The Archbishop of Tokyo wrote to Francis: "We are grateful for your ministry and we know you have many commitments . But we would like to have the enormous joy of your visit to our country". The Japanese embassy to the Holy See : "The invitation of the Government has not yet arrived, but it's only a matter of time . The executive support our bishops’ request ."

Tokyo ( AsiaNews) - The Japanese Church "earnestly desires to live the mission that Pope Francis has indicated to the universal Church , and hopes to welcome the Pope to Japan to receive from him the strength and the grace necessary to carry out the new evangelization" . With these sentiments , the archbishop of Tokyo , Mgr . Peter Takeo Okada , closes an official letter of invitation to the pope to visit Japan . The prelate, president of the Japanese bishops' conference, "knows that the Holy Father is very busy. But sincerely hopes that he can consider this request ."

Francis announced his return from World Youth Day in Rio that he will go to Asia in 2014. Speaking to AsiaNews, the bishop of Daejeon , Msgr. Lazzaro You Heung- sik , said has already forwarded the invitation to visit South Korea. Similarly Sri Lanka and the Philippines have expressed a desire to receive a pastoral visit of the Pope. The consul of the Japanese Embassy to the Holy See, Shigeru Tokuyasu , told AsiaNews that the Tokyo government "has not yet sent a formal request to the Secretary of State, but it is only a matter of time . The executive will support the request of our bishops " . Below is the full text of the letter of invitation.

 

Your Holiness, Pope Francis,

The hearts of all the faithful in the Church of Japan are deeply appreciative that, beginning with your election as the successor of Peter in March,Your Holiness has guided our worldwide Church with a breath of new life.

We, the Church of Japan, invite you Holy Father, as the Vicar of Christ, as the Head of the Bishops, as the Shepherd of the Universal Church who leads the People of God, to visit Japan so that the people may hear directly from you the Gospel message of God's love and life and receive your blessing.   By this letter, I as the President of the Bishops' Conference of Japan, with the support of the entire Bishops' Conference, humbly and respectfully request that Your Holiness come to visit Japan.　

We, the Church of Japan, strongly desire to dialogue and live, together with you Holy Father, the heartfelt mission that you have so strongly emphasized, namely, that we be a Church that lives together with the poor.  In addition, through your visit Holy Father, the Church of Japan fervently hopes to receive from God our Father, the strength and grace needed to undertake the New Evangelization.  Therefore, we will surely welcome a visit by you Holy Father with great joy.

Holy Father, we know that you are very busy with your holy ministry, but by all means, we ask that you kindly consider this sincere request from the Church of Japan. 
　
With thanks for your understanding and guidance and prayerful best wishes, I am
Yours devotedly in Our Lord,

 

 

Peter Takeo Okada
President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan
Catholic Archbishop of Tokyo

 

 

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• vatican
• pope
• francis
• invitation
• new
• evangelization