I believe that you are very busy. But please read till the last. Please...

24 July 2006
Japan

Dear Father,

I am Japanese faithful who has ever sent you several letters concerning the problem that my priest denies Holy Communion to me only because I wish to kneel. I received your letter dated 3 June 2006, Prot.N.645/06/L, with great thanks.

Thanks to your letter to him, I could have an interview with His Excellency the Most Reverend Peter Toshio Jinushi, Bishop of Sapporo, on this July 6. I thank you in this from the bottom of my heart.

I think that you have already received a report based on that interview from him. And I am a little anxious about what he stated to you. Of course I believe that he did not change the fact itself. But I am a little anxious about what he drew out from the fact according to the tendency of his own mind. So I want to tell you some matters, before you give him the next direction.

I showed him clear words of your Congregation about this problem, of course. However he still said, "In Japan, standing and kneeling are not parallel at all. The norm is only standing. May kneeling be accepted with special reasons? Probably it may be so. But it needs measurement of how important and serious it is for you to kneel. If it is merely superficial admiration to the West or Rome, I will not permit it."
He said so, though he had received several letters from me which mentioned the reason of my wish in detail.
He said that he would "measure" my inside, my heart, my seriousness. But how?

He promised me that he would continue considering this problem. And in the last of the interview, I asked him, "During the period of your considering this problem, don't you intend to give any directions to my priest about whether he should give me the holy body of Jesus?." He answered me, "No, I don't. I cannot say 'Give' nor 'Don't give' to him, till I would find a conclusion." This is his judgment. So, dear Father, I am not yet permitted to receive Holy Communion unless I give up kneeling.

And he said, "People of Holy See don't like to be bothered with such a small problem." Surely, dear Father, this problem itself may be small at a glance. But please look at what he (or they) brought in the religious life of one Catholic faithful. I am losing confidence in Catholic pastors by this problem day by day. Though I want to go to Mass every day if possible, I can't do that for disappointment. So I wish that you find there are big problems beside small problems. Those are, so to speak, the loss of sense about the right and the duty of each other, and the loss of sense about the order of priority to each elements included in this faith.

Do you think that this problem which I submit is a small problem? Please listen. Actually, they seem not to feel sorrow even if they see one faithful who has no problem in canon law cannot receive Holy Communion for weeks or for months by their regional norm, right in front of them. It seems to be merely one administrative step for them. What I want to show to you is such shape of their heart! Is it really the heart of Vicar of Christ?

Dear Father, concerning the adaptation of another norm, you ever said as follows:

I understand this clarification of yours. You know appropriate balance of things. But the pastors of our country tend to force their norms on us too rigidly. I feel that it is almost the totalitarianism.

They may say various things to you. For example, "When standing and kneeling coexist in the same place, the order of Mass will be disturbed enormously." But I believe that their words are exaggerated. And I know that they don't even examine the case of Mass of weekday which has always few participants which does not reach 20 people.

I believe that the Holy See alone can authentically interpret legislation. And I entreat you not to change your beliefs mentioned in your statement and to display the authority of St. Peter clearly to churches of all the world. I expect your powerful direction.

Please forgive me that I always say only requests to you. But I believe that this is sake of the health of our church.

Please do not doubt that I thank you.
May your holy work be always with Christ!
I send my respect to you.
And I pray for Pope and you as much as possible.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Postscript

Dear Father,

I forgot to say an important thing.

The letter which you gave me delighted many friends of mine. In my country, there are a lot of people worrying* about the future of Catholic Church of Japan. But unfortunately, pastors do not know their thoughts, because people almost always hesitate to bring their doubt to the pastors for fear to losing the virtue of modesty and submission.

So while my bishop may tell you that there are few people having wishes which are similar to mine, I want you not to receive his words literally.
Please think that there are many similar people behind a person like me.

Thank you.

* One of our worries

For example, recently, an article contributed by a faithful was carried by the newspaper (23 July 2006 "Catholic Weekly of Japan"). According to it, the sacred blood of Christ often falls into the floor at some churches of Tokyo. The cause is wrong manner of Communion under Both Kinds. People dip the sacred host into the sacred blood in the chalice which the ministrant has, by their own hand. Then each of them drops the sacred blood on the floor a little when they carry the sacred host to their own mouth.
A trace of blood on the floor is always seen at those churches. One day he (the contributor) saw that a Westerner who grieve for this is licking blood of the floor after Mass.

But in fact, dear Father, such a way which violate the direction of Holy See is taken at many Japanese churches. The Japanese Committee on the Liturgy seems to have made it the standard in Japan for a long time. I also witnessed it once at Sapporo Kita 26Jyo Church, recently.
The contributor is my friend who lives in Tokyo. He is working on the priests and the bishop related to those churches now. When the result is not good, he may send a letter to you.

Thank you very much for reading till the last!

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