南山大学

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My Life Story

Chapter 1.“Otaku youth”

1942 Parents marry in the Federal Republic of Germany (formerly West Germany)

  1942 parents' wedding photograph

1948 Born as the second of eight children

Brought up as one of a large family.

 1953 aged 4, with his teddy bear1955 aged 6, First Holy Communion1956 aged 7, in a fashion magazine
 
family photograph
What kind of family was it?
“We all got on very well. We had a strong Catholic faith, so we would all go together as a family on our 22-23 kilometer pilgrimage course.”
What kind of child were you?
“I was a shy child. My younger sisters were all very talkative, so I was quite happy to assume a quieter role!
After entering elementary school I spent all my time reading books. So much so that my parents would often tell me to go outside and play. I suppose these days I would be called “otaku.” A “reading-otaku….”

During his young years, Calmano would read three or four books a week, meaning that in a year he got through more than 150 books! Of the books he read in those days, Calmano says that he found Goethe’s Faust particularly interesting. It is amazing to think that he read this famous, long and dramatic novel when he was just 12 years old!
The young Calmano had a voracious appetite for books, but he also led a full life doing other things, such as taking part in outdoor activities through the boy scouts and learning the violin from the age of 6 to 16.

 1964 aged 15, in the Boy Scouts

The decision to become a priest

When he was still young, one day Calmano announced to his family that he wanted to become a priest.

Why do you think that you would like to become a priest?
“To be honest, I don’t remember either the reason or when I actually made the announcement. But I do clearly remember that I said this when I was quite young.”

Calmano does not recall the reason for his decision, but in any case, in order to realize his childhood dream, when he was 17 years old he entered a theological boarding school in Germany. With this he took his first step towards becoming a priest.

1967 aged 18, enters the Society of the Divine Word

A meeting that changed his destiny

Every day of the six-year program at the theology school involved a regimen of studying theology and philosophy and working in the fields. But one day, Calmano met someone who was change the destiny of his life from that point on. That man was Hans-Jürgen Marx, two years Calmano’s senior at the theology school and now the previous president of Nanzan University, the chair of the Nanzan School Corporation Board of Trustees and principal of Nanzan Primary School.

1970 aged 21, with Hans-Jürgen Marx (right), who went on to become president of Nanzan University
Were you friends with Nanzan University’s previous president, Hans-Jürgen Marx, from your time together at the theology school?
“Yes, of course. We shared an interest in classical music, so we got along well.”

If Calmano knew Marx from their time together at the theology school that makes it a friendship that has been going for more than 40 years! We wonder if Calmano imagined that he might follow in the footsteps of his senior.

1968 aged 19 1969 aged 20
Chapter 2. A full life as a student in Kamakura, Nagoya and the United States