26 May 2006
Japan

The Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments
10 Piazza Pio XII 10
00120 Vatican City State
Europe

Dear Father,

I am Japanese Catholic faithful who has ever reported to you about the problem of refusal of Holy Communion by priest.

Did you take any action for my entreaty? Or do you intend to take some action soon?

My friend told to me,"I have sent my petitions many times to the Holy See around 10 years ago, but had no response." If this is true, I feel big righteous indignation.

Because I know that your Congregation said in the letter dated 1 July 2002 to a certain American Bishop:

"The Congregation considers any refusal of Holy Communion to a member of the faithful on the basis of his or her kneeling posture to be a grave violation of one of the most basic rights of the Christian faithful."

and...

"Even where the Congregation has approved of legislation denoting standing as the posture for Holy Communion in accordance with the adaptations permitted to the Conferences of Bishops by the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani n. 160 paragraph 2 it has done so with the stipulation that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds."

and...

"Priests should understand that the Congregation will regard future complaints of this nature with great seriousness and if they are verified it intends to seek disciplinary action consonant with the gravity of the pastoral abuse."

And ex-Undersecretary of your Congregation Mons. Mario Marini quoted:

"...while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops' Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion".

And recently, your Congregation said in 183rd clause of "Instruction - Redemptionis sacramentum":

"In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favouritism".

And basically, canon law says:

"sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who opportunely ask for them are properly disposed and are not prohibited by law from receiving them." (843 ¶1)

Do you intend to betray your own these clear and powerful words by yourself?
I have already said to you,"I can expect no help from our bishops and priests." These my words include neither a falsehood nor an exaggeration.
And now, I am reporting to you about "irreverence or distortion" you said about the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and also reporting about "grave violation of one of the most basic rights of the Christian faithful" you said. I base my will on "most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one" you said. I base my thought on your words and soul faithfully. However, do you ignore my petition, and take no action about this problem? Do you change your words into emptiness?

What I say to you is not a lot. It is very simple. I consider that you should abide law of your own and should obey duty of your own so that I am trying to abide law given by you and obey duty of my own.

By the right authority that the Lord gave to you, please use power for our churches. Please say to them that good is good and bad is bad. You should be great soul father for us, and should be powerful leader for all partial churches and the alliance.
Please try to take action just now. And please don't leave the crime in our churches.

I say once again. I am obeying the duty now which expressed by you.
Please deal with this problem by the earnestness same at least as my earnestness. Please don't disappoint a faithful and don't look down upon a lay faithful. Because you should be the pastor who is faithful for God. Please take good care of even one sheep.

Please remember that if you don't work on our churches they will continue the mistakes and your sheep will continue to be injured.

Did you hear me?
I expect your prompt support from the bottom of my heart.

Please forgive my broken English and my somewhat impolite way of talking.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

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