HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Paul Glynn (1928) is a Marist missionary priest and writer from Australia. He is the author of several books, including ''The Song of Nagasaki'' (1988) and ''The Smile of the Ragpicker'' (1992), both best-sellers and translated into several languages. He has devoted a lifetime to reconciliation and friendship between Australia and Japan, the two former wartime enemies.


Biography

Paul Glynn is an Australian Marist missionary priest and writer. He graduated from
Southern Cross University Southern Cross University (SCU) is an Australian public university, with campuses at Lismore and Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales, and at Coolangatta, the most southern suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is ranked in the top ...
; in 2010 the school awarded him an honorary doctorate for his reconciliation work with Japan. He lived in Japan for over 20 years, learning the country's language and culture through Buddhist texts. There he wrote ''A Song for Nagasaki'', a book recounting the life of
Takashi Nagai was a Japanese Catholic physician specializing in radiology, an author, and a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. His subsequent life of prayer and service earned him the affectionate title " saint of Urakami". Early years Takashi (m ...
, a radiologist who converted to Catholicism and survived the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaski. Paul Glynn is also the author of ''The Smile of a Ragpicker'' and ''Like a Samurai – the Tony Glynn Story'' (see Tony Glynn). Paul Glynn has been a Catholic priest since 1953. He has devoted a lifetime to reconciliation and friendship between Australia and Japan, the two former wartime foes. He was inspired to follow Padre Lionel Marsden, a former prisoner-of-war of the Japanese on the
Burma Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
, to work for reconciliation with the people of Japan. He subsequently helped his brother Tony, who was also a promoter of reconciliation with Japan. He is a recipient of the
Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight ...
from the Japanese government and the Medal of the
Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
(OAM) from the Australian government for reconciliation work between Japan and Australia. He initiated Australia's first Sister City relationship with a Japanese city – between Yamato Takada in
Nara Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayama P ...
and Lismore in northern New South Wales – half a century ago.Living Histories Interviews Series 2011
, Father Paul Glynn.


Publications

* ''A Song for Nagasaki: The Story of Takashi Nagai: Scientist, Convert, and Survivor of the Atomic Bomb'' (with a forewod by Shusaku Endo), Ignatius Press, 2009, 267 p.  ; (1st edition: Hunters Hill, New South Wales, Catholic Book Club, 1988) ; ''Requiem pour Nagasaki'', Nouvelle Cité, Montrouge, 1994 ; ''Un canto per Nagasaki'', Little Red Apple Publishing, 1996, 169 pages ; ; ''Requiem por Nagasaki'', Co-labora Consulting Estrategico ; ; Paul Glynn, Gregor Neonbasu, ''Sebuah lagu untuk Nagasaki'', Yayasan Mawar Sejati (Australia), 1999, 181 p. * (with Tōru Matsui) ''The smile of a ragpicker'', 2nd edition, Marist Fathers Books, 1992, 196 p.  ; ; ''Le sourire de Satoko-San, une jeune femme chez les chiffonniers'' (or ''Le sourire de Satoko-San, la sœur des chiffonniers'', Collection « Racines », Étouvans, Espace et Documents, 1996, 240 p. * ''Healing Fire from Frozen Earth: Lourdes and the Third Millennium'', Marist Fathers Books, 2002, 195 p.  ; * ''Healing Fire of Christ: Reflections on Modern Miracles – Knock, Lourdes, Fatima'', Ignatius Press, 2003, 260 p.  ; * ''Like a Samurai: The Tony Glynn Story'', Marist Fathers Books, 2008, ; * ''Psalms: Songs for the Way Home'', E.J. Dwyer, 1997, ; * ''Hearers of Silent Music'', Catholic Book Club of Australia, 36 p. ; * ''Thank you Brother Fire'', Catholic Book Club, 1984, ; * ''The Wayside Stream: About Reconciliation in Families, Communities and Between'', Marist Fathers Books, 2003, ;


Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glynn, Paul 1928 births Australian writers Australian Roman Catholic missionaries Australian Roman Catholic priests Roman Catholic missionaries in Japan Living people Australian expatriates in Japan Southern Cross University alumni Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia