March 2015

For Our Reflection

Lentent Preparation

If you’ve been on a long trip you’ve seen the signs that point out when the next rest area is coming. Today, Shrove Tuesday, is the like the last “rest” area Catholics will have before the biggest, best rest area to come: Easter. The hard part is getting through those 40 long days.

I’m not good on long trips. I change the music constantly, I feel the need to stop at every rest area along the way to get out and stretch my legs. I’m the same way in life. For the most part, I change my interests constantly—my hobbies, my favorite movies and books, and especially how I pray. Lent, with its continuity is difficult to say the least. At the same time, the challenge is appealing because I feel that it helps me grow spiritually, and that, for me, is what life is all about.

So what am I doing for Lent this year? I have no idea. Yet. I’m hoping that something will strike me tonight as I indulge in the last stop before the long and winding road of sacrifice and contemplation begins.

One of the pictures I like to keep in my mind during Lent is of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James and John. While he prays, his three closest friends fall asleep. In Matthew 26:40, it says, “And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?” It’s an odd picture to have during Lent, perhaps, of failure of the three disciples—but it is one of my favorite scenes in the Bible. It shows Jesus at one of his most human points, I think, scared, maybe a little angry or upset with his friends; but ready to accept what is coming ahead (His Crucifixion).

But I relate to the disciples. The go to pray with Jesus fully prepared to stay awake and be with him, but they fail. Jesus wakes them up and, in my mind pretty much says, “You couldn’t even do one thing and I’m going to die for you!?!” The disciples stay with Jesus, and especially fail another two times.

Why does this image mean so much to me? I think because it shows that we, like the disciples, are going to fail many times, maybe more so during these 40 days of Lent, but we can keep trying.

Lenten Recollection of Fr. Jhun Peralta, SVD in Ofunato

It was last february 21 when we had our Recollection ,Tagalog version. At first I had a little doubt when we planned this activity. Coz I'm not pretty sure if the members will participate since everyone were very busy. After this our Tagalog mass came after. We have 18 attendees including Sylvie Muller from Sendai who used to attend our activities here in Ofunato. Our invited priest, all the way from Akita Ken,Fr,Jun celebrated the mass that day.Thankful that I can say, that we had a successful recollection day.

By Marife Sugawara

Fr. Jhun Peralta, SVD, our recollection master

Mass in Ichinoseki with Fr. Edgar

2015 2/21 picture picture after mass with Father Edgar Natuwa nman c father sa dami ng umatend ng mass Tnx po sa nag share ng post ko bout sa Tagalog mass natin madami dn na new face Tnx po sa lahat lahat ng umatend ng mass sa mga friend na masipag Magyaya ng mga kaibigan para umatend ng mass Kitakita po ulit tayo 3/15 Saturday 2 pm po sa 3/1 Sunday 9:00 am po c Father Edgar dn po ang mag mimisa stin International mass po tayo minasan ganbate kite kudasai Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

By Lolita Moniwa

Block Rosary in Takata

Sharing from Sylvie

Saturday February 7th I participated to the Rosary in Rikuzentakata. After a long time we finally scheduled a trip there to participate and meet our friends. I went with Marie (also a French girl) for the all Week-End. The Rosary was hold to Haydee’s place. 13 people attended the prayer. We all gathered in a room and prayed this beautiful call of Love to our Mother Mary, perfectly leaded by Haydee. Once finished we “kampai” to friendship and had a Gorgeous Filipino Meal prepared with care and love by Haydee herself. We eat and laugh soo much. I really filled at ease and welcomed. This group is beautiful, we fill strength, link, friendship and love between them. And I filled as in my family. Hope to join soon again. 

LOVE MULLER Sylvie

February 2015

For Our Reflection

Nostalgia can be a beautiful thing if it reminds you of good times you once had with loved one, or special places or times in your life. But there is another side to nostalgia—and if you stay there too long, it can poison your present and your future.

Reminisce long enough and you’ll think that the it was only in the past that you were able to truly live—at least that’s how it was for me—until I started to see how looking back was holding me back. There were so many things I wanted to redo, so many wrongs I wanted to right armed with the knowledge I had now (it always works like that, doesn’t it, that you want to go back in time with everything you know now…); so many old friends I wanted to reconnect with.

