Wasn't too sure where to post this one but the video has a lot about Japanese Buddhism, Zen and Japan as the place where the American presenter encountered Orthodox Christianity, which he now embraces.
Thank you. I still distinctly remember how Our Lady gave a warning to Sr. Sasagawa just prior to the Pachamama dabacle!
From Totus Tuus page: "Born in 1611 near Nagasaki, Japan, Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki came from a devout Christian family. When she was still a teenager, her parents and siblings were martyred for their faith during the brutal anti-Christian persecutions in Japan. Despite the danger, Magdalene dedicated her life to God. She served as a translator and catechist for the Augustinian Recollect missionaries, taught the faith to children, cared for the poor, and encouraged persecuted Christians. In 1625, she became a Tertiary of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, wearing their habit with pride. In September 1634, at just 23 years old, Magdalene boldly surrendered herself to the authorities, declaring her faith in Jesus Christ. She endured 13 days of horrific torture — suspended upside down in a pit filled with filth and excrement (the dreaded tsurushi method). Even in agony, she remained steadfast. On October 15, 1634, the pit was filled with water, and she drowned — a final act of faithful witness. Her body was burned and ashes scattered so no relics could remain. Pope Saint John Paul II canonized her in 1987. Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki stands as a shining example of youthful courage, unwavering faith, and love for Christ even unto death. In a time of fierce persecution, she chose to be a light in the darkness. St. Magdalene of Nagasaki, pray for us — especially for Christians facing persecution today!"
"History is full of warriors, but few fought a battle like Justo Takayama Ukon, the legendary "Samurai of Christ." Born in 16th-century Japan amid brutal civil wars, Takayama was a powerful daimyo and a master samurai. While his father first converted to Christianity, Ukon embraced the faith with his whole heart—not for power, but for truth and honor. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched a fierce persecution against Christians, he gave Ukon a brutal choice: Renounce Christ or lose everything—his title, lands, wealth, and status. Most men would have compromised. But Ukon laid down his sword, walked away from his castle, and chose poverty and exile over betraying his Lord. He fought his greatest battle without ever drawing a blade. In 1614, he was exiled to Manila, Philippines. Weakened by years of suffering and the harsh journey, he died shortly after arriving. The Church honors his death as a "dry martyrdom"— a martyrdom of the heart. He gave up everything for Christ. A true Samurai of Christ. A powerful witness for our time."
From the Art of Osamu Tanimoto page. He is a young Japanese artist living in Milan: "Here is the detail of my recent commissioned work in progress for Chiesa di Carmine in Carrara, Italy. More glazing to come. An attempt to capture the Light that shines from Him and illuminates all things. #WorkInProgress"
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17riKBbvn7/ Screenshot of the full painting (in progress) from the reel linked above.
"In the early 1600s, Japanese authorities expelled all Christian missionaries and launched severe persecutions. Priests were killed or forced to leave, leaving thousands of Japanese converts completely isolated from the Church. For over 250 years, these faithful souls — known as the “Hidden Christians” (Kakure Kirishitan) — lived in secrecy. They had no priests, no public Masses, no sacraments, and no Bibles. Yet their Catholic faith did not vanish. They passed down the teachings of Christ from generation to generation. They secretly baptized their children. And in the silence of their homes, they clung to one powerful lifeline: the Holy Rosary. Using simple knotted cords instead of beads, they prayed the Rosary daily. The mysteries of Christ’s life became their catechism. The Hail Marys and Our Fathers became their prayers, their comfort, and their hidden Mass. Through the Rosary, they remained united with Jesus and Mary even in the darkest decades of persecution. When missionaries finally returned to Japan in the mid-1800s, they were astonished to find entire communities still faithfully preserving the Catholic Faith — all because of the Rosary. This incredible story reminds us that the Rosary is far more than a devotion. It is a spiritual weapon, a school of faith, and a chain of grace that can sustain us through trials, isolation, and uncertainty. In our own busy and sometimes challenging world, may the example of the Hidden Christians inspire us to pray the Rosary with greater love and fidelity."
Bhuddism comes from Satan. The shining darkness. Don’t even go there or try to compare it to Christianity.
Good video of a recent visit to the shrine of Our Lady of Akita with Fr. Sunil Thomas, VC. Our Lady of Akita, pray for us.
About Fr. Thomas Sunil V.C. (see video above): Rev. Fr. Thomas Sunil V.C. is a Vincentian Priest and the current Director of the Divine Mercy Healing Center, in Washington, NJ. Divine Mercy Healing Center is an extension of the world's largest retreat center and the internationally acclaimed Divine Retreat Center, in Potta, Kerala, India. Fr. Thomas Sunil has been conducting Catholic Charismatic Prayer Services for the last 17 years and includes Retreats and One-Day Conventions. His international ministry has led him to preach in 10 countries, including US, Africa, Haiti, India, Australia, Argentina and Latin America. His Ministry includes: Preaching the Word of God, Talks on Inner and Emotional Healing, Healing-Sessions, leading Praise & Worship, Eucharistic Adoration and conducting Healing Masses. Through this global Vincentian ministry, many have found spiritual comfort, inner healing, physical healing and the Holy Spirit's calling to a deeper relationship wth Christ.
Latest update from Osamu Tanimoto of his wonderful painting in progress. (See various earlier versions above).
There is a wonderful priest who is broadcasting from Akita for the next few days. Father Pillari is leading a rosary crusade, first and foremost centering on Fátima, but also visiting other sites of Marian apparitions. Today was his first day in Akita, he prays the rosary and then does a 20-30 minute teaching on Sr. Agnes Sasagawa and the messages from Our Lady. Fr. Pillari will be there for the next several days and I have no doubt that he will give Sr. Agnes the love and respect she deserves. He believes that these messages are a continuation of what was revealed in Fátima. His first teaching was beautiful.
For me, Akita and the miracle that took place there are among the greatest signs of God's presence, yet they remain so quiet and unobtrusive. As we all know, Japan has a population of about 123 million people. Of these, only around 1% are Christians, and approximately 450,000 are Catholics about 0.33% of the population. The atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, the largest center of Christianity and Catholicism in Japan, specifically the Urakami district, where the largest cathedral in East Asia stood before it was completely destroyed. What Japan is widely known for is its remarkable culture of hard work, responsibility, honesty, and organization. These qualities have been reflected in the country's extraordinary economic and technological development. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, many considered Japanese research to be among the most reliable and objective. At one point, the Japanese government also used ivermectin as part of its treatment approach. When you put all of this together a technologically advanced society that can hardly be dismissed as backward, a culture known for honesty and objectivity rather than ideological bias, and the fact that Christianity is a tiny minority in Japan, with no political or cultural incentive to promote Christian miracles you are left with a compelling case that the events at Akita are autentic. The accounts are supported not only by eyewitness testimony but also by examinations carried out in Japanese research laboratories. There is even a video of an elderly Japanese man who not only witnessed the miracle but also says that he tasted the tears from the statue and confirmed that they were salty. While millions of people from the Christian West make pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima, or Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, in Akita a small number of witnesses were able to touch the statue and even taste the tears of the Blessed Virgin Mary, remarkable...
