| 01-10-2006 - Traces, n.9
La Thuile Leafing Through Traces in Japanese by Paolo Perego The figure of a smiling Fr. Giussani at the end of a Way of the Cross in Caravaggio stands out in the center of the cover of the magazine, surrounded by Japanese ideograms. It is the latest issue of Traces translated into Japanese. Sako brought a few copies with her to the International Assembly of Responsibles of Communion and Liberation. Sako, as she is called, though her name is Tomoko, lives in Hiroshima and is part of the small CL community in Japan, just over twenty people, between Tokyo and Hiroshima. I asked her to tell me a bit about herself, and how she encountered the Movement. “I was baptized in 1985. Before then, even though I wasn’t Christian, I attended the Jesuit Catholic University, where among other subjects I studied Gregorian chant, so it was obligatory for me to participate in a few Masses, like Christmas and Easter. For that matter, the university was built right next to the Cathedral. If I think back over the story of these 22 years, I realize that God truly wanted me; He wanted me to be here. He literally pulled me! I remember that I had had some problems with some friends of mine, and afterwards I discovered in myself the desire for something more, and I said, “I want something that doesn’t end.” During that time, I encountered an Italian lady, Angela, who introduced me to the Movement, and her husband, who was the choir director. That was when I began preparation for Baptism.”I continued leafing through the Japanese Traces, and Sako enthusiastically showed me that it published Fr. Carrón’s letter to the Fraternity. Foreseeing my questions, she said, “There are two of us translating Traces, myself and Marcia, a Japanese-Brazilian woman. I work in the archbishopric. In the evening when we get home, we do the translation. It takes a lot of time, about two or three months, also because there are many difficulties with some concepts or some words. For example, the concept of ‘identity’ is not part of the common language, and is just found in academic contexts, so we use the English word. Or the word ‘charity’–it doesn’t exist in Japanese. It’s the same for other words. In the end, we manage to do about three issues a year.” She explained that when they began to prepare this issue, the encyclical Deus Caritas Est hadn’t been published in Japanese yet, so they decided it would be better to postpone Traces and translate the encyclical. Almost at the end of the project, ironically, the encyclical was also published in Japanese. “We send Traces to all the bishops, monks, and superiors of congregations,” she continued. “Over 200 copies were sent. We’re not slaves to ‘results,’ but if someone reads it and responds, or if something happens because of our work, this encourages us greatly! I’ll tell you about one episode. I have a friend who left the Movement ten years ago because she said it didn’t correspond to her. Three years ago, she had a grave problem. She sought me out and we began doing charitable work together–we bring food to homeless men who live in the city. After the charitable work, we often spoke in the car and she would ask me lots of questions. This went on for three years. I always insisted on what Fr. Giussani had taught me, something that has always stayed with me: look attentively at reality, because reality calls you to the Mystery. We even argued a couple of times, something rare in Japan, because in general we keep everything inside, including our irritation. In one issue of Traces we had published the translation of the summary of the booklet Something Within Something. She read it, and continued reading it every day, until she said, ‘Sako, I finally understand what Fr. Giussani is saying!’ She was elated! And I was too. In the end, she expressed her desire to resume the relationship with us.” Speaking of Christ and Christianity to the Japanese, said Sako, is difficult, because there is a strong preconceived idea; in general, people think that anything regarding the Church has nothing to do with their own lives, because it is not part of their culture, just something from the West. The Japanese have a great capacity for looking and learning, but with Christianity this doesn’t happen, or rather, it sometimes happens, but more often it is merely a sentimental manifestation. It is a problem of mentality, culture, and tradition, and at times these seem to be great obstacles. But, as Sako took pains to point out, “It is difficult, but not impossible. Man’s heart is always the same, everywhere.” |