Hiram Kano

By Susan Langle

Creating God, your reign of love makes all things new: Plant seeds of confidence and gladness in our hearts, so that, trusting your word, we may live no longer for ourselves, but as Holy Women, Holy Men living for him who died and was raised for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
(Adapted from a Collect in Ordinary Time: Creation found in A 072 “Daily Prayer for All Season”)

Hiram HIsanori Kano (1889-1986) is known and remembered in Nebraska Colorado and Los Angeles and we were encouraged to recall his faithful life in the wider church by adding him to the Calendar of Saints. Kano was born in Japan to a prominent family. As a child, he had an experience of the Risen Christ during a serious illness as a child that led him to seek baptism when he recovered. who sent him to the University of Nebraska to study agriculture. In the 1920’s his gifts for evangelism were recognized by the Missionary Bishop of Western Nebraska to speak the Good News to the Japanese farmers of the area. He was ordained a deacon in 1928 and made a priest in 1936. On a Sunday morning in December 1941 he was arrested as he left church and sent to internment having been classified as a Class A dangerous person due to his family’s connections with the Japanese government. Over the next two years he lived in camps in four states, teaching English and agriculture to his fellow prisoners and always preaching the Gospel.

A young priest from the Diocese of Los Angeles said today of Kano: I know people whose lives were directly affected by his gracious ministry. It is important to me that his life be remembered. With grace he bore the suffering of my ancestors. And he looks like me. Indeed it is important to us that our grace stories be remembered, all our grace stories. It is important that we be reminded how it is that you and I might follow the example of Jesus and bless those who persecute us. Holy Women, Holy Men are our companions, reminders that we have been given a great legacy, seeds of strength and hope and quiet confidence that God’s Reign is coming and now is.