Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, the main stadium of the 2020 Summer Olympics. / Arne Müseler via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0 DE).
Rome Newsroom, Jul 13, 2021 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
The Catholic archbishop of Tokyo has asked visiting Olympic athletes and coaches to refrain from attending local Catholic churches to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi said on July 12 that the Tokyo archdiocese had made a “commitment that we will not be infected nor will we allow others to be infected.”
As a part of this commitment, the archbishop has asked that all those coming to the Tokyo metropolitan area during the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games this summer “refrain from visiting churches.”
“The Tokyo archdiocese had originally been considering preparations so that each parish may be able to address the spiritual needs of the many people who would come to Japan for this international event,” Kikuchi said.
“However, we have decided to cancel all plans and thus, will not take any special involvement in the Olympics and Paralympics.”
The city of Tokyo has already enforced a state of emergency two weeks ahead of the Olympic Games, which are scheduled to begin on July 23.
Spectators have also been banned from the Olympic sporting events to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Under the city’s fourth state of emergency since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Tokyo archdiocese is restricting the number of people who can be inside a church at one time while maintaining social distance and has asked Catholics to only attend their local parishes.
“The parish will keep a record of those who participated in the Holy Mass in order to respond to the request of the public health department in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 infection,” according to the measures posted on the archdiocese’s website.
A dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Masses is still in place in the Tokyo archdiocese, which serves around 100,000 Catholics out of a total population of almost 20 million.
As of July 13, the local government reports that there are 1,986 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the Tokyo metropolitan area, which has a population of over 36 million people.
Of those hospitalized, 58 people have severe symptoms, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government. A total of 2,258 people have died in Tokyo of COVID-19 since the first outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, in 2019.
An estimated 28% of the Japanese population has received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine as of July 13, according to Reuters.
“We all know that the vaccination program is progressing,” Kikuchi said.
“I myself have been vaccinated, as well as the Holy Father. But we basically have to decide for ourselves concerning this matter. In addition, we are not considering the idea of making it a criterion, that is whether one is vaccinated or not, for allowing participation in the Holy Mass.”
The guidance on church visits for visitors will remain in place for the Paralympic Games, which are scheduled to take place in the Tokyo metropolitan area from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.
“Let us keep in mind that it is an important duty for us to protect not only our own lives but also to protect all those who have received God’s gift of life,” the archbishop said.
“On top of that, as we take adequate measures against COVID-19 infection, let us do our best to respond to the concerns of those in need. In this difficult situation, may the merciful hands of our Lord through our outstretched hands be extended to the many people facing crisis in their lives.”
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Swiss Guard cadets prepare their armor in the guards’ barracks at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. / Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
Vatican City, May 5, 2024 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
For the newest class of 34 Swiss Guards who will be sworn in on Monday, their service is based on faith and a love for the Church and the pope, as storied as the uniform itself.
“For me it was something, first and foremost, to give something to the Church, because the Catholic Church gave us a lot when I was a child and with this service, I can give something back,” explained Nicolas Hirt, one of the new guards who hails from the Swiss canton of Fribourg.
The cadets, joined by their instructors, gathered for a media event on April 30 in the courtyard behind the barracks adjacent to the Sant’Anna entrance, which was adorned with the flags from each of the Swiss cantons.
The Swiss Guard’s annual swearing-in ceremony will take place on Monday, May 6, in the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. There, the new guards will solemnly raise their right hands, with three fingers extended, representing the Holy Trinity, and proclaim their oath: “I swear I will faithfully, loyally, and honorably serve the Supreme Pontiff and his legitimate successors and I dedicate myself to them with all my strength. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the Apostolic See is vacant.”
Swiss Guard cadets drill at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
There was a palpable sense of pride, perhaps even a hint of nervousness, as the young men marched last week in the storied corridors, perfecting the ancient rites ahead of a day that will mark a milestone in their lives.
Renato Peter, who comes from a small village near St. Gallen (the first from his village to enter the guards), said he first developed a desire to enter into the service of the papal guards after a trip to Rome in 2012 with his diocese.
