ASIA/JAPAN - Association supports 351 Japanese missionaries involved in pastoral work abroad

Wednesday, 10 November 2004

Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) - Some 351 Japanese missionaries engaged in pastoral work abroad are supported by the Japan Catholic Association to Assist Overseas Missionaries.
Supported by donors all over the country the Association is able to meet all the many and various needs of missionaries in other countries. Today the Association, founded in 1982 has more than 2,000 members, private individuals, companies and juridical entities. It organises a day of reflection and collection once a year which includes examination of requests coming from overseas missionaries.
In 2003 the Association collected and sent more than 10 million Yen to support 19 programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America including the building of a hospital in Cameroon and health centres in ad Haiti.
“We are rewarded for our work with the gratitude which comes from the missionaries and the people they help”, the association volunteers say.
The Association also organises cultural events on mission topics often to reply to people with regard to missionary activity. It also organises prayers for the missions.
It publishes a newsletter Kizuna, “Connection”. The editor Suwa Nahomi, told Fides: “We try to be a bridge between the missionaries and people in Japan. The more they hear about missionary work, the more people in Japan are encouraged to support missionaries”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2004 righe 31 parole 332)


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