The Japanese bishops have published the first Asian response to the Catholic survey on marriage and family - and it’s every bit as critical as those from Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Catholic dioceses of Japan
Japan’s bishops have publicly responded to a Vatican survey of global Catholics’ views on family issues, stating bluntly that church teachings are not known in their country and the Vatican’s Europe-centric view hampers efforts at evangelization in places where Catholics represent a small minority of the population.
In a sometimes pointed 15-page report issued in preparation for an October meeting of the world’s bishops, known as a synod, the Japanese state the church “often falls short” by “presenting a high threshold for entry and lacking hospitality and practical kindness.”
Stressing many times that Japanese Catholics represent only about 0.35 percent of the country’s population and that some 76 percent of those Catholics marry non-Catholics, the Japanese ask the global church to “go beyond” a series of norms and rules that separate Catholics from one another.
Responding in particular to questions about people in “irregular” family situations (in Japan, unmarried couples, or those divorced and remarried), the Japanese bishops very pointedly quote an important lesson from the Gospels:
In developing a pastoral orientation, it is perhaps important to recall that the only time in the gospels that Jesus clearly encounters someone in a situation of cohabitation outside of marriage (the Samaritan woman at the well) he does not focus on it. Instead, he respectfully deals with the woman and turns her into a missionary.
They are not referring here to same - sex couples (gay marriage is not yet a big issue in Japan), but the principle is quite obviously the same.
And on contraception, and on sexual matters more generally, they have the very sound observations:
“Most Catholics in Japan have not heard of Humanae vitae,” the Japanese state, referring to Pope Paul VI’s encyclical letter banning the practice. “If they have, they probably do not make it an important part of their lives. Social and cultural values as well as financial considerations are more important.”
“There is a big gap between the Vatican and reality,” they continue. “Condom use is recommended in sex education classes in schools.”
Responding as to whether Japanese Catholics promote so-called natural methods of birth control, the Japanese respond: “There are some attempts to introduce such practices as the Billings Method, but few people know about it. For the most part, the Church in Japan is not obsessed with sexual matters.”
Related articles
- Belgian Bishops: Church Must More Welcoming to All - Especially to Gay People. (news.queerchurch.com)
- Vatican Survey of Catholics for Synod on the Family: More Evidence (England, Wales, Canada) of “Huge Gap” Between Magisterial Teaching and People of God (bilgrimage.blogspot.com)
- Divorce: Catholics Worldwide Challenge Vatican Communion Rules (queeringthechurch.com)
- Footnote to Report of German Bishops to Vatican in Preparation for Synod on Family: Swiss Catholics Weigh In (bilgrimage.blogspot.com)
- Pope Francis Consulting the Faithful on Marriage, Family - and Sexuality. (queeringthechurch.com)
- German Bishops Release Results of Survey for Synod on Family: “Rarely Has an Institution Received Such Low Marks from Its Members” (bilgrimage.blogspot.com)
- “What British Catholics Believe About Sex” (It’s Not the Catechism!) (queeringthechurch.com)
- Worldwide, 78% of Catholics Support Contraception. (queeringthechurch.com)
