By Fr. Antonio Takei, SDB

Mie, Japan, July 11-12 - The Southern Block of Mie held a summer camp in Salesian Aspirantate, Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan with a theme: “We are loved by God.” This Summer camp had been organized for the children in these parishes of Kyoto Diocese. This camp was attended by the following participant: 30 Catholic primary school children, 15 Junior high school students and a 15 volunteers.

Children came from six parishes: Tsu, Hisai, Nabari, Ise, Ueno and Matsuzaka, most of them accompanied also by their parish priest. All of them are Catholics, but most of them are children of migrants Peru, Brazil and the Philippines with a small group of ‘pure’ Japanese children.

Fr. Daisuke Kitagawa, a Rector of Yokkaichi Aspirantate, was in-charge of the Camp accompanied by the FMA sisters, Salesian Cooperators, Salesian Aspirants and diocesan Priests of Kyoto with few Parish leaders. This activity was just limited only in two days and one night, yet the experience of these children in the Salesian house is so meaningful and so deep! The participants are happy and very joyful. You can sense it from their eyes and faces! Truly, it is a grace from God and the blessing of the Virgin Mary and Saint John Bosco! Its so grateful to have this foundation from Saint John Bosco, through the grace of God, who is the “father, brother and friends of youth” so that, as children of Don Bosco we are able to be and live with them without any hindrances as reflected in the theme of the camp, “We are loved by God.”

The Southern Mie summer camp was started 12 years ago by the first Yokkaichi Aspirantate Rector, Fr. Atsushi Hamasaki and successfully repeated every year. Every year our aspirants attend this Camp and are also the main animators, such as leaders for each program group, organizers of games and recreation activities. The high school Aspirants care for each small group of children, join the choir and play the musical instruments during the Mass. The preparation of this summer camp is a good opportunity of pastoral formation of the Aspirants.

Fr. Takei does express the long term fruits of this summer camp: “Looking back on past twelve years we have been having this Camp, we should acknowledged also three Aspirants coming from the camp. Thanks to God who is calling young people in many very different ways – also through the summer faith camp”.