Acknowledging Keith Humphries MSC, 80
Keith was born on 5th June 1942. He did secondary studies at Chevalier College, Bowral. He made profession on 26th February 1962. He was ordained on June 27th 1968.
After teaching in MSC colleges. Most of his ministry has been in Japan.
Some years ago this site posted an interview with Keith on the chapel at the Mikokoro Centre in Nagoya. It gives some atmosphere to his service in Japan for so many years.
Keith with Kevin White MSC with whom Keith worked in Japan for many decades.
Keith wrote: Christianity was first introduced to Japan on Aug. 15, 1549, when the Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier landed at Kagoshima.
Despite its 450 year history in Japan, Christianity has never gained more than a toehold there, remaining a "Western" religion, with the Church trying to dialogue with the Japanese and to inculturate.
Only about one percent of Japanese are Christians. Most are Shinto or Buddhist, or have no religion. In the Diocese of Nagoya, Catholics represent only 0.2 percent of the population.
The Japanese "can't get over the thought in Christianity that God is a close friend,But, when they encounter this reality, it hits them and their life changes."
