January 2016

 For Our Reflection

Mary Mother of God 

The title “Mary Mother of God” is one that many Christian denominations find difficult to accept. Many question how Mary who was only a human being could possibly be considered the mother of God. It is a controversy that has a long history in the Church. But the Catholic argument in defense of the title is quite simple. Is Mary the mother of Jesus? Yes! Is Jesus God? Yes! Then logically she is the mother of God.  Certainly, even Catholics do not by that believe that as mother of Jesus she gave him his divinity, nor that she is older than Jesus in his divinity. But we believe that Jesus’ is truly God and truly man, that that Mary gave birth not to just to his human nature, but to him as a person with the two natures.

But on this feast we do not celebrate the arguments that have been debated down the ages. We celebrate the greatness of God that has stooped so low to elevate Mary, a creature and fellow human being to such a dignity. We recall the truth of a woman who exclaimed from the crowd after she had heard Jesus speak and seen the wonders he worked: that blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that suckled you. Indeed Mary is blessed, and as she herself prophesied, all generations will call her blessed. Even the angel Gabriel said the same of her. She is blessed among all women. But we cannot forget the words that Jesus answered to the woman who praised his mother. More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. By that he implied that all of us have the possibility to be elevated to the dignity of his brothers and sisters.

As we begin the New Year and as we celebrate the world day of peace we turn to Mary who is also queen of peace. It is in the listening to the word of God and keeping it that lasting peace comes. We have heard in the gospel account that as the shepherds recounted their story about what they had heard and seen, Mary treasured all these things in her heart. In fact she treasured everything that was ever said of her Son. She is the perfect example of those who hear the word of God, who in silence and in meditation treasure it in their hearts. And who know that peace that the world cannot give through living by that word. 

Hirosaki Christmas Celebration 

Thank you for the gathering in Aomori

Hachinohe Catholic Church Christmas Celebration

Christmas Celebration in Mizusawa Catholic Church

Iwaki Taira Catholic Church Christmas Celebration

Sendai Motodera Christmas Celebration

Thank you all for attending our Phil Com. christmas party hindi ko na mentioned all the names .

End of year Gathering, It was such a pleasure to enjoyed good yummy foods prepared by all of you and a performances by Luisa, Ai Chan ,Mr Kei Kazu Hazel, Mj and Mai and Ms. Ginafe our emcee.Sa lahat ng tumulong officers and members Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat😘😘 We hope you have fun and safe holiday seasons wherever you are and we look forward to seeing you all again next christmas party.  Lara

Ishinomaki Catholic Church Christmas Event

December 2015

FOR OUR REFLECTION

Illusions are soft comfortable things usually.  They are cushions against reality.  Whoever thinks that faith is a flight from reality must never have read the psalms or the New Testament.  What we see there is an overwhelming realism.  There are few of us, probably, who wouldn’t describe ourselves as realists; but you could have realism coupled with self-indulgence, or with heroic pessimism, or with cynicism…. In the Scriptures realism is coupled with faith in God.  “They will make the Son of Man suffer.”  

      

Jesus predicted his suffering, to prepare his disciples for the shock.  But otherwise he never talked or complained about it.  When you talk about your suffering you are creating a distance between it and you; you are not ‘suffering’ your suffering (‘to suffer’ originally meant ‘to allow’).  It cannot work its chemistry in you if you don’t let it come near – in fact, nearer than near: you have to become one with it.  When you are one with it, there is no distance and therefore no talk.  

      

When you talk about your suffering, people are usually too polite to change the subject.  How awkward a subject it can be!  People have too much suffering of their own, they don’t know what to do with yours.  If you said you had a leaking roof they could offer to fix it for you, but what can they do about your suffering if all you can do about it yourself is talk?  And behind the talk they can often sense a plea for pity and sympathy; they sense that you are trying to make capital out of it.  Instead we have to make a life out of it. 

4th Anniversary Block Rosary in Ofunato

Iwate Ken Ichinoseki  Catholic Church Mass with Fr. Edgar

Fukushima Iwaki Catholic Church Mass with Fr. Edgar

Aomori Ken Hirosaki Catholic Church Mass with Fr. Garry

November 2015

For Our Reflection

Most people know the old cliché question “Do you see your glass as half empty or half full?” that determines if one is an optimist or pessimist. Well, I heard something on the radio that shattered my half-empty glass mentality completely.

The woman said something along the lines of: “You miss the whole point with that question. You can always refill the glass.”

Mind. Blown. It doesn’t matter if you’re optimistic or pessimistic, there’s always more room for things to get better. Although it may be harder for the pessimist to believe that statement, it’s rational and makes a lot of sense.

When I think about my glass and faith, I imagine that my glass is half full. But I want to fill it back up. It’s something that I am trying very hard to do. For the past few days, weeks, perhaps months, my faith has been in flux. Some days, it feels like God has abandoned me. I’m having one of those days today.

So what can I do to refill my glass? For me, I’ve found that straight-out praying is hard in times such as these. Reading the Bible is easier, as is reading religious books, even if it’s just a short passage. I also found that if you have a friend you can lean on and talk to, that helps fill the glass up even quicker. Sometimes emptying out your worries and your fears can help fill your glass back up with hope.

reflections taken from https://cnyfootprints.wordpress.com/author/cnyfootprints/
 

Filipinos in Tono Church 

今日フィリピンの方々が遠野教会でミサに預かっています。遠野教会では普段の日曜日のミサの数は少ないなんですが、今日は賑やかでミサも盛り上がりました。彼らは遠野の農業を学ぶために、二週間ぐらい遠野に滞在します。来週、仙台にいるインドネシア人の方々「留学生」は遠野教会に来て、一日の黙想会をする予定です。来週の日曜日のミサはもっと盛り上がて、国際交流も出来るだろうなと思います。

FR. Niko

Fr. Edgar Celebrates Mass in Mizusawa Church

Fr. Edgar celebrated the mass in Mizusawa Church last Oct. 3. 

