Did You Know?
We do not want to use the word “Sayonara” but “Thanks” as Fr. Ryuichiro “Francis” Hanafusa, our Pastor and Sr. Leny Fery, one of our English Center Coordinators, leave us to go to their new mission places. So today, April 3, as this Bulletin issue is being distributed, the 4:30 English Mass is to be celebrated as a Thanksgiving Mass for both of them. Our gifts? Spiritual bouquets, assuring them of our prayers, and a promise that we will continue to take care of the ministry as best we can. Do you want to read the Bulletin interview with them? Go to page 4 and 5 of this issue.
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Whose heart does not bleed when we see videos or photos of the on-going war in Ukraine? Yes, you have probably seen many, but do you know how the Church has been responding to the crisis? Pope Francis himself went to the Russian Embassy in the Vatican to plead for peace. He also sent emissaries to Ukraine and the surrounding countries receiving refugees to show his closeness to them. One of these, Cardinal Krajewski, went to Ukraine to see the situation firsthand. In his report, he said, “I saw great suffering but strong faith in Ukraine.” Click https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican- city/news/2022-03/cardinal-krajewski-in-ukraine-great-suffering-but-strong-faith.html . Another was Cardinal Czerny. He wrote, ”I left for ‘a journey of prayer, prophecy and denunciation.’ So it was. But on my return, I can say that it was also a journey of witness, love, and hope.” |
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On March 25, Pope Francis consecrated the people of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at a penitential celebration in St Peter's Basilica. The same rite was performed on the same day by the Papal Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, in the Portuguese Marian shrine of Fatima. In both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, 25 March is the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord to Mary. The Marian apparitions in Fatima spoke, among other things, of a consecration of Russia to the Mother of God.
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These past two years, because of the pandemic, many have not been to St. Ignatius Church and are nostalgic. For the many people outside Japan who access the Church website and Facebook and plan to visit one day, the good news is that soon you can have a “virtual tour” of our Church in three languages: Japanese, English and Spanish. This project was initiated by some Japanese and Vietnamese youth, in collaboration with the various language groups, and is in the last stage of its realization. To access it, you can use this QR Code. At the moment, all you can see are pictures but soon it will be the experience of a guided tour. Do you know who will be the first one to see it? Fr. Hanafusa, before he leaves. Another gift from the parishioners!
Remember our overseas 2021 Christmas fund-raising drive for the poor? The different communities of St. Ignatius collaborated thru a Mini Bazaar, the SIIYM sang Christmas carols, you dropped your offering in the box during the Christmas Masses, all collections during the 12 noon mass and the Feast of St. Nino were contributed as well. Through the Tanging Yaman Foundation, of the Jesuits of the Philippine Province, we were able to find recipients - poor fishermen of Dinagat Island, one of the hardest hit places by Typhoon Odette. Together with donations from other sources, twelve new boats were built, this time using fiber glass materials and equipped with small engines. Last March 26, they were turned-over to twenty-four families, each family taking turns in the use of one boat. Now they have their source of livelihood again - another way of our parish concretizing the Jesuits' Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP) no 2 which is "to walk with the poor".
On March 12, the Church celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Canonization of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier, along with 3 other great figures of the Church, St. Isidore the Farmer, St. Philip Neri, and St. Teresa of Avila. For the Jesuits, it was a very important celebration within the Ignatian Year. It is rare for a founder and one of his first companions to be proclaimed “Saints” at the same time. The impact of the charism and mission of these two saints continues to be felt in the Church. In fact, the Church of Japan owes its birth to St. Francis Xavier, who was sent by Ignatius, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, to bring the seeds of faith to the Far East. If you want to know more about who they are and how the anniversary was celebrated, click one of the following sites: #ignatius500 #ignatiu500 #ignatianyear#Jesuit Communications (FB@jescomph)