That kind of thinking, however, can block you from all the good things happening right now. 

In Philippians Paul writes that he desires to be like Jesus and wanting to learn to do so, so he has to follow Jesus’ and forget his old life. Paul writes about this in 3:13 saying he can achieve this goal by “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

God doesn’t want us to go backwards. He wants us to go forward in our lives. To move on, to learn from and let go of the past.

Cardinal Tagle Visits Sendai Diocese

It was indeed a great blessing for Sendai Diocese to be visited by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila. The Cardinal arrived in Japan Feb.1 and from the airport, he went to Sendai to celebrate the mass in Sendai Cathedral. Bishop Hiraga and some priest of the diocese welcomed Cardinal Tagle to the diocese.

During the mass Cardinal Tagle address the Filipinos in Tagalog "Magpakabait kayo" (Be Good) and encourage them to share the joy of faith to the Japanese church. He also encouraged them to let their sons and daughters be servants of God by being a priest or nun here in Japan.

On the light moment, the cardinal shared about his experience when he was on his flight to Japan that the airplane crew members and even the Captain had a "selfie" with him. Maybe he said "this will served as a proof to St. Peter that they had met Cardinal Tagle and eventually will reserve a place in heaven". And so after the mass, the Cardinal was literally, "dinumog" for "selfie" that I have to escape or else I will be crushed in the middle of the altar.

It only shows how the people really love the Cardinal and wanted to be close to him. The Cardinal himself although I could only presume to be tired after a long trip was all smile and welcoming to each and everyone.

This is indeed the most memorable event for all of us and a blessings.

the Cardinal was literally "dinumog" but was all smile for each one

"Hafu"  Shown in Ofunato Akenohoshi Kinder Garten

Hafu, a documentary movie about the Japanese children whose one of the parents is a foreigner was being shown last Jan 18 in Akenohoshi Kinder Garten. After the 9:30 mass in the church, we move to the kinder garten hall to watch the movie. There were around 40 people who watch and discussed the movie.

Here is the Synopsis of the movie

"With an ever increasing movement of people between places in this transnational age, there is a mounting number of mixed-race people in Japan, some visible others not. “Hafu” is the unfolding journey of discovery into the intricacies of mixed-race Japanese and their multicultural experience in modern day Japan. The film follows the lives of five “hafus”–the Japanese term for people who are half-Japanese–as they explore what it means to be multiracial and multicultural in a nation that once proudly proclaimed itself as the mono-ethnic nation. For some of these hafus Japan is the only home they know, for some living in Japan is an entirely new experience, and others are caught somewhere between two different worlds.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, one in forty-nine babies born in Japan today are born into families with one non-Japanese parent. This newly emerging minority in Japan is under-documented and under-explored in both literature and media. The feature-length HD documentary film, “Hafu – the mixed-race experience in Japan” seeks to open this increasingly important dialogue. The film explores race, diversity, multiculturalism, nationality, and identity within the mixed-race community of Japan. And through this exploration, it seeks to answer the following questions: What does it mean to be hafu?; What does it mean to be Japanese?; and ultimately, What does all of this mean for Japan?

Narrated by the hafus themselves, along with candid interviews and cinéma vérité footage, the viewer is guided through a myriad of hafu experiences that are influenced by upbringing, family relationships, education, and even physical appearance. As the film interweaves five unique life stories, audiences discover the depth and diversity of hafu personal identities." 

For more information about the movie please visit the homepage 

http://hafufilm.com

Word of Thanks

I would like first of all to inform all the communities  that I am visiting for Tagalog/English mass that from Jan. 24, 2015, I am officially transferred to Hachinohe Shio Machi Catholic Church in Aomori Ken. From now on, I will be part of the team of priests in Aomori area that takes care of seven churches from Oominato to Ninohe areas.

With this transfer, I could not continue the monthly masses I had before in Fukushima (Noda, Iwaki, Koriyama and Shirakawa) in Miyagi (Watari, Ishinomaki, Minami San Riku) in Iwate (Ichinoseki) areas. But Fr. Edgar will try his best to continue the masses in Areas of Iwate (Ichinoseki) some areas in Fukushima and Miyagi areas from now on.

