August 19 Thomas Koyanangi; John Fovamon; John Nangata; John Yano; Peter Zuninga; Louis Flores; Joachim Firayama-Diz; d. 1622 bl. 1867

John and Thommy

Good morning
I love you

Today’s big event is the Irish tenors. I was so excited about seeing them yesterday I was a day early and if I hadn’t been talking with someone who knew the correct day I would have shown up at the concert hall and been there all by myself…. But, tonight’s the night!

Otherwise, it’s been an ordinary day so far. Nudging things along from ok to good in our pursuit of excellence. We are now entering into the area of conflict. With people being nudged [pushed? Shoved? (I hope not shoved.) into their area of challenge and discomfort. Including myself – the number of balls in the air and my talent for juggling result in some balls hitting the floor….

Everyone says they want things to get better. And few people jump up and down excited about the necessary corollary to that: having to change themselves! And even more of a challenge, change the way we fit and work together.

But today I’ve filled the walls with pictures. I guess that makes me officially moved in to the place. Our maintenance guy does a great job. And his secret – he does his work as if it were his home he is working on: a value he says was planted in him when he was 16 and a neighbor let him work at his house to earn some extra money. It does matter with whom you work, for whom you work. Some of it is the luck of the draw. Much of it comes from the choices your parents make: e.g., where to live, thus who your neighbors are – because you do encounter them, they are important in your values formation. Unfortunately, even good neighbors, well meaning neighbors, provide bad input [like reinforcing the dissolution of familial relationships] but, alas, I digress….

Pictures are up. I’m moved in. Jeff does great work with the best attitude; I wish we had five hundred of him! Or fifty in my area .




August 19

Thomas Koyanangi; John Fovamon; John Nangata; John Yano; Peter Zuninga; Louis Flores; Joachim Firayama-Diz; d. 1622 bl. 1867


It does matter with whom you work. On the 18th we had the example of the family who worked for a nobleman Japanese catechist – and they were martyred with him not only for their faith but for his. Today, we have a ship’s captain and his crew martyred for delivering to Japan Catholic missionaries. [How would you stand next to the passengers on your ship of life when their faith is rejected, persecuted….? Especially when it is your faith too?] It does matter with whom, for whom you work. It matters more how you live your faith in loyalty and service….



Thomas Koyanangi

Thomas Koyanangi was a passenger on the ship that was carrying the missionaries Bl Joachim Firayama-Diz and Peter Zuniga into Nagasaki. We don’t get any more of the story from Catholic on-line. We can interpolate that Bl Thomas Koyanangi was not a man who just happened to be on the ship that was intercepted by the Japanese warlord serving the emperor. [we can also bet that his birth name was not Thomas, which is more likely is baptism/confirmation anglicized name.] Thomas Koyanangi, a Catholic, got on the ship with the missionaries going into forbidden waters. He knew the risks of such companionship and, likely, being in the service of the missionaries.

Know, too, yourself, the rewards and the risks of any companionship. Your duties to your self, your principles, your faith. And that such duties obligate you in service and support to those with whom you keep company; to whom you give of your time, your talents, your treasure, your self….



John Fovamon

John Fovamon was a scribe on the ship carrying the missionaries Bl Joachim Firayama-Diz and Peter Zuniga into Nagasaki.

Being a scribe for the life and times of another – imagine the honor of being the recorder, the spokesperson for perpetuity of another person. And know, too, yourself, the rewards and the risks of any companionship. Your duties to your self, your principles, your faith. And that such duties obligate you in service and support to those with whom you keep company; to whom you give of your time, your talents, your treasure, your self….

It does matter for whom you work…. And why!




John Nangata

John Nangata was a sailor on the ship carrying the missionaries Bl Joachim Firayama-Diz and Peter Zuniga into Nagasaki. The ship was intercepted – alas someone knew the missionaries were on their way, on this ship, at this time, going to this place. And decided to feed the bottomless pit of persecution.

