Southern cross. (Savannah, Ga.) 1963-2021, January 19, 1963, Image 2

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Southern cross., January 19, 1963, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE 2—The Southern Cross, January 19, 1963 JAPANESE CONVERT SAW FAITH STRENGTHENED IN 1940 COMBAT IN CHINA (The author of the following feature is a convert and former officer of the Japanese Imperial Army, who is now serving with his wife as a lay missionary at the Takada Catholic Mission in Japan. He relates how his faith was born in stark loneliness as he knelt before the cremated remains of his grandfather and nurtured in the havoc of war as he crawled through frozen terrain under enemy gunfire.) By Augustine Aoyanagi (N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE) It took the war in China to make me realize the power of Catholicism in a man’s life. At 28 I was in the 116th Regiment of the 13th Division Army on that February II, 1940. That day things had been tough, leaving us exhausted in body and spirit. With nightfall came a terse order from the regimen tal commander: “Captain Aoyanagi, take two NCO’s and two soldiers and infiltrate into the enemy lines. Find out their numbers and lo cate their gun emplacements.” The Chinese were up in the mountains, less than a mile away. During the day we had advanced but lost over half our men. We were now reduced to about 200. How strong was the enemy? I had to find out. So we crawled out into the dark ness of that bitter wintry night like hunted animals. I feared death that night as I had never before. During, the day, soldiers had died all around me but I was too busy, too keyed up to be affected. Now, exhausted, cold, crawling to wards a trap, fear coursed wildly through me. The joy, the peace of Easter 19.34 in Tamatscuri church were so 'far away. It was a joy that had begun in the stark loneliness of death and sorrow. It began with the death of my grandfather. To me, 15 years old, it had been a profound shock. He was cremated and I used to kneel before our Bud dhist family altar, mesmerized by the small urn holding his ashes. -■ What is life--life that ends like this box of ashes? The only answer my Buddhist parents could give was a shrug, a stoic face. Perhaps that Catholic Church had a better answer. I used to pass it often and the sign out front said: “Catechism for men, Thursday nights 7 p.m.” I was 18 before I accepted the invita tion. It was 1930 yet I remember Protestant-Catholic (Continued from Page 1) law. Without either, a society descends into anarchy. The strengthening of the Protestant- Catholic dialogue should bring to the fore the fact that the foundation of law is abiding, although men and nations may rise and fall.” “For my part,” Dr. Littell concluded, “I am thankful that we have a President of the United States who believes that law is law.” A rabbi addressing one of the conference's four forums de clared (Jan. 15) that religion must involve itself in the public arena in which voluntary and secular organizations and the government function. But in so doing it should never allow itself to be used solely for the purpose of promoting a good image of this country, said Rabbi Morris Adler of Congre gation Shaarey Zedek in De troit. “Religion,” he stated “should welcome the support of every secular group whose mo- U. N. Troops (Continued from Page 1) ary school were returning from Mass, they were stopped by Tunisian soldiers who forced them to fill their pockets with cartridges. Then they accused the youths of carrying ammuni tion and lined them against a wall and threatened to shoot them. A Tunisian officer who arrived on the scene prevented a massacre. Later that day, Tunisian sold iers entered the priest’s house in the Katuba district and stole all his money. In the evening the pastor of St. Vincent’s parish in the Kasa- pa district was forced to leave his church. When he returned the next morning, protected by Tunisian troops, he found the tabernacle had been broken into and all the sacred vessels stolen. In an earlier interview here, Archbishop Cornelis mentioned some of these incidents and also reported that St. Boniface’s church was hit by two mortar solvos. Sisters took shelter in the cellar all night while their convent was being severely bombed.” Reports received here state that during the first two days of the fighting Ethiopian troops roamed through the streets of the Kenia district firing through doors and windows and violating women. One violated woman was stabbed in the stomach with a bayonet and two others were also killed. Men who tried to defend the women, the reports said, were shot. As a result, reports contin ued, between 25,000 and 30,000 people fled without money or supplies into the countryside overwhelming the mission sta tions which tried to aid them. On December 31, reports said, Ethiopian troops returned to Kenia and forced its remain ing inhabitants to exhibit all their belongings. Then they drove off in trucks loaded with radios, typewriters, watches, blankets and other goods. Later in the day, they stopped all passersby and forced them to hand over their watches and pay 1,000 francs ($20) if they want ed to go on unmolested. On the