I would like  to thank all of you for your unending support and prayer during these three years of my work in the Sendai Diocese Support Centre for Foreigners.

Our Newsletter will continue of course, but I will need your help to gather some news about your activities and events in your communities. I hope you will always be generous to give time to write and share some pictures about your communities so that we can publish them here in our newsletter.

Again thank you and let's continue to support and pray for one another.

January 2015

For Our Reflection

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Epiphany is the feast on which we celebrate the fact that all people are sons and daughters of God.
The wise men who pay homage to Jesus stands for all the people in the world. That is symbolized in the custom of presenting them as members of different races.
Through out history, we humans have been exclusionist. Sometimes we have gone beyond exclusion to outright persecution. For some reason or other, or no reason at all, we view people who differ from us as remote from us.
The less we know about them, the more we believe stereotypes and fictions, and then act upon those misconceptions.

Today, the Church says that Christians cannot follow the way of the world in this matter. Today we see that God’s offer of salvation in Christ, God’s love, is not limited by colored shapes on a map. Anyone and everyone is welcome. It need not have been that way. After all, Jesus is the Messiah promised to Israel. He came to a particular people in a particular time. He may not have been what they were expecting, but he was certainly theirs. All of theology could have been taught from a book titled Advanced Salvation for the Jews, and the rest of us would have had no right to complain.
But, God issued an invitation to the whole world to join in the new People of God. That is what today’s Gospel story tells us. Easterners, that is, strangers and pagans, came to worship.
Not only did they come, but they were led by a star of God. God not only welcomed them, God wanted them there.


Its unfortunate that we have settled on three as the number of those who came. The Gospel does not give any number. i think that we should represent today’s feast with a long procession of people stretching beyond our sight and time.
It shouild include all the wise men and women whom God has called to see the divine glory present among us in a man born some two thousand years ago to a Jewish mother. 

In other words, everybody.

So should we go running out to buy more statuettes for our Christmas creches? Should we add airplanes and autos to the camels, and men and women of all ages and place to our three kings?
Perhaps we should, since what we see influences what and how we believe.

But, we are called to more by today’s feast.
We are called to be the Stars of Bethlehem, leading men and women to Christ.
The chief vocation of the Church is to proclaim the Good News to all nations. How do i share in that great vocation?
All of us are called to be missionary in our day-to-day lives.

Fukushima Ken

Noda Machi Church

Last December 7, we had our Tagalog mass in Noda Machi at 3 pm. The group came to the mass after the workshop with the Fukushima International Association on living healthy and some tips on how to stay healthy this winter. We were supposed to have some baptism after the mass but due to some emergency situation the family were not able to come for the baptism. After the mass, the group had their meeting for the year end activities and some planning for next year.

Shirakawa Block Rosary

We had our block rosary and mass in Shirakawa Catholic Church last Dec. 6.  After the mass, we gathered together in Hoshi san's house for rosary and some salo salo. Most of the members of the group are preparing for the Japanese Proficiency exam and we offer the mass and rosary for this occasion.

Iwaki Catholic Church Christmas Gathering

Every Dec. 23, we have our Christmas celebration in Iwaki Catholic Church. This year there were around 60 people who gathered to celebrate Christmas together.  We were lucky to have our guitarist with us who really make an effort to practice for the songs of our mass. Actually we were expecting a few attendance this year, but some companies allowed our community members to be present for the mass.

IWATE KEN

Ofunato Church Celebrates 60th Anniversary

60th Anniversary party of our Catholic Church Stella Marris at Ofunato Plaza Hotel yesterday Dec.6.2014,6:30 pm.With the special presence of our respect Bishop Hiraga,Fumi Terada,Dr.Yamaura,Fr Edgar Gacutan and the rest of our shinja san.Thanks be to God for the great and warm celebration.Pls...God bless us all always.

Mizusawa Catholic Church 

Fr. Edgar celebrated the mass in Mizusawa Catholic Church. 



