Japan Demands That Foreign Heads of Churches Should Go

The American National Office of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in New York has lately released a statement, which it terms " authoritative," from the Rev. Bruno Bitter, Si.,, of Jochi University, Kojimachi. Kioi-cho, Tokyo, relating to the status of the Catholic Church in Japan in view of the Japanese Government's recent disposition toward the removal of foreigners from the headships of the Churches. In this matter, Fr. Bitter, who has lived and worked in Japan for many years, has written to the National Office as follows: "As soon as the Catholic Church in Japan became aware of the desire of the nation to purge its cultural expression from all foreign trappings, she took steps to reconsider her position and to bring her outward appearance more into harmony with the new spirit. " In September of this year those headmasters of Catholic schools who were not Japanese decided to resign from their positions to make room for competent Japanese successors. This they did in the hest interest of the very cause they are serving. Such a change of personnel can have no serious repercussions in a Church which is truly catholic. "Thus Bishops and Prefects Apostolic, too, at a plenary session, have declared their readiness to resign in favour of Japanese clergy. Shortly after, this declaration took concrete 'hems in the Vicariate of Hiroshima, where Bishop Ross, Si., proffered his resignation in favour of a Japanese. On October 11, the Holy See appointed Fr. Ogihara, S.J., as Administrator Apostolic of Hiroshima.
TOKYO'S UNIVERSITY
" At the Catholic University of Tokyo, too, the new spirit of the time has made a change desirable, At the beginning of September, Fr. Heuvers, S.J., signalled to the Ministry of Educatio'n his intention to lay down his duties as Director of the University. He wanted to clear the way for a thorough re
organisation of the university in accordance with the ' new order.' In spite of his resignation or rather because of it, Fr. Heuvere will continue to enjoy the respect and friendship of the many who know him as A loyal friend of the Japanese people.
" The Minister of Education has approved of Fr. Tsuchihaskei as the new Director. Fr. Tsuchiheseti has been connected with the university for the past 26 years."
From Quebec comes the news of the resignation of the Most Rev. Marie Joseph Lemieux, 0.P., as Bishop of Sendai.
Bishop Lemieux is is native of Quebec City and was named Ordinary of Sendai in 1935 and, being 33 years old at that time, was said to be the youngest Catholic Bishop in the world. In the course of his tenure he established a major seminary at Sendal, where 20 young Japanese are now studying for the priesthood.
It is also stated that under the same circumstances the Very Rev. Ambrose Leblanc, 0.F.M., Prefect Apostolic of Urawa, Japan, resigned from his post last autumn, Although Canadian Dominicans and Franciscans have extensive missions in Japan, it is not believed here that the attitude of the Japanese Government will affect missionaries in general.