same day, 12 people were killed during a house-to- house search and looting in the Lubumbashi suburb, the reports added. tivations are sincere and whose social goals coincide with its own. . .But even as religion enters into such a partnership, it should not relinquish its role as a critic, since in perspec tive and purpose it ranges far beyond the immediate goals. “For religion, the achieve ment of racial justice is not an element in a foreign policy, a factor making for a good image abroad; or the fulfillment of the implications of a political system or doctrine, nor.yet the price for domestic tranqui lity. It represents an objec tive transcending all these. . . Religion’s solicitude embraces not only the victim of racial injustice but also its perpe trator It can thus without sac rificing intensity and resolve help make our socia^ struggle one that not only combats evil but upholds and articuLates the larger good.” Rabbi Adler said that in work ing alongside secular agencies devoted to racial justice, reli gion “need not be reduced to the status of an agency or a social work program as long as it holds before it the high sights of its own purpose and nature.” “If there are dangers to reli gion in its alliance with the variety of secular agencies working in the field of racial justice,” he asserted, “it seems to me there is greater danger to it if it refrains from such cooperation.” that Thursday night as if it were last night. It was January and very cold and dark as I stepped into the grounds of Tamatscuri church in Osaka. Disaster befell me immediately. I turned left in stead of right. I ended up in a garden and couldn’t see a thing. I was not so sure I was glad I came now to this headquarters of the “foreign religion.” Good grief! Something walked towards me like a ghoul out of a childhood ghost story, all shrouded in black. I retained just enough self-possession to ask where the catechism class was being held. A light snapped on and I gazed unsteadily at a nun. This Catholic church was a scary place! • i Father Furuya was the cate chism teacher. There was Something in him that appealed to me immediately. One sensed an optimism, a warmth of soul. I studied in earnest. And a month later, just to be thorough, ,1 enrolled in the Methodist mis sion school. For half a year I studied catechism with Father Furuya every Thursday, attend ed Sunday Mass and spent Sun day evening at the Methodist service and Bible class. By summer, I decided I had A Japanese journalist and his wife, shown praying the. Rosary in their home at Osaka, Japan, have offered to de vote their lives to the Church as catechists in the Takada Catholic Mission, Takada City, Japan. Augustine Aoyanagi, converted to Catholicism in 1934, nurtured his faith through the years of World War II when he was an officer in the Japanese army. (NC Photos) Asked To Adopt Asian Orphans NEW YORK — “East is east, and west is west” but the twain will meet if the giant adoption campaign launched by the Cath olic CotVrinittee for Refugees - NCWC .is successful. The CCR is seeking generous American Catholic families willing to open their hearts and homes to hun dreds of Asian orphans. The aim of the adoption pro gram is to make more Ameri can Catholic families aware of the plight of thousands of As ian children languishing in or phanages throughout the Far East. The Catholic Committee for Refugees believes that more Catholic families would open their homes and hearts to these unfortunate victims of war, po litical unrest and poverty, if they knew of their needs and availability. To acquaint Am erican Catholics with this great human misery; CCR has initia ted a month-long campaign em ploying all means of mass com munication. Everybody Has a Mommy. Why don't I?" Since the end of World War II, American families have adopted many was orphans, par ticularly from Europe. Con gress reacted to this appeal by passing temporary, legisla tion which permitted alien or phans to enter on a non-quota basis from 1948 to 1961. How ever, in September, 1961, Con gress made permanent the pro visions whereby eligible or phans adopted abroad or coming Methodist Bishop (Continued from Page 1) Mystical Body. They belong to the Church.” Bishop Corson had been ask ed whether he noted any change in the “traditional belief that the Catholic Church is the one true Church,” and in reply said Cardinal Bea’s statement “just simply expanded the Church and brought us in.” “The power of criticism is strong in the Roman Catholic Church. They did not spare themselves in the discussions at the council. They frankly say many bases of Church life need reform,” Bishop Corson told a Baltimore ministers' luncheon. “We had complete freedom in expressing the points of view that are distinctly our own. The Pope looked on us not so much as a group to be ‘brought in’ but rather as a body whose fellowship needed to be restor ed,” he asserted. Bishop Corson cautioned Protestant ministers: “Don’t, expect too much from the coun cil. One swallow doesn’t make a spring. Doors have to be opened.” The Methodist Bishop said he is interested particularly in the “theology of the laity” de veloping in the Catholic Church. He commented: “I thought that