The Rising Son

By Deacon Ed Sheffer
 
One of the reasons I choose to lead pilgrimages is not simply to experience sacred places, but to be moved in a unique way by the Holy Spirit leading me to draw closer to Jesus. Usually, these pilgrimages are co-led by Bishop Kicanas and me. We take turns picking the destination. He chose Japan for this year - The Land of the Rising Sun. Unfortunately, he took ill and we greatly missed his loving spiritual presence.

Our Japanese Tour Guide, Yumiko Sugawara (Yumi), was much more than your typical knowledgeable travel guide/interpreter. Her kindness and gracious hospitality made the journey unforgettable. Yumi had more than deep knowledge of the culture, she was patient, humble, organized, respectful, compassionate, endured complaints with gentleness, and brought Japan to life for us. What a wonderful ambassador of Japanese culture – arigato gozaimashita (thank you very much) and Kami no shukufuktu ga arimasu y oni – (may God bless you).

Through Yumi and all the people we encountered we couldn’t help but notice the deep courtesy of the Japanese people, the care given to even small details, and the quiet dignity woven into daily life. We arrived in Tokyo at the tail end of cherry blossom season and as the pilgrimage progressed, we moved to higher grounds and were able to experience this season’s magnificent beauty. Ancient traditions are still very much alive alongside modern life here, and this brings with it some challenges. For centuries, Japan has treasured customs rooted in respect — respect for family, community, nature, and the sacred. Its history includes profound spiritual traditions shaped by Buddhism and Shinto, alongside the enduring witness of Japanese Christians and martyrs whose faith survived even in times of persecution. Modern Japan is equally fascinating, a world leader in technology, design, cuisine, and innovation. Japan is remarkably clean, spotless of any litter. The value of cleanliness is learned very early. It is clearly a collective mindset – caring for shared spaces is a way of caring for one another. And even amid their high-speed trains and towering skylines, one still finds peaceful gardens, ancient castles, tea ceremonies, and moments of silence that invite reflection.

In retrospect to Japan’s ancient tradition of respect for family, I was intrigued to learn Japan’s rent-a-family agencies are real businesses that provide actors or companions to temporarily play the role of family members, friends, coworkers, or romantic partners. Clients may hire someone to appear as a spouse at a company event, a parent at a school function, a wedding guest, a child who doesn’t exist, or simply a companion to ease loneliness. This industry has grown alongside social pressures such as isolation, aging demographics, declining marriage rates, and the cultural importance of maintaining harmony and appearances. These agencies describe their work as emotional support rather than deception. This fascinated me because I sense it touches on deeper themes like loneliness, pressure to conform socially, an ever-growing emotional distancing, as well as establishing difference between one’s public image (tatemae) and true feelings (hone). I was additionally astonished to learn that men who committed their lives to establishing a business and have no son or daughter to pass on their legacy, literally adopt a grown man to run the business and carry on the family name by way of the business.
I was grateful that Canterbury Pilgrimages arranged for a Franciscan Friar, Fr. Elias Mary Mills (who just finished a pilgrimage in Japan), to join us for the rest of our pilgrimage. He brought incredible insight into the history of Catholicism in Japan, along with modeling extraordinary love of the Eucharist and our Blessed Mother. He and I shared our journey of faith stories and were blessed by each other’s company each morning and evening, as we prayed the Divine Office. I was additionally graced to meet and spend time with a Japanese woman who Fr. Ellias helped grow in faith, Junko Sasaki and her Japanese tennis phenom star daughter Christyna. Their entire family had recently converted to Catholicism. In our meals and conversations, I learned a bit better some of the challenges the Church faces in Japan, some of which are not so different than the rest of the worlds. Japan has become increasingly secular. Most Japanese identify as non-religious, even while participating culturally in Shinto, Buddhist, or Christian customs.  From what I gather many Catholic parishes are elderly, and priestly vocations remain limited.  Christianity is sometimes still viewed as foreign or Western, though respected for its moral and educational contributions. I was also told there is polite persecution happening, meaning not violent oppression but quiet social pressure against standing apart from the broader culture. I was deeply touched by Christyna’s personal encounter with Jesus, being drawn by God’s love, the Church’s beauty, intellectual depth, and how her greater understanding of the witness of Japanese martyrs moved her. What a powerful witness of faith!

The Catholic Church in Japan remains small in numbers but spiritually significant, carrying a remarkable history of perseverance, martyrdom, education, and quiet witness. Catholics make up roughly 0.3% of Japan’s population, with approximately 430,000 Catholics among more than 120 million people.  Despite its small size, the Church in Japan has an influence beyond its numbers through schools, universities, hospitals, charitable works, and intellectual life. Institutions such as Sophia University and other Catholic schools are respected throughout the country. Many Japanese encounter Christianity first through education, literature, music, or Western cultural traditions rather than through family inheritance. The Church’s commitment to social justice, education, and humanitarian efforts resonates deeply with traditional Japanese ideals of harmony and respect for others. This invited me to reflect on how faith can coexist with cultural identity, encouraging a sense of belonging that transcends borders. The historical heart of Japanese Catholicism remains Nagasaki, where the memory of the Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christians) still shapes Catholic identity. After Christianity was outlawed in the 1600s, believers preserved the faith secretly for 250 years until religious freedom returned in the nineteenth century. The witness of the Japanese martyrs was extremely inspirational to me. I was profoundly affected by the heroic martyrdom of so many. It also troubled and saddened me to learn that the Catholic Cathedral in Nagasaki, the center of Catholicism in Japan was only 550 yards from where the atomic bomb was dropped. The lives of thousands and thousands of Catholics ended that day and the tragic event had a devastating effect on the Church.  

In a highly modern and often spiritually searching society, Japanese Catholicism continues to offer a quiet but enduring witness to Jesus. Christianity has made an indelible mark on various cultural practices and traditions. Japanese people appreciate Christian values, such as community and compassion, even if they do not follow the faith themselves. Yumi shared with us that one of the most notable aspects of Christianity in Japan is its influence on wedding ceremonies. Approximately 70% of Japanese couples opt for nonreligious Christian weddings, which often incorporate Western Christian customs and aesthetics. These ceremonies, while not necessarily reflective of a deep religious commitment, showcase the allure of Christian traditions and their integration into modern Japanese life.

If one is interested to learn more about the journey of Christianity in Japan, I highly recommend the book Holy Pilgrimage Sites in Japan, by Anthony Wu.

Japan carries a spirit shaped by beauty, discipline, reverence, and resilience. I carried home with me memories of kindness, beauty, and a deeper appreciation for harmony and gratitude. I have drawn closer to Jesus through this pilgrimage not because Japan is predominantly Christian, but because its unique history of faith was lived quietly, often under pressure. It awakened in me a sense of respect and humility in daily life, through bowing even more to the needs of others, surrendering myself further and being definitively attentive to others. All of it is a reminder of the Gospel message – to love others as Jesus loved us – learning to be humbler and gentler, zeroing in on not just what might be good, but seeking to understand better what is the greatest good and following that unreservedly.  

May the peace of Christ, carried quietly through the centuries of suffering and hope, continue to shine on Japan. May God bless Japan with peace and a renewed spiritual hope. May the light of Christ continue to grow within the hearts of Japanese people and may it become the nation of the rising Son of God.