Ichinoseki Community
We would like to thank for the samahang pilipino PAIJ for they support and the launched for this wonderful participation each of us. 😇 at ichinoseki nanohana plaza for the presentation.. 😇. I just want to say thank you so much for our chairman Mila Mukai and her family of course her daugther for performing her talent. In behalf of that we would like to thank for all the filipinos attending our christmas party ... And of course our staff for the cooperation .. And to all our visitors .. Who are mentioned by our chairman A pleasant thankful and more blessings to come and god bless us always 😇 Mabuhay tayong lahat.



Christmas Kai in Ofunato

ミサのあと 子どものつどいです。海の星保育園に 子どもたちの クリスマス会をおこなわれました。A special thanks to sister Yoshimura,sis .Uchida,sis Miyasawa, sis Yoshida,for their warm support.salamat din sa mga mommies na dumating.

Ofunato's Christmas Celebration

We do celebrate our christmas mass every December 24 ,6:30 PM. Since this is a very

special occasion , not in the church but , we used the yochen as a venue for that day. This year

22 members from Pagasa with their children attended the mass, ofcourse excluding the japanese

catholics. This is the only day ,wherein you can see faces only once a year. But still , being with

them makes christmas here in our church , very special.

After Fr.Edgar celebrated the mass, and after the gift giving to the children, our christmas

party came after. Here same with the other churches , we shared stories , we ate together ,then

program . This year , we gave time more on bingo games ( children were more excited ),

then dance number from Pagasa children with their moms and a dance nos. from chili by

Hortensia. Program were lesser this year , so we ended at exact time as we intended. Once a year

event that we should give time, for its' the “Lord's” special day.



By:Marife Sugawara


AOMORI KEN

Hachinohe Catholic Church

Last December 14, we celebrated our English mass in Hachinohe Catholic Church. During the mass we had a baptism of Ishioka Mario kun. After the mass we had a simple Christmas party. Even in a heavy snow, there are some 50 to 60 of us who gathered together for the mass and to celebrate Christmas party together.

Hirosaki Community Christmas Party

Post of Devie after the Christmas party of the community
Good Morning po sa inyong lahat especially sa mga dumalo ng mas Party kagabi 皆さん お疲れ様です‼napakasaya po ng mas party natin kagabi , nais ko rin pong pasalamatan ang mga taong nanggaling pa sa malayong lugar at sa mga taong tumulong para maging succesful ang party natin , sa New Manila Owner's and staff maraming salamat po sa mahabang oras na ibinigay ninyo , Ate Vivian Narumi , Charmie Mabelle Paredes 本当に ありがとうございます‼at sa mga frend's tnxs tlga ng marami , hope all of us enjoy the party. God Bless you all and Advanced Merry Christmas to all of you...

MIYAGI KEN

Sendai Community Christmas Party

Some pictures of Christmas gathering in Sendai Community.

Minami San Riku Christmas Celebration

Ishinomaki Christmas Gathering

We gathered together last December 25 in Ishinomaki Church to celebrate the mass together with the Christians in Ishinomaki. Fr. Aizu prepared some gifts for us and for the children. After the mass, we bless the cars of each one who attended the mass.

December 2014

FOR OUR REFLECTION

pictures taken from this link
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=spigot-chr-gcmac&ei=utf-8&ilc=12&p=first+week+of+advent

As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world. It symbolizes our longing, our desire, our hope. Three “advents” or “comings” shape our desire. We want to be renewed in a sense that Jesus came to save us from our sin and death. We want to experience his coming to us now, in our everyday lives, to help us live our lives with meaning and purpose. And we want to prepare for his coming to meet us at the end of our lives on this earth.

As we light the candles on our advent wreath, we offer this prayer

“Lord, the light I choose to let into my life today is based on my trust in you. It is a weak flame, but I so much desire that it dispel a bit more darkness today. Today, I just want to taste the longing I have for you as I go to the meeting this morning, carry out the responsibilities of my work, face the frustration of some difficult relationships. Let this candle be my reminder today of my hope in your coming.”


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FUKUSHIMA KEN

Noda Machi Halloween Party

Last Nov. 2, just in time for the All Souls day mass, the Noda Community celebrated their Mass and Halloween party. Thanks to the organizers Hawak Kamay Fukushima who prepared the Mass and the party. There were around 25 people who attended the Mass. 

