The Record Newspaper 12 January 1989

Page 1

PERTH, WA: January 12, 1989

Scalabrinian priest on racial prejudice and ignorance

Number 2618

Registered by Australia Post Publication No WAR 0202

POST ADDRESS: PO Box 50, Northbridge, 6000 W.A. LOCATION: 26 John St, Northbridge (east off Fitzgerald St).

TELEPHONE: (09) 328 1388

FAX (09) 328 7307

• Pages 6 and & 7

PRICE 600

He's not a God JAPANESE BISHOPS WARN NATION'S CATHOLICS TOKYO (NC): The bishops of Japan warned Catholics against viewing the late Emperor Hirohito as a god as elaborate f uneral rites were readied.

and the ascension of the new emperor might lead to pressure for the revival of State Shinto — the official version of traditional Japanese religion by which emperors were declared gods.

Before Japan's defeat in World War II, the emperor was officially considered divine. The bishops have asked clergy and religious superiors to forgo holding requiem Masses, and avoid organising or participating in special functions related to the funeral observances. The bishops also said they have formally asked the government to "observe the principle of the separation of religion and politics" guaranteed by Japan's Constitution. Catholic leaders in Japan have expressed concern that the funeral

The messages were released after Himhito's death last Saturday. The funeral was scheduled for Feb 24.

posthumously to an emperor along with the name he chose for his reign. In the case of Hirohito, the 124th emperor, the name would be Showa Tenno. Showa means "Enlightened Peace". Hirohito died at the age of 87 after a 62-year reign. According to Japanese tradition, the imperial line was founded more than 2600 years ago.

In their letter to the laity, the bishops said they pray "for the eternal rest of the Tenno (heavenly emperor) whom God has called". They also noted that the war in the Pacific was conducted in the emporer's name "and he had to bear the heavy burden all the while". Since then he "as the symbol of the state has desired peace in the world", they said.

The late Emperor Hirohito. In a previous draft of the letter, not released to the public, the bishops said of the war that Hirohito

"should be held himself responsible for these miserable affairs". Tenno is the name given

Prince Akihito, 55, assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne the day his father died as the first in the line to become emperor without claiming divinity. "As the funeral, the enthronement and other functions take place, let us be attentive so that we

would not divinise a human person," the bishops said to the laity. "nor absolutise a manmade system, nor univerparticular salise nationalism" In their message to the clergy and religious superiors, they said a "clear distinction" must be made between tradiShintoism. tional "patrimony of ancient Japan",and "State Shintoism", which made the emperor an absolute ruler under the Meiji line since 1868. "We can by no means accept such absolutisation of a human person and a man-made system under any circumstances," they said. But the hierarchy warned that "there is a danger of going back to the abominable past".

Pope expresses deep sympathy CITY VATICAN ( NC): Pope John Paul ll expressed his "deep sympathy" at the death of Japanese Emperor Hirohito, saying he was a

leader "cherished by his people". The pope's condolences were epxressed in telegrams to the new emperor, Hirohito's oldest son Akihito, to the late emperor's Empress w idow, Nagako, and to Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita. The messages were sent in the pope's name by Agostino C ardinal Vatican C asaroli, secretary of state. The pope recalled his meeting with Hirohito during a visit to Japan in 1981. At that time, in a remarkable gesture, the emperor bowed to the pope when he departed the Imperial Palace. The pope said his sympathy extended to the late emperor's family and to the entire nation.

41•111111.

uestion time... During a tour-day visit of senior members of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana USA, Archbishop Foley invited representatives of Catholic religious bodies and societies to a morning session to ask questions regarding the proposed Catholic University of Notre Dame in Perth. Father John Neal OP director of the office that is planning the feasibility study was chairman of the meeting and is pictured summing up at the end. It was the second visit of Notre Dame executives who are members of the board planning the Perth project: Father Edward Malloy CSC, president of Notre Dame; Father William Beauchamp CSC, vice president; and Professor Timothy O'Meara, provost. Also on the panel answering questions were board members Archbishop Foley, Mr Denis Horgan and Dr Peter Tannock.

Poser in marriage

Tourism push for Medjugorje L

• Page 3

Some snap 'stories'


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