And know, too, yourself, the rewards and the risks of any companionship. Your duties to your self, your principles, your faith. And that such duties obligate you in service and support to those with whom you keep company; to whom you give of your time, your talents, your treasure, your self….

It does matter for whom you work…. And why!




John Yano

John Yano was also a a sailor on the ship carrying the missionaries Bl Joachim Firayama-Diz and Peter Zuniga into Nagasaki. The ship was intercepted – alas someone knew the missionaries were on their way, on this ship, at this time, going to this place. And decided to feed the bottomless pit of persecution.

And know, too, yourself, the rewards and the risks of any companionship. Your duties to your self, your principles, your faith. And that such duties obligate you in service and support to those with whom you keep company; to whom you give of your time, your talents, your treasure, your self….

It does matter for whom you work…. And why!


Each of these were bystanders, servants to the missionaries in some planned or happenstantial way. Who were the men who created these martyrric circumstances? [a neologism! I do like the word. Do you? Martyrric.



Joachim Firayama Diz

This is the man who became a linchpin in the life of his crew. The ship’s captain, Joachim Firayama Diz, took the consignment of the missionaries and promised to deliver them to Nagasaki. He knew that the Japanese emperor forbade the immigration of Catholics, missionaries in particular: at peril of their death. He also knew that the fate of the captain and the crew, should they get caught trying to deliver the missionaries, and undermine the essence of the Japanese way of life, that they would not be treated kindly either. But Joachim Firayama Diz and his crew were cut from a special cloth - the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. So they took the missionaries from the Philippines to their heart felt destination.

Now get what was happening in the ocean off the island of Japan in the seventeenth century. The Dutch – merchants par excellence and with a nave to support the globalization of their way of life. It was the Dutch who intercepted captain Joachim Firayama Diz’s ship and handed them over to the Japanese! How many more than thirty pieces of silver do you think they got for this kind of treachery/mercenaryism? Some quid pro quo. [do be aware of with whom you are doing business….]




Peter Zuniga

Peter Zuniga’s father was the Spanish sixth Viceroy of Mexico – having brought his family from Seville to the new lands.

Peter Zuniga returned to Spain. Sent to continue his education? Sent to pursue his vocation to the priesthood? Whatever the reason, Peter Zuniga became an Augustinian.

Possibly having caught a missionary zeal while in his father’s adoptive Mexico; maybe he learned to desire to serve others from his advantages also from his father? Peter Zuniga asked to be sent as a missionary to Japan. Mid seventeenth century. Maybe he was among the many Spanish men inspired by Francis Xavier?

In 1610, Peter Zuniga was sent to the Philippines. COL does not explain why he got this assignment – maybe that’s as close as the Augustinians could get him. Maybe that’s as far as they were willing to send him – they knew how the emperor of Japan wanted any foreigners dealt with; especially Catholic missionary. Maybe we should know more about the closed island nation state and our 17th century efforts to Christianize it….

In 1612, Peter Zuniga set off on the fateful journey to his passionate dreamland – to Japan with other missionaries – such quest taking them to martyrdom instead….

The crew and passengers with the missionaries were treated differently, more leniently than the missionaries. They burned the missionaries to death. They chopped off the heads of the others. Choose your preference – once you choose to love God, serve Him, and to do so in the service of missionaries; know that you ride in the same boat as these ‘Japan’s martyrs’.



Louis Flores

Louis Flores went with his family to Mexico from Antwerp, Belgium. Louis Flores became a Dominican and was sent to the Philippines in 1602 – out in front of Peter Zuniga, whom he probably did not know until they met up in Philippines: imagine the men aflame with missionary zeal; probably with a desire to go to Japan. Then they met and their passions synergized?....

Louis Flores hooked up with Peter Zuniga and headed off to Japan… on a dark and stormy night…. It does matter with whom you pair up, join in vocation, collaborate in work, choose for your friends, and pick for your employees….

It’s all connected 

I love you
Dad