journey to Calvary. About 9 am the Church hosted the 17 communities for a recollection srvice led by Fr. Chaves (Vincentian). All the parishioners chose to respond to the request of the Catholic tradition of fasting, abstinence and praying on the Good Friday. Fr. Chaves emphasised the mystery to be commemorated later in the day. A moderator in front and two confessors located behind, Fr. Michael Lap, sdb, the parish Priest, Fr. Joseph Than, sdb, and Fr. Pankaj Paras, sdb, heard confessions so that everyone might be ready to rise with Christ Jesus.  

Then - the Passion of Christ. The drama was magnificently and artistically acted out. Many could immediately recall Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ. The young people of the Solomons are capable of many things when they give free reign to their imagination. The aim of the drama was achieved because all the spectators felt the death of Christ re-actualized in their daily life. Some women were crying, while some of the children were smiling and laughing at seeing “Jesus” falling and being dragged by the soldiers in their red costumes.  

Then the Evening Celebration of the Passion of the Christ began at 8 pm. This time was chosen in agreement of the Parish council, due to the circumstances of the place. No matter that it was late, the church was full and everyone ready to bear their sufferings with Christ, gaze and venerate the Cross.

We address our thanks to Fr. Michael Lap, the Parish Priest, who gave shape to the genial ideas of our youngsters. For the Passion of the Christ being re-created, Father has generously disposed his heart and his hands to the better devotion of all the parishioners. We acknowledge also the Youth Ministry of the Parish for their incredible creativity. And so the drama will be available on VCD for whoever would like to watch the SI version of Mel Gibson at the Parish office!

All in readiness for the EAO Social Communication Meeting

The Social Communication Department from Rome, led by Fr Filiberto Gonzalez Plasencia, General Councillor, will be held in Manila from 26-29 April. Practically every province/Vice Province from the Region will be represented. A major feature of the gathering will be the presentation of the renewed Salesian Social Communication System.  More news once the event gets udner way

  

SCS News comes from the 

Social Communications Department

 Via della Pisana, 1111 00163, Roma-Bravetta