Lean Cows in Japan, Fat Cows in South Korea
ROME, June 17, 2014 - The next two voyages that Pope Francis has placed on the agenda will take him to Asia. In mid-August to South Korea and in January of next year to Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Asia has been a dream destination for Jorge Mario Bergoglio since his youth. Or more precisely, Japan. He wanted to go there as a missionary, just as other Jesuits have done, including famous ones. Two of the three last superiors general of the Society of Jesus spent many years in that country: Pedro Arrupe and the current superior, Adolfo Nicolás. Another leading figure in the society, Giuseppe Pittau, was for many years the rector of the Jesuit university in Tokyo, the renowned Sophia University.
And yet, in spite of the effort poured out by these illustrious Jesuits and by other missionaries, Catholicism has made no inroads in Japan. Conversions remain sporadic and Catholics are stuck at 0.35 percent of the population.
While in South Korea on the contrary, the Catholic Church is witnessing an astonishing expansion, in spite of the meager presence of missionaries in that country.
read more