No Encounter, No Accompaniment: Tokyo Archdiocese Forbids Athletes To Attend Churches

Tokyo Archbishop Tarcisio Kikuchi, 62, asked visiting Olympic athletes and coaches in a July 12 statement to “refrain from visiting churches.”

The reason: The Japanese bishops made a commitment "that we will not be infected nor will we allow others to be infected” with Covid-19. The coronavirus has a death rate comparable with a seasonal flu.

In the beginning, Tokyo Archdiocese wanted to meet the "spiritual needs" of those visiting Japan for the Olympic Games which begin in July 23. Then the Archdiocese cancelled all plans. A normal procedure would have been to provide Catholic athletes with open arms and spiritual accompaniment.

Tokyo archdiocese serves around 100,000 Catholics out of a total population of almost 20 million. The Church in Japan is very "liberal," and accordingly not doing well in terms of growth and spiritual vibrancy.

Picture: Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi © wikicommons, CC BY-SA, #newsFlwfeuomia