715 GIA Vocation activity may yet pay dividends
JAPAN: VOCATION ACTIVITY MAY YET PAY DIVIDENDS
 
Fr. Bob Zarate sdb
 
CHOFU: 1st September --  The highlight of our summer activities was the 31st annual BIBLE CAMP held at our Campsite some four hours drive from Tokyo.  It is located beside a very beatiful lake called Nojiri, right between Nagano and Niigata Prefectures.   The BIBLE CAMP is an annual camp for Catholic boys around the country who would like to enter the minor seminary as Middle or High School students or as College aspirants.  The first phase had 30 elementary boys.  The second phase had 32 middle and high school young men.  This third phase had some 40 elementary students (5th and 6 grades) as well as 34 Middle and High school ones.  Facilitators were our own Vocation Team of young priests and the leaders were our aspirants and young salesians.  Many see this camp as the factor for the vocation boom the Japanese Province experienced during the 80's and early 90's.  Vocations have been fewer these past few years... but are picking up again.  We shall have another two candidates for priestly ordination on September 13.  They are Rev. John Bosco Maeda and Rev. Michael Shinjiro Urata.  The latter studied in Gerini and is now in UPS. 
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