28SOPHIA MAGAZINE Vol. 18Dr. Toussaint KafarhireMurhula, S.J.Jesuit missionaries from the Democratic Republic of Congo - Fr. Dr. Toussaint Kafarhire Murhula, S.J. and Deacon Christian Mukadi Ilunga, S.J. – share their experiences promoting Jesuit values in Japan and their personal encounters at Sophia University. They also spoke of the current situation of the African church. Mission to Promote Catholic Education in JapanKafarhire: I have been at Sophia for four months as a Jesuit missionary. My presence itself is a statement of my Jesuit mis-sion. Jesuits don’t simply preach in churches; they use every op-portunity in their daily lives to share Christ and teach faith. My interactions with the local community are an expression of this mission. Mukadi: I came to Japan as a Jesuit missionary in September 2017. After studying Japanese language for a year and half, I was sent to Sophia University for my regency (pastoral train-ing). I worked at the Catholic Jesuit Center as campus minis-try officer for another year and half. This was part of my Jesuit formation. Now, I am a graduate student studying both phi-losophy and theology. Kafarhire: Another aspect of my mission is teaching at Sophia. As a faculty member in the Global Studies Department, I teach classes on African politics and society, and the foundations of democracy and peace in Africa. Mukadi: My research focuses on political theories and ethics, in the hope that I might contribute to building a more peaceful, just, and reconciled society. I’m also interested in studying vari-ous forms of violence, from large-scale martial violence such as war to micro or nano violence driven by issues of gender, iden-tity, religion, politics, markets, and other forms of ideology. I am trying to understand how both negative and persuasive forms of violence work. The latter, often created by media and adver-tisements, puts pressure on people and can lead to depression or burnout. Kafarhire: I have been impressed by the politeness and aware-ness of others in public spaces here. Many Japanese values align with Catholic values. The focus of Catholic education here is to buttress values which already exist in Japanese culture. The Catholic presence broadens Japanese perspectives by promot-ing the universal concept of humanity as a single family and exposes Japanese people to values beyond the confines of their traditions. Having faith in Christ adds a dimension of tran-scendence to our daily lives. Christianity offers hope and helps us endure hardships. Mukadi: Catholic education provided by mission schools is grounded in Christian humanism; and it plays a significant role in Japan. Jesuit education in particular is characterized by a holistic approach, emphasizing values such as conscience, com-petence, compassion, and commitment. Such education fos-ters individuals who are able to observe, appreciate, make judg-ments, and commit to action to transform their societies. The success of this approach may be perceived in our graduate stu-dents who try their best to have positive impact both here in Japan and globally.Kafarhire: Some of my colleagues have shown openness to learning about my Christian faith. This means their internal dis-positions are already beautiful. There has historically been resis-tance towards Christianity in Japan, but now a peaceful cohabi-tation exists. The Catholic Church here has come to understand that its aim is not to proselytize but to be with and for others. Jesuit Missions in Japan: Building Bridges with Africa and Fostering Faith
元のページ ../index.html#28