Here are some sharing from the participants:

• “It was a great blessing. Not only was I able to spend time with God, I was also able to show my devotion to Mary through the activities we did.”
  Miguel Evangelista (Philippines)
   
• “It reminded me that the struggle to perfection is one that we are all on, with different degrees of challenges.”
  Christian Uduije (Nigeria)
   
• “I made a fruitful confession and I found myself at peace after. I felt that the Holy Spirit guided everyone and gave more meaning to life.”
  Jonathan Lastrella (Philippines)
   
• “I experienced love not only with God but also with my brothers and sisters. I have found a good new family because of God’s love. This retreat was wonderful!”
  Feng-Shyang Su(Taiwan)
   
• “It was a fun and cool way to learn about how much Mama Mary did for Jesus and for us. I realized that I should always be by the side of my loved ones till the end, like Mama Mary”
  TJ Thomas (Marshall Island)

The youth likewise spearheaded the October Living Rosary with its theme: "Young People United in Christ`s Mission" - in time for the conclusion of the Synod for the Youth in Rome. It was a way to deepen their devotion to Mary, spend time in silence and prayer and offer their personal intentions and the concerns of the world to God through her intercession. It also aimed to unite all the groups of St. Ignatius Church. Joined by adults and some older children, eight nationalities were represented and the rosary was recited in six languages. The event ended with fraternization and a chance to listen to a testimony about our Blessed Mother.

The very successful Tokyo International Catholic Youth Gathering (TICYG) held in St. Mary’s Cathedral last Nov. 18 spearheaded by the St. Ignatius International Youth Ministry (SIIYM) in cooperation with Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC). More than 160 participants came from 15 different countries and parishes of the Diocese of Tokyo for games, sharing, prayers, meditation, and cultural presentation. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated by Archbishop Isao Kikuchi.