by Mario Bianchin*

Men and women religious in Japan remember the pope's call to "awaken the world". The nuncio thanks them for their commitment to the victims of the great earthquake and tsunami of 2011. He also invites them to go "global" as witnesses of the truth, justice and solidarity.

Tokyo (AsiaNews) - For the first time, the Day for Consecrated Life was celebrated last Sunday, Feast day of Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, at Tokyo's St Ignatius Church with the participation of major superiors and representatives of male and female institutes and congregations.

More than 300 people came together for the Mass celebrated by Mgr Joseph Chennoth, apostolic nuncio to Japan, happy with the knowledge that 2015 would be the Year for Consecrated Life.

In his homily, the nuncio thanked especially those who, along with bishops and other Christian communities, helped the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, whose third anniversary (11 March) is fast approaching.

On 10 March, Japan's bishops will mark the anniversary in Sendai Cathedral with a memorial Mass for those who perished.

The nuncio also invited the men and women religious to go "global" in a singular way, not as "teachers" but as "witnesses" of truth, solidarity, justice, and prayer through a joyful life of brotherhood that would be "a token and a pledge" of true peace, at a personal and a collective level.

Indeed, Mgr Chennoth reminded those present of what Pope Francis said at the Salesianum in Rome in November 2013, namely that men and women religious "can awaken the world."

* Regional Superior of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in Japan

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