“When you work in the Vatican, you have to feel like you go back in history because a lot of European history has been made here,” said Peter, who is mindful that those who wear the iconic tricolor uniform bear a great responsibility and represent a connection to the history of the Church.
“We are the smallest military in the world,” Peter continued, emphasizing that service in the Swiss Guards is like no other. “But, we are not training to make war. We are like the military, yes, but we’re for the security of the Pope.”
The Swiss Guard is indeed the smallest standing army in the world, numbering only 135 members (Pope Francis increased its ranks from 110 in 2018), protecting not only the smallest sovereign territory in the world, Vatican City State, but also acting as the personal security force of the Holy Father.
This year the Swiss Guard celebrated 518 years of service to the Apostolic See. Its history dates back to Jan. 22, 1506, when 150 Swiss mercenaries, led by Captain Kasper von Silenen from the central Swiss canton of Uri, arrived in Rome at the request of Pope Julius II.
But the swearing-in ceremony takes place on May 6, marking the anniversary of the Sack of Rome in 1527 by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V when 147 guards died protecting Pope Clement VII.
The Swiss Guards form an integral part of the history of the papacy, and a core component of the security apparatus of the Vatican, but they also occupy a special palace in the popular imagination, one underscored by a profound spirituality.
“It’s another world, another culture, and above all doing a fairly unique job, that is to say, there is the protection of the Holy Father,” said Vice-Corporal Eliah Cinotti, spokesman for the guards.
“I don’t think there are many of us who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to serve the Holy Father in that way, therefore the Swiss Guard is a quite unique institution.”
Cinotti observed that for many of the pilgrims coming to Rome, which is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the guards act as a point of encounter between the people and the Church, shedding light on an evangelical dimension of their mission.
“Since we are Swiss Guards and represent the pope, we are also there to be Christians, to listen to these people. There is no specific training for this because it already comes from our Christian character to help others.”
Service in the Swiss Guards is both physically and psychologically demanding, and the entry requirements are strict, even though the guards do not face deployment to active war zones, like conventional soldiers.
A prospective guard must hold Swiss citizenship, be Catholic, single, and male (after five years in service the guards are allowed to marry), and be at least 1.74 meters tall (approximately 5’8”). They are required to have completed secondary school (or the equivalent) and have completed mandatory military service.
Despite what some may consider prohibitive entry restrictions, Cinotti noted, during the annual call for applications there are anywhere from 45-50 applicants, and there has not been a problem with recruitment.
During the first round, prospective candidates go through a preliminary screening and, if selected, they will sit with a recruitment officer in Switzerland for an initial interview, which generally lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Candidates also have to undergo an intensive psychological test, to assess whether they can withstand the demands of the job.
Should their candidacy proceed, they are then sent to Rome where, for the first two months, they are exposed to the working environment of the Vatican, and around 56 hours of intensive instruction in Italian. Their instruction also includes an emphasis on their cultural and spiritual formation.
Swiss Guard cadets inspect their armor in their barracks at the Vatican on April 30, 2024. Credit: Matthew Santucci/CNA
The cadets are then sent to the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in Switzerland, where they are instructed in self-defense and the use of firearms by local police. While the guards carry medieval halberds — an ax blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft — during official papal events, each is equipped with a 9mm GLOCK 19 Gen4 pistol, taser, and pepper spray.
There is also a two-year minimum service requirement after which they can decide to remain, or return to Switzerland.
“About 80% return to Switzerland and 20% stay,” Cinotti said. “And the 80% who return to Switzerland go to the police or the army or return to their basic profession or go to study at university.”
He also noted there have been some years where a guard will discern a vocation to the priesthood. “And we also had a certain point, people who entered the seminary at the time, one per year more or less.”
He added: “We haven’t had anyone for two years, but I think they will arrive, or rather it’s a question of vocations.”
Swiss Guards stand in the middle of Paul VI Hall during Pope Francis’ general audience on Jan. 10, 2024. Credit: Vatican Media
Cinotti spoke on the myriad security challenges that a guard will have to face in his day-to-day work, which can last anywhere from six to 12 hours of continuous duty, noting that there has been an uptick in the number of people coming to the Vatican for help.