Motodera Bazaar

Hirosaki Catholic Church

Ofunato Rosary

Ichinoseki Mass

October 2015

For Our Reflection

Ways to Find Peace in a Troubled World

• When you look at the headlines and feel a pit in your stomach, kick it out and let hope take its place in your heart instead. Here are a few ways to help you achieve this.

• Look around you and notice the good in life

• The world is full of kind and caring people. A story in "Reader's Digest" told of a woman driving home in a blizzard. Her tire blew and she pulled off the road. The man in the car behind her pulled off, too. He quickly jumped out and fixed her flat.
  "I was going to get off two miles back," he said. "But I didn't think that tire looked good." The world is full of people who care. Notice them. Be one of them. It diminishes feelings of despair.

• Stay positive

  Recently a woman reported that when she was a young child, her family lived in London. It was during the war, and bombs were being dropped too close to home. After hunkering down in a bomb shelter with his family, her father came out with them, hugged them and said, "All is well. I have my family. And look; the roses are still blooming." She said his positive attitude became her own, and she has been able to find joy throughout her life.

• Be thankful for what you have

  If you have food to eat and a place to live, count your blessings. Look at your family and cherish them. Being genuinely thankful for what really matters takes away feelings of gloom.

• Share your bounty with others

  We became aware of a doctor friend who had taken his wife out for a dinner date. In the restaurant he saw a young couple, holding hands at a nearby table. He thought they might be young married students at the local college. He had the server give him the young couple's bill. He secretly paid it and left. He and his wife smiled all the way home, and we can only imagine that the young couple did, too. Sharing what you have is a great way to chase a dark cloud away.

• Be a light in someone else's life

  If you're worried about the terrible things that are happening in the world, bring a little light into someone else's life. Our widowed aunt was good at this. In her later years she spent time visiting the elderly at care centers and playing the piano for the patients there. She knew all the old favorites, and they loved it. They loved her. A nurse reported that it was the best medicine ever. And our aunt was happier as a result. Fill your life with good deeds and you'll spend less time worrying about the dire situations that are going on in the world.

• Turn a deaf ear to the doomsday proclaimers

  Sometimes that may mean turning off the news. When those who declare bad tidings show up in your life, turn away. Be selective in your listening. You never have to listen to someone who is threatening that the world is coming to an end on a certain date. These doomsday folks have been coming and going for years, and guess what? The world is still here.

• Keep on having fun

  Fill your life with good times. Life can't feel gloomy if you're having good, wholesome fun. It takes a conscious effort to plan these times. Enjoy a concert, have lunch with friends, take your family on an outing, go for a walk and enjoy nature's beauty. There are so many things you can do to have fun in life. It's pretty hard to feel gloomy if you're having a good time.

• Be prepared for emergencies

  Emergencies come -- job losses, illnesses, stock market crashes and raging wars. They have been going on for as long as any of us can remember. They are part of life, but rarely worthy of panic if you plan ahead. Anxieties can be minimized when we are prepared with a few life-sustaining items on hand. Having some food and other necessary commodities in the pantry can bring peace to your mind. A nice little nest-egg savings can help, too.
  
  

• Keep your faith in God alive

  People who realize that God has a plan for them feel much more secure during troubled times. There is nothing quite like having faith in a Heavenly Father who loves you. Knowing that He is watching over you is significantly comforting. Plant that in the minds of your children and they will feel less fear. Faith chases away fear. Keep it alive in your own heart and in the hearts of those you love.
   Give them a try and you'll find yourself smiling. 
  
  

http://www.familyshare.com/faith/10-ways-to-find-peace-in-a-troubled-world

Ofunato Church News

オルテンシア、今朝の岩手日報（いわてにっぽう）に大きく記事（きじ）が出ましたので、これも母国（ぼこく）に送ってください。昨日の教会委員会（きょうかいいいんかい）では、今度のバザーの益金（えききん）を全額（ぜんかく）チリの被災地（ひさいち）のために送ることになりました。10月いっぱい募金箱（ぼきんばこ）で集めたお金に、バザーの益金を足して送りましょう。

ただ、ネパールの災害（さいがい）があったり､日本でも大きな水害があったばかりなので､たくさん集まることは期待（きたい）できません。

少しでも、オルテンシアを通して、オルテンシアの母国に私たちの気持ちが伝わればうれしいです。

Hirosaki Mass

Last September 9, we had our regular mass in Hirosaki Church. I also celebrated the sunday mass of September 6 here in Hirosaki Church.  From this month, we will be helping in the first district of Aomori for their masses. I stayed for five days in Hirosaki Church and had visited some places. 

During our mass we had a birthday celebrant and we had a simple birthday party celebration. Since i have my mass in Oshimizu home for the aged, i left immediately just in time for my 2:30 mass. 

Japanese Proficiency Exam Preparation

Shirakawa Community is preparing for the Japanese Proficiency Exam this coming December.

after the review for the exam - minna gambare

Ishinomaki Hawak Kamay Community

Migrant Day Mass

Some pictures during the Migrant day mass here in the diocese

In Sendai Motodera Church

in Kitakami Church with Fr. Insen

in Ofunato Church with Fr. Edgar

Happy Birthday Fr. Edgar

Last September FR. Edgar had celebrated his birthday with the Ofunato  PAGASA community.