Protestants had a monopoly on this but I got a surprise in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church is not only concerned with the activity of laymen but with giving the laity a theology and developing in them a sense of meaning and belonging to the Church. The lay state is looked upon as a vocation.” Bishop Corson, chosen by World Outlook magazine as the Methodist of the Year, has these comments on other topics; --Scripture. “I think there is hope that a joint commission will be appointed to prepare a Bible both Protestants and Ca tholics ,can use.” Later, in response to a question from the audience, he said Cardinal Bea had expressed to him not only the hope but the belief this could be done. —Church Unity. “Structural unity is^something we are not yet in a position to discuss but we can talk. It’s a good idea to remember Pope John’s state ment that ‘Brotherhood must precede doctrine.’ ” — Liturgy. Bishop Corson hailed the idea of regional con ferences of bishops—“organi zed, by the way, much as we Methodists are"—to undertake liturgical revisions in their own areas. --Social Relations. “On the level of social relations we can do a great deal.” He cited an instance of 34 priests and 34 ministers attending a dinner together in New England. “They had a fellowship together at that dinner that was quite a thing,” he said. to the United States for adoption by a US citizen and spouse could be issued a non-quota visa. Catholic Relief Services - N.C.W.C. has the overseas re sponsibility of selecting, docu menting and processing the children. They are referred to the Catholic Committee for Re fugees for matching-up with a family approved by a recog nized child care agency in the State wherein the child will re side. The Committee assumes full responsibility for the child upon entrance into the United States until such time as the adoption is completed. To date CCR has placed 310 oriental children in American Catholic Represents Cardinal At Enthronement Of Anglican Bishop MONTREAL, (NC) — A rep resentative of the Cardinal- Archbishop of Montreal attend ed the enthronement here of the Rt. Rev. Robert Kenneth Ma guire as Anglican Bishop of Montreal. Msgr. Harold Doran of St. Patrick’s church represented Paul Emile Cardinal Leger, Archbishop of Montreal, at the ceremony in Christ Church ca thedral. Cardinal Leger had en tered Hotel Dieu Hospital the day before (Jan. 7) because of heart fatigue brought on by months of uninterrupted work. Bishop Maguire, 39, succeeds the Anglican Archbishop John Dixon, who has retired. The Anglicans of Montreal have taken an active part in discussions with members of the ecumenical commission of the Montreal archdiocese set up by Cardinal Leger. Sacred Heart Club Receives Charter SAVANNAH - The St. Fran cis of Assisi Civics Club of Sa cred Heart School this week re ceived its official charter from the Commission on American Citizenship in Washington, D.C. The Charter formally recog nizes affiliation of the local unit with the national organiza tion at the Catholic University of America. Pupils of the 8th grade comprise the local Club membership. The officers of the newly organized Club are: Francis Butler, president; William Car- son Case, vice-president;Susan Cochron, recording secretary. St. Francis of Assisi Civics Club is one of the thousands of Catholic Civics Clubs charter ed in the United States for the express purpose of developing informed young citizens. The theme of this year’s pro gram is “Build Better Local Government.” Club members receive help in developing this theme from Young Catholic Messenger, national current af fairs weekly for students in grades 6-9. Monthly articles in the periodical point up the fundamentals of good citizen ship and suggest practical pro jects for the club members. Savannah Radiator Co. AUTO REPAIRS P } 315 West Bay Street Savannah, Ga. homes in 29 states. Catholic families interested in welcoming an abandoned or refugee orphan into their home should contact their Director of Catholic Charities, or write Ca tholic Committee for Refugees- NCWC, 265 West 14th Street, New York 11, New York. given Protestantism a fair trial and left. No doubt there was much good in that church which I failed to see because of my immaturity. Father Furuya taught me ca techism for six wonderful months and then was sent to France, to my great regret. Under another priest I finished the course. But I did not ask for Baptism. I now believed Catholicism to be true BUT. . . the brash teenager did not fancy a life spent under Catholicism’s stern morals and discipline! I ceased - attending Mass regu larly. We moved to another house and I called to give the local church a look over. I had to admit that the young French pri est and his middle-aged Jap anese catechist were an admir able pair. I was in a quandary. The soundness of its teaching, the quality of its believers, attracted my heart to Catholi cism. Yet its demands of sac rifice, obedience! I feared to take the plunge. Perhaps as compensation I often took my two young sisters along to church. My now- widowed mother did not oppose this, on the principle that “it couldn’t do anyone any harm.” We moved back again near Tamatscuri church. The