By Sr. Masako Miyake, SNDdeN
Since the early foundations of the Japan Province, we have been serving as Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) in giving Priority to Catholic Education. This is our GOAL from Kindergarten through University. People in Japan regard our Sisters as Women Religious who convey successfully a faith-based view of creation and humanity, educating with strong values for a viable life in a global society. We teach educational principles, apparently absent in many schools today! As directed by St. Julie Billiart, our Sisters EDUCATE the whole person for life!
The number of Catholics in Japan is small. Yet we believe that those who received their faith through Catholic schools are significant among our Japanese people! Only a few Catholic students are in each school. Usually none of them are baptized during their school days. Our alumnae live Christian values after graduation, and sometimes are baptized at the end of their lives. We are proud of the Christian impact on so many people through education.
Vocations to Religious Life
As in most developed countries in the Northern Hemisphere today, vocations to Religious Life in Japan have also declined significantly. Catholics have always been a minority (0.34% of population), and now the declining birthrate, diversifying values in religions have caused some of the decline. Also, the younger generation seems to refuse making commitments, even in marriage. Influenced too in this changing global society, with fewer Sisters, people do not experience the value and attractiveness of Women Religious, who work in educational ministries. Most Congregations in Japan, including SNDdeN, are facing an aging population and lack new vocations. Likewise, there are few lay people with whom we are able to share and to whom we can entrust our apostolate.
In recent decades, our diminished membership has resulted in closing several convents and moving on from some apostolates. At present, we are in four communities, with apostolates in one University and Graduate School, two Middle and High schools, one Elementary school, and two Kindergartens. Only a few Sisters work full time in school.
In the near future, we may need to reconstitute our ministries.
Facing the Future with Hope for the Church
Like so many areas in the world, the Church has diminished in the number of practicing Catholics. There are many parishes with no visible young Japanese. Among refugees and migrants in Japan, there are, however, some Catholics in the increasing numbers of young people and children of foreign nationalities and roots. Half of the Catholics in Japan belong to peoples with roots in other countries. We are inviting actively these new peoples to join our Notre Dame family, as in the parish at St. Julie’s in Higashi-Hiroshima.
Today, Japanese Bishops who are following Pope Francis in the movement for SYNODALITY are forward-looking. They are bringing alive the principles of the latest Encyclicals, Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti.
Changing Society
In this increasingly diverse society, we have begun to encourage “belonging” in actively inviting young people to join the Notre Dame family. We need Sisters from other Notre Dame Units to join our mission in Japan. The Bishop of Hiroshima invited to a retreat week-end on August 19 and 20, 2023, 400 Vietnamese young Catholics with Sisters, priest and lay-teachers to our Seishin Schools in Kurashiki. The Vice-Principal, Masako Mori, a Catholic SNDdeN alumna, was a great help from the preparatory stage and on the days of the gathering. The Principal of the school and two SNDdeN, Sisters Saiko Nakamura and Kumiko Azuma witnessed by their presence the commitment, enthusiasm and hope of these young Vietnamese Catholics, in this two-day Gospel Experience.
As some Church Leaders have re-energized migrant populations in Japan, others, like the Bishop of Niigata, have initiated meetings for the purpose of helping Women Religious in Formation to invite Vocations to Religious Life. This is surely a good sign by the Church for renewed hope for our SNDdeN in Japan. We are also encouraging our Sisters from other Provinces/Units to come again and join our Mission with a new generation in Japan.
We hope that some NDdeN Associates will serve at St. Julie’s in Higashi-Hiroshima with new families. We need to consider the digital mission, a major force for communication today. The challenge of opening up to the next generation will bring new growth and hope. No matter how old we are, nor how small is our Province, our SNDdeN in Japan, give strong commitments, even in small ways. We will be a great support to any Sisters who come to serve in our Mission as wide as the world.
We pray with thanksgiving for the many people who have been good Friends and Partners in Mission over the past 100 years, throughout challenging times! Many are not Catholic nor even Christian. As we celebrate our Year of Jubilee in this 100th Anniversary, we are preparing to welcome new members, in reaffirming our calls to the Gospel Mission, the Church and our Congregation. Like the first six SNDdeN of 100 years ago and the Sisters who have walked through history with us, we are all missionaries sent for this time and place, to kindle the fire of our Mission and to proclaim continuously that our good God is so very good!
Senbazuru ~ Symbol of Peace
on evangelization, leadership development and cultural competence training and education. She offers in-service workshops in teaching tolerance for teachers and administrators in schools and parishes. Sr. Gwynette works with Archdiocesan agencies to create more diversity in these communities in the greater Baltimore area.
Cultural enrichment
Good Works 