During the party there were games and prizes for the best Halloween costumes. 
































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Iwaki Catholic Church

We celebrated our mass in Iwaki Catholic Church last Nov. 23. For almost two months we were not able to celebrate the mass in the area due to my schedules. We planned to have our Christmas celebration on Dec. 23 at 2 pm. The group promised to call people to join in our mass celebration that day. 

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Koriyama Catholic Church

Last Nov. 30, we had our mass with Koriyama community. Before the mass, i was informed by the group that a Filipina had died in the area and they wanted to offer a mass or a blessing before here burial. The body will be brought to the funeral parlor at 11 in the evening and so we schedule the mass the next day. Fr. Itagaki offered to do the mass before the burial.  

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AOMORI KEN

Hachinohe Mass

During our mass we bless several children who are aged 7, 5 and 3. In Japanese Churches during November 15,  the children are blessed  in the temples and churches. Shichi-go san is a rite of passage for children who aged 7, 5 and 3 to celebrate their growth and well-being.

During our English mass, we decided to incorporate it in our mass and we were happy to have some sweets that was prepared for the children during our English mass. Fr. Sato helped in in the blessings of the children.

here is the link for the Shichi - go san festival

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%83%E4%BA%94%E4%B8%89


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Hirosaki Church

Last Nov. 12 we celebrated our Wednesday Novena and Mass in Hirosaki Church Community. Normally, this would be our last mass for the year because the snow is very thick during winter. This is also maybe the last mass of Pat who had been acting as the coordinator of the group in Hirosaki. We thanked Pat for all the work she did for the group. And Pat's wished is that the group will continue the prayer and the mass every second Wednesday of the month. They hope too to have an english mass on one of the Sundays. I cannot say "yes" for now but i hope I can find  a time to celebrate mass with the community in one of the Sundays of the month from next year. 


Vivian  Narumi featured in Aomori Newspaper

Pat shared to me the newspaper clip about Miss Vivian Narumi who was featured in the Japanese Newspaper in Aomori Ken. Vivian shared her experience living in Japan especially in Aomori ken. And she also introduced the Philippines to the people where she is in contact with everyday.

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IWATE KEN

Rikuzen Takata - Ofunato 3rd  Anniversary Block Rosary

Last Nov. 15 Rikuzen Takata - Ofunato Community celebrated their 3rd anniversary of the block Rosary.  They gathered together in a community center in Takata. Fr. Morita who came all they way from Sendai with Fr. Edgar celebrated the thanksgiving mass. There are more than 50 members who gathered together to pray the rosary and joined in the celebration of the 3rd anniversary.

from Erva's post in Facebook
"Today's event, Blk Rosary 3rd anniversary after 3,11,11.celebrated at naruishi komenkan at Rikusen Takata.A warm thanks to Fr Morita,Fr Edgar,and to all Pag asa members who came and join our special day.maraming salamat din po sa lahat ng nag effort para sa handang pagkain .Thanks to all again and May the Bless Us All always...P.S.Thank you Aibo and Rosemarie,お疲れさまでした"

Message from Fr. Harnoko 

My dear friends Pag-asa Iwate, congratulation for your 3rd anniversary of Bloc Rosary. From the 3.11, I learned from all of you how to be faithful in prayer, in sorrow as well as in joy. Let's be hopeful and keep our prayeful heart always!
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Ichinoseki Church

We celebrated our monthly mass in Ichinoseki Church last Nov. 15.  Terada sensei joined us in our mass with the community.  After the mass, Aiko with Sister Micheline gathered the children to follow up for their catechism. 

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Boodle Fight

Boodle fight is a military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of the banana leaves. Viands and rice ready to eat using your bare hands, jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before the "eating combat". With the signal to start the boodle fight, everyone aims for his/her position.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=boodle%20fight

This was the scene of boodle fight in Ofunato.  Who ever wins?  You judge

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MIYAGI KEN

Mass in Watari Church

We celebrated our mass together in Watari Church last Nov. 2. Since it was also an All Souls day, we decided to offer the mass for our love ones who had died. We ask the Christians to bring a picture and list the names of the people they wanted to be prayed for our mass this day.