SUMMER and YOUTH

With this liver problem that I am having, I cannot move much and enjoy the summer this year. But there are certain assignments to be done in between rest and most of them were holy masses with an overnight stay at youth camps.

At the last part of July, I had to go to as far as Kawaguchi-ko in Yamanashi to spend some time with the GLORIA　BOYS' CHOIR for their　yearly summer training and practice camp. I admire the dedication of these boys when they practice. I doubly admire the dedication of the men and women who teach and assist them. The GLORIA BOYS' CHOIR was established exactly 50 years ago in this church where I am working by a Redemptorist priest for the purpose of having a choir composed only of boys (just like that of Vienna). The change in the way we do our holy mass has diminished their role within the liturgy, but the choir continued on.

Celebrating the mass

with them the next morning, I only had 6 communions, meaning that only around 1/5 of the membership is Catholic. Yet, they sing classical church songs (by Gounod, Haydn, Mozart, etc.) as their usual repertoire.

August 8th, I was with the middle and high school parishioners for their summer camp, together with their university student-leaders. We were off to Akagi, Gunma in the morning and arrived there around noon. The theme of this year's camp was METAMORPHOSIS (dap-pi, in Japanese). A deep theme. But the place did not match it. The campsite is literally a campsite -- small cottages on a mountainside, far from

civilization nor even from the nearest convenience store, no cellphone signal (and prayers that no accidents would happen!), firewood for cooking, a separate house of shower and toilet...

I was talking to my liver as I went up and down those paths, asking forgiveness for letting him work and tire this way. Personally, I cannot recommend this place, especially when church camps for youth have themes that make

them reflect.

August 22 was the Summer Festival of the Parish, a yearly activity organized by the youth themselves. I am the one in-charge of the youth in the parish, but I literally did not interfere in any of their plans and preparations. They were really good!

I only showed support

by giving them something to eat and celebrate at the middle or end of a day of work, work and work. The day itself was great, with a lot of our senior parishioners participating in the group sharing and dances.

August 25. I was on the train to Mishima, Shizuoka right after my parish mass. I was off to the Hakone no Sato,

a campsite and nature-school type facility to join the Boy Scouts.

Again, a lot of Boy Scout units are based in churches (Catholics and Protestants alike) in Japan, and it is interesting that they request for a mass in their camps every year. I had the mass in the afternoon that same day and joined them in their campfire that night.

Peculiarly, the place and its facilities fit more the

middle and high school camp! The next day, I joined them in their train ride going back to Kamakura.

And the toll on my liver? Well, I

have to undergo a liver biopsy by next week! It is just to determine well what really hinders me. I was "almost" on the road to recovery 3 weeks ago. Was it the travel? Was it the food? Was it the medicines prescribed for my pinched nerves? For those who have read this, please say a simple prayer for my complete recovery. God bless!