Cinotti also noted that for all of the guards, there has been the additional learning curve of adapting to Pope Francis’ pastoral style, which has brought him in close proximity to the faithful during his audiences in Rome and his travels abroad.
“Pope Francis is like every pope,” Cinotti remarked. “He has his own style, and we must adapt to the pope.”
“If he wants to go to contact the people of God, we must guarantee that, of course, everything is fine, but we cannot prevent it. He does what he wants, he is the pope,” he added.
While this can raise some logistical problems, Cinotti reassured that the guards have been trained to respond to possible threats. He said they have developed a symbiotic, and always professional, relationship with Francis.
“He transmits a certain serenity and a certain awareness that we are there next to him, we are there, like the gendarmerie, which allows us to operate in complete tranquility on the ground without being disturbed,” he said.
“He likes to change plans and will change plans throughout the day,” Cinotti added, “but it suits us very well because we adapt to him and we do this service and for us, it is still important to guarantee his safety.”
The body of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. / Credit: patterned via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
CNA Staff, May 25, 2024 / 04:00 am (CNA).
St. Pio of Pietrelcina — better known as Padre Pio — one of the most beloved modern saints in the Catholic Church, wa… […]
Pope Francis greets the crowd at his Angelus address on Feb. 19, 2023. / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Feb 19, 2023 / 06:30 am (CNA).
Instead of acting out of self-interest or convenience, the Lord challenges us to love others in excess “without … […]
9 Comments
Absolute disgrace! “… we are not considering the idea of making it a criterion, that is whether one is vaccinated or not, for allowing participation in the Holy Mass…” No, instead you are sending your sheep into the pit! What kind of bishop tells his flock to stay away from Mass? If anyone needs more proof these are the end times, sadly this is one of many. Repent!
From Matthew, 6th Chapter:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Sure, it’s fine to work on the physical body and mental discipline to hone that body. Sure, it’s fine to hone those, but there is a problem with seeking spiritual sustenance. Got it, bishop-boy.
This Archbishop obviously has no care for souls. To deny people God through the Sacraments, must look terrible in the eyes of God and is stirring up His wrath. Does the Archbishop not know that God rewards all good and punishes every sin according to its gravity? He needs a Traditional Catechism, studies it, and lives by it.
How sad! What has the Church become? I expect that from a restaurant, a bar, a grocery store, even a mainline Protestant church, but not from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that is here representing Christ’s body on earth. I remember the old bumper sticker: What Would Jesus Do?
Wow, I find this nothing short of appalling. Here we are again with an upper churchman telling the faithful not to come to church. Its probable that most if not all of the athletes themselves will be vaccinated. If Japan has a low vaccine rate that is their issue. The vaccination rate is likely to be better among the foreigners. Do these people realize the long term damage they are doing by all but asserting that church attendance is not required? Until recently I was led to believe missing Sunday Mass was a significant sin if done without cause. Our diocese will be bringing back the Sunday obligation within the month. ( FINALLY!!) All the hierarchy has done over this past year and a half is to make it clear to the faithful that the body is MUCH more important than the soul, sacraments are unimportant, and worship is a fly by night thing you can skip when the mood strikes you. On so many levels, this has been a huge mistake. As the faithful stay away from church , not only will their soul be endangered but also, as donations drop, churches will be forced to close, adding to the harmful domino effect, with ever more people becoming distant from church. Its impossible for me to imagine that these churchmen cannot see the harm they are doing. This is sad beyond words.
I guess this diocese (along with every diocese in the U.S. and many others throughout the world) will have to retire the opening ditty, “All are Welcome.” I hope so, at least, so that there will be one benefit coming from the decision to close churches due to corona.
Following the outbreak of the pandemics last year, the archdiocese of Tokyo had voluntarily cancelled all the public masses for several months and banned the holy communion on the tongue without a legal enforcement by the government. The measures were loosened to some extent thereafter, but even now the parish priests are mandated to determine whether they allow the people to receive the holy communion on the tongue or not, and there are still cases where the faithful are denied communion for that.