pastor was now a young Japanese priest I had known in the days of my first fervor. As soon as I could I made an appointment with him and opened my heart. It was an eventful discussion. I left him resolved to be “baptized into Christ.” Father Miyakada gave me a program of preparation, plenty of prayer and reading. I pre sented myself before him in Holy Week, 1934, for a short examination on my belief and motives. I don’t remember his questions but I do remember that I resolved to become a 100 per cent Christian. On Easter Sunday I was baptized Augus tine, a saint with tremendous appeal for me. I knew that the Truth had made me free, despite the sol emn declarations of the scien tists in a Japan that was almost wholly godless in its leaders and scholars. I found a job with the Main- ichi newspaper in Osaka and set out to become a reporter. Life was good. Then came the shock of February 26, 1936. Out of the blue (as far as most of us were concerned) young army zealots assassinated a group of politi cians who opposed their war theories. Though “people intbe street” did not realize it at first, the army was in control of Japan from the day of that bloodbath. On July 7, 1936, the China War began. I knew as little as the motives and machinations of this as of the coup. But in January of 1938 I was told to report to Sendai for army train ing. The 10 months’ training was a shock. Being abused, lashed with a sergeant’s belt, face - slapped, rifle - butted, kicked, were considered part of our training. Another shock was to come into a place openly hostile to Christianity, the “un-Japanese religion.” Among 1,600 sol diers I was the only Christian, as far as I knew. At no time during the training course was I able to attend Mass. But sometimes there were free hours on a Sunday afternoon when I slipped off, cut through back streets and entered the church. If the German priest was at home I would take off my bayonet and go into the con fessional to receive the sacra ment of peace. I left the training unit as a sergeant. Military training over, I returned home to Osaka, feeling like a released prisoner. But not for long! On August 23, 1939, I received a letter ordering me north, and three days later was in my second lieutenant’s uniform on a train bound for the embarkation port of Hiroshima. I had to leave for China with out seeing any of my family. I had a good talk with Father Miyakada, however, before I reported to my regiment. As a Japanese, he knew one special temptation that might come my way at the front. “If you’re taken prisoner, that’s no disgrace. But it would be a disgrace if you, a Chris tian, committed suicide,” he said. The army still taught the old “harakiri” tradition. As a parting gift Father gave me a beautiful medal of Our Lady. I wore it round my neck all through the war. That medal was to lose its gilt in the hard years ahead but I never lost its beauty as far as I was con cerned. The death of my grandfather had brought me to study Chris tianity. Now death’s constant closeness was to keep me up to the practice of the Faith. I never had a single chance of going to confession during my two years in China. One night came that command to get behind the Chinese lines. As I listened to the instructions the chill of fear gripped my soul and body. Death had long been in sight. Now it turned its gaze directly on me and seemed about to strike. I tried to calm my-! self to make an act of “perfect contrition,” From my heart I asked His forgiveness and I prayed for the strength to ful fill my duty as a soldier. Then as I crawled along in the wretch ed darkness, I found that my fear of death had gone. Several hours later we were inching back with the informa tion. Maybe because success made me careless, maybe be cause my limbs shivered with cold, I dislodged a rock. A brass band could not have made more noise! A Chinese machinegun open ed up and a bullet tore through the flesh of my left thigh. That; bullet wound was a blessin; My comrades dragged me to safety. I was hospitalized and sent back to Japan. The wound was to heal perfectly but I was to spend the rest of the War in Japan. My mother met me at the station though it was late at night. What a reunion! As soon as I was up next morning I set off for that land mark of my youth, Tamatscuri church. Mass was over but Father Miyakado was only too happy to let met approach Christ in the sacrament of forgiveness/ My nation was to enter an all- out war that led only to chaos. But I had internal peace. ASKS STUDY- (Continued from Page 1) “As we review the estimate: of the numbers of our youth wh< will be seeking higher educatior in the years ahead,” he said “we know that our present faci lities, public and private, are inadequate to meet the demand. We cannot wonder whether the present pattern of distribution of our resources is efficient. “More importantly, we must 1 ask whether our facilities can measure up to the demands of excellence in education which are so essential to growth and leadership in a complex society,” he said. $3edt ed To The “Southern Cross” FOR A LONG AND FRUITFUL LIFE IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM UNION-CAMP SAVANNAH PLANT UNION BAG—CAMP PAPER CORP