The Holy Year, proclaimed by Pope Francis with the motto “Pilgrims of Hope” and the Apostolic Letter Spes Non Decipet (“Hope Does Not Disappoint”), was officially concluded by Pope Leo XIV on January 6 of this year.

The Synod (the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops), which Pope Francis initiated before the Holy Year, invites each parish to develop a medium-to long-term vision and pastoral plan. Our St. Ignatius Parish in Kojimachi will also draw from the Synod’s vision of “A Church That Walks Together—Communion, Participation, and Mission.” While discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will move forward with the creation of a pastoral plan titled “Walk with Jesus.”

On March 22, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of Kojimachi Parish, and on April 17, we marked the 77th anniversary of the consecration of the old St. Ignatius Church building. Looking ahead to the 100th anniversary of Kojimachi Church in ten years’ time, the Preparatory Committee for the Kojimachi 100th Anniversary Plan began its deliberations last March to define our vision for the future and to clarify the specific tasks needed to achieve it.

Based on the recommendations of this Preparatory Committee, the Kojimachi 100th Anniversary Plan Formulation Committee was established after the Feast of the Resurrection this year. Its guiding principle aligns with the parish’s theme for the 2026 fiscal year: “Let Us Be One in Christ—A Church Walking Together—Journeying Together as One with Jesus.”

A Sunday Mass attendance survey conducted last October revealed that the number of participants at Masses celebrated in foreign languages (English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Portuguese, and Polish) exceeded that of the Japanese-language Masses. This result strengthens our hope and expectation that, in light of this reality, we will be formed into a church that shines with the light of Christ by walking together with all parishioners, transcending differences in language, nationality, generation, and cultural background.

These hopes and expectations are also reflected in the “Prayer for a Church Walking Together,” which has been composed in six languages and is recited on various occasions. As our church becomes increasingly international, we pray for the grace that each of us—as we gather around Christ’s table, transcending differences in language, nationality, generation, and background—may be “pilgrims of hope,” members of a “church walking with Jesus,” and able to serve society as “light and salt.”

For the 100th Anniversary Plan, a first-term committee of twelve members has been selected to serve a two-year term. The committee members, ranging in age from their 30s to 70s, include foreign-born parishioners. Taking into account the distinctive character of our parish, as well as changes in society and the local environment, this committee will seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and propose a path toward the spiritual renewal and structural reform of our community, addressing all aspects of parish life—faith and spirituality, organization, administration, activities, facilities, and finances.

To advance this initiative, your active cooperation and collaboration are essential. Together, through prayer, action, spiritual dialogue, and discernment, let us strive to create a pastoral plan that will help our church grow into a vibrant community of “Communion, Participation, and Mission.”

by Fr. Toshiaki Koso, SJ
Pastor of St. Ignatius Church