But, I believe that every member of the faithful has the right to attend the Sunday mass and receive the holy communion on the tongue as he or she wishes. These rights are fundamentally given to the faithful from God and cannot be taken away by humans no matter whether they are bishops or priests, aren’t they? I hope that people around the world know that we the Catholics in Japan have been suffering from this kind of measure not only in the archdiocese of Tokyo but also in other parts of the country since last year, and that we need support at various levels from the faithful in solid Catholic communities around the world to improve the situations here in Japan and combat and live through difficulties and obstacles faced within the Catholic Church here.
Let us pray that all the clergy in the world fulfil their mission to faithfully serve God and the people and work for His greater glory and salvations of souls!
Absolute disgrace! “… we are not considering the idea of making it a criterion, that is whether one is vaccinated or not, for allowing participation in the Holy Mass…” No, instead you are sending your sheep into the pit! What kind of bishop tells his flock to stay away from Mass? If anyone needs more proof these are the end times, sadly this is one of many. Repent!
Sad.
From Matthew, 6th Chapter:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Sure, it’s fine to work on the physical body and mental discipline to hone that body. Sure, it’s fine to hone those, but there is a problem with seeking spiritual sustenance. Got it, bishop-boy.
Reminds me of all the signs I used to see when I was stationed in Iwakuni: NO GAIJIN!
This Archbishop obviously has no care for souls. To deny people God through the Sacraments, must look terrible in the eyes of God and is stirring up His wrath. Does the Archbishop not know that God rewards all good and punishes every sin according to its gravity? He needs a Traditional Catechism, studies it, and lives by it.
How sad! What has the Church become? I expect that from a restaurant, a bar, a grocery store, even a mainline Protestant church, but not from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that is here representing Christ’s body on earth. I remember the old bumper sticker: What Would Jesus Do?
Wow, I find this nothing short of appalling. Here we are again with an upper churchman telling the faithful not to come to church. Its probable that most if not all of the athletes themselves will be vaccinated. If Japan has a low vaccine rate that is their issue. The vaccination rate is likely to be better among the foreigners. Do these people realize the long term damage they are doing by all but asserting that church attendance is not required? Until recently I was led to believe missing Sunday Mass was a significant sin if done without cause. Our diocese will be bringing back the Sunday obligation within the month. ( FINALLY!!) All the hierarchy has done over this past year and a half is to make it clear to the faithful that the body is MUCH more important than the soul, sacraments are unimportant, and worship is a fly by night thing you can skip when the mood strikes you. On so many levels, this has been a huge mistake. As the faithful stay away from church , not only will their soul be endangered but also, as donations drop, churches will be forced to close, adding to the harmful domino effect, with ever more people becoming distant from church. Its impossible for me to imagine that these churchmen cannot see the harm they are doing. This is sad beyond words.
I guess this diocese (along with every diocese in the U.S. and many others throughout the world) will have to retire the opening ditty, “All are Welcome.” I hope so, at least, so that there will be one benefit coming from the decision to close churches due to corona.
Following the outbreak of the pandemics last year, the archdiocese of Tokyo had voluntarily cancelled all the public masses for several months and banned the holy communion on the tongue without a legal enforcement by the government. The measures were loosened to some extent thereafter, but even now the parish priests are mandated to determine whether they allow the people to receive the holy communion on the tongue or not, and there are still cases where the faithful are denied communion for that.
But, I believe that every member of the faithful has the right to attend the Sunday mass and receive the holy communion on the tongue as he or she wishes. These rights are fundamentally given to the faithful from God and cannot be taken away by humans no matter whether they are bishops or priests, aren’t they? I hope that people around the world know that we the Catholics in Japan have been suffering from this kind of measure not only in the archdiocese of Tokyo but also in other parts of the country since last year, and that we need support at various levels from the faithful in solid Catholic communities around the world to improve the situations here in Japan and combat and live through difficulties and obstacles faced within the Catholic Church here.
Let us pray that all the clergy in the world fulfil their mission to faithfully serve God and the people and work for His greater glory and salvations of souls!