A Story of the Faith and Beliefs Zone at the Jamboree

Post date: Aug 20, 2015 12:38:54 AM

 We are now back from the Jamboree. We, ICCS, were hosted by the Japanese Catholic Scouts team. They were a wonderful group, demonstrating faith, courage and welcoming us into their friendship. We were set up in the Faith and Beliefs Zone by the Interreligious Forum. Its goals were achieved; religions were mixed together, close to each other in friendship. We were all in the same kinds of tent, we all ate together in the shared tent, we saw each other pray and went visiting each other.

 In the crushing heat, we shared the cool water of the Jamboree and in three days, we built the interreligious ceremony together. I had never seen a ceremony like it, inside or outside Scouting. People quietly said a prayer, read out words of wisdom, or sang a song that meant something to them, the programmes were short and at the end, representatives of ten religions each gave a blessing in their own way to the 15,000 Scouts who were there and who hadn’t budged. We maintained a long, profound wonderful silence, then sang the Jamboree song ? which worked really well. For the Catholics, it was the bishop responsible for Scouting who gave the blessing, as is traditional.

 In the Faith and Beliefs Zone we shared a large tent that could hold 200 in which each religion could organize its ceremonies when large numbers were involved, It was used by Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists etc. In the days after the interreligious ceremony, we took to meeting together in the evening to talk over our experiences of the day.

 On the Sunday, three bishops concelebrated the Catholic Jamboree mass for 2-3000 participants. The event, which was carefully prepared, exuded Japanese Catholic sensitivity, the university choir was exceptional in its quality and adaptability (passing from Gregorian to Taize chants) the sensitivity put into the liturgy demonstrated Japanese internal reflection, respect for the presence of God and finesse in the slightest detail. What a wonderful prayer.

 On the eighth day, our Chairman, Joao, and Secretary General, Scott, and their teams came to meet with us. They came to listen and tell us about what people were saying regarding the quality and peace that marked the work of the Faith and Beliefs Zone, and to express their gratitude.

 The young people seemed to feel completely at ease in the general atmosphere, such that a couple of days before the end a bright, enthusiastic young British lad, Jakes, came up to us and asked for his baptism, that he was getting ready for back in his home diocese, to take place at the Jamboree. We got the permission of his chaplain, and bishop back in Britain, the parish priest of the Jamboree and the bishop of Hiroshima etc to baptize and confirm this boy. A French Scout also asked to be baptized; he will prepare for it in his unit and will receive the sacrament when he is ready.

 We were more than happy. Something good had happened to us. This is the message of Dawn from the UK who was a member of the Buddhist team. It sums up rather well the general feeling of the organizers and volunteers in the Faith and Beliefs Zone:

“So this is it. My last post from Japan. Just about to board the second leg of my journey home. What can I say about the past 3 weeks? I have had the time of my life with some amazing people showing children and adults alike that religions can work together in peace and harmony. Laugh together and be a family regardless of colour, country, race or creed. I am proud to have been part of the fabulous Faith and Belief Zone, Japan 2015 and can't wait to see you all again. You have all made my life richer and brighter for being a part of it and you have carved a space in my heart forever”.

We had three priests in the Faith and Beliefs Zone, including a wonderful young polyglot Dominican who, time and again, saved us when there were problems of comprehension. Several other priests came to lend a hand from Nigeria, Hungary, Italy, France, the UK, Mexico, Portugal and the USA.

 The Catholics provided the bell that marked sessions in the zone. It rang for the last time at midday last Saturday. We are well aware that friendship between religions starts in Scouting. That is where the future lies.

 . Thank you Lord. You poured out your Grace on us.

 Fr. Jacques Gagey