By Fr. Joseph Broderick, SSC

Guess Who
The doorbell rings and I open the door to a young couple who, by the look of them are up to some good.

Not Christians
We greet each other and I invited them in. “WE would like to get married in your church. It is possible? We are not Christian.”

Testing
I like them. At least their first question isn’t, How much?” Still they need testing.
What do want to get married for?” This question usually startles them
They started getting redfaced and say, I want to be with this person,” or something like that.

Crazy Foreigner
Finally, I get them to state openly that they love each other; they gave me a look that has “Hen na gaijin” (a crazy foreigner) written in their faces.

17 ½ Hours
Most of the weddings in our churches are between non-Christian parties. Some are mixed but the vast majority are between non-baptized people. Of course both parties must be not divorced. Also they have to attend pre marriage course: even two- and- a- half hour sessions, under the guidance of Columban Fr. Sean Ryle, who is in charge of pre-marriage courses in this area. If the couples refuse to attend the course, I tell them we can’t do it

Much Displeasure
The course is down to earth: great emphasis in the world of feelings, sharing, respecting life in its totality, and on the spiritual aspects of marriage. The couple who begin the course with much displeasure (“Why this Course? Why can’t you just marry us?”) Usually come back when the seven weeks are over to thank me for arranging such wonderful preparation. Fr. Sean Ryle does the work, I get the praise, thanks be to God!

Childhood Wish
Many young couples want the church wedding because it is meaningful, understandable, and all their friends can attend. In many cases, it had been the wish of the bride since she was young, and maybe because of some Sunday school or Christian kindergarten she attended.

Open to all Nations
We, of course, stress the Christian meaning of marriage, the eternal love of God and the indissolubility of marriage of marriage. For us, it is one way to become contact with people, to introduce Christ to them, to open the house of God to all nations, and to provide for the upkeep to the church.

Misunderstanding Disappear
From the point of view of spreading the Gospel, what value have these “Church weddings”? Do many people seek baptism as a result? Very few. But the Church, because of such marriages, has gained many friends. “He who is not against you, is for you.” Many understandings about the Church disappear.

Blessing Babies
Many read the Bible that the church gives as wedding present. God becomes more important to them. Many bring their babies for me to hold and bless. The baby usually ends up crying, demanding to be returned to the mother’s. Good for the baby and good for me.

Fr. Ryle
Much credit is due to Fr. Ryle and his co-helper, Sr. Yuri Yoshinaga, for all the work they do in this field. Fr. Ryle is always in the move giving pre-marriage and post - marriage courses, instilling into groups the sanctity and holiness of the family. He is doing great thing to stem the evil of abortion.

Abortion Down by Half
Thanks to God’s grace working through Mother Teresa, who has visited Japan three times pleading on behalf of the unborn, and people like Fr. Ryle and Sr. Yoshinaga, the number of the abortion of Japan has been decreasing considerably. According to the official statistics available here in Jumamoto Prefecture as in the rest of Japan, abortions have dropped by more than half in the last 30 years. Still, much is left to be done.

Too Busy
Many of the working men claim they are too busy to attend the talks because of the company work and ask if wouldn’t be all right for the girl only to attend. It’s deadly for them to say that to me.

Mousiness/ Gutlessness
I give them an off-the cuff-sermon on the mousiness of Japanese men who love the company more than their wife, the gutlessness of Japanese men who are so self-centered that they expect everybody to sit and serve them, the savageness of Japanese men who by unwillingness to be gentle, crucify the women. Usually at some stage the man can take no more and say, “I’ll attend! I’m not like the rest of the Japanese men.”
Then they ask “How much for the priest?”
“Nothing”
“Hen na gaijin!” (“A crazy foreigner!”)