November 18, 2021
Although it may seem unlikely, Catholic novels have some mainstream appeal in Japanese literature. Ayako Sono, one of Japan’s most famous novelists, wrote the following novel about St. Maximilian Kolbe: miraclehas just been translated into English.
miracle “It is a semi-autobiographical account of the author’s personal investigation into the miracles approved by the Vatican for Kolbe’s canonization. Tracing Kolbe’s journey from her childhood to her self-sacrifice at Auschwitz, and interjecting with her time in Japan as the crucible of asceticism that made Kolbe a saint, her ambivalent feelings toward the Catholic faith are questioned.
Fumiko writes: “Before he died, this priest asked the withered souls of modern man a question as hard as a red-hot iron rod: ‘What does it mean for us to love one another? ?”
Translator Kevin Doak joins the show to discuss
miraclea Japanese Catholic novel (far exceeding Endo’s work) silence), and… Mr. Endo silence.
Watch the discussion on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ne9Yz5lC7qI
link
https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p114/miracles-sono-ayako.html
Kevin Doak, “Beyond Endo: The Hidden Renaissance of Japanese Catholic Novelists” https://benedictinstitute.org/2019/07/beyond-endo/
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