Saturday, May 31, 2014

June 2014

For Our Reflection
..................................

My first two weeks in Ishinomaki area I have been going around just to be familiar with the place. I tried as much as possible to join in the schedule of the base so that I will be able to be familiar to the place.

In this short period, I met and talked with people who had the first hand experience of the tsunami three years and who lost a loved one. Their sharings thought me what I must shed and what must I cling to.

We all have to learn what we have to let go of; and learn to cling to God and the things that matter. It’s a lesson that I am still working on every day. It’s hard to let go of so many things: the past; material objects; bad feeling; etc. Even though I know these things are not good for me, I don’t even realize sometimes how hard I am holding on to them because they are so ingrained in my mind.

At the same time, it is hard to make room for God and hold onto him when we have so much garbage in our hearts and minds and souls. It may be a cliché, but it has truth to it, we have to “Let go and let God.”


http://fromthedeskofmardrag.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/mr-3.jpg



..................................
Faith in Action

I would like to share my article from Kalakbay - a monthly publication of CTIC.

Friends along the way.....


Once a week, I travel 5-6 hours driving going to the different communities here in Sendai Diocese. Sendai is compose of 4 prefectures which is stressed from Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Ken. I am staying in Ofunato City which is located at the southern area of Iwate Ken. I came to Sendai together Fr. Harnoko another CICM priest to respond to the needs and to take care of the foreigners after the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Not for Mass only
When we arrived in Ofunato, we don’t know where to start and how. With Ofunato Base, Ofunato Church and the Sendai Diocese Support Center for Foreigners, we were looking forward for a wider cooperation in the work of recovery, and support after the 3.11 disaster.
We celebrated masses in the different communities especially in the seaside areas, contacting the parish priest and the Filipinos getting in touch with them, and literary just being with them. After some months visiting, observing and celebrating mass in the different communities we compose our vision –mission for our work here. Dividing our work into two, the long term and the short term responses. This was the framework of our work
MISSION
As members of Committee on Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move of Sendai Diocese, we made the following programs:
l   Short-term programs
1.       We help the parishes in distributing emergency relief.
2.       We help in the distribution of financial support from Sendai Diocese.
3.       We help the parishes in the making of faithful-directory for foreigners.
4.       We make house-visitations in the coastal areas as well as in the hinterland.
l   Long-term programs
1.       Spiritual and mental care program.
2.       Community building and leadership training program especially for the Filipinos.
3.       To help the parishes in their faith renewal and catechetical training programs for children and adult.
That is why when people were telling us that, you only come to Tohoku to celebrate mass? Our response is that, we are focusing on community building and training of leaders.

We try to be a bridge among the Christians
Although there are big churches and big number of Christians in some churches here in Sendai diocese, most of the parishes are characterized with small number of Christians. While we respond to the needs of the Filipinos to worship in their own language, we also encourage them to join and be part of the Church community where they are. We see our role as a bridge between the Japanese and Foreign Christians.

Why Tohoku? Why Japan
Personally, Japan is my first choice as missionary place. We were asked to apply what mission country we wanted to work and my first choice is here. I believe in the saying that “first impression last.” When I was still in Philosophy, Japanese visitors came to our seminary and I was impressed by their politeness. Always bowing when you great them. This encounter helped me to discover more about the mission and even writing letters to our missionaries working in Japan. That is why when the Japan was among the lists of our choices, I did not hesitate to apply.
Like most missionaries who are working here, I have my moments of questions why I am here? Those were the moments when I was in the Japanese School. I had some hard time with the language and asked myself, If Japan was really for me. Yet everything changed when one day I was attending a Japanese mass and I could manage to understand what was being said in the homily. That day, I told myself I can manage to work here.

During the 3.11 disaster, I was in Tokyo and had experienced the strongest earthquake in my life. Seeing the live footage of the tsunami in TV was a mixed feeling of fear, panic and shock. That day I promised myself I would be going to the disaster area as a volunteer. So when the opportunity came for a request for a Filipino priest in Sendai Diocese, I did not hesitate to say yes. I am just very lucky to have a very understanding team and parishioners who supported my to work in Sendai.

the article was published in CTIC - Kalakbay on April 2014 issue.






..................................
AOMORI KEN


..................................
Mass in Hirosaki


We celebrated our first mass in hirosaki community this year. During the winter we cannot travel In the area due to heavy snow. 
It was good to meet the members of the community and to celebrate the novena and the mass together.

I updated the community about our movements this year and they were sad to know that Fr. Harnoko had already left the area. But i told them to offer a prayer for Fr. Harnoko in his new mission.

During the mass Pat's husband and together with others celebrated their birthday. We bless them and also everybody since it's Mother's Day.

We had a simple sharing after the mass and we planned for our mass next month.

...............................
Here is a contribution from Devie Ito.

Magandang Araw po sa inyong lahat. Malamig pa po ang simoy ng hangin sa lugar namin subalit sa tulong at biyaya ng ating Panginoon nagkasama sama po ang mga nananampalataya sa kanya sa araw na ito. Nagkita- kita pong muli ang mga Pilipina sa Goshogawara Kanagi Cherry Blossom Festival at nagkaroon ng konting salo salo at napag usapan ang gaganaping Misa sa buwan na Mayo.Nag umpisa na po ang Rosario at Novena nitong nakaraang Mayo 14 pangalawang Miyerkoles buwan ng Mayo at kasabay nito ang Misa na pinangunahan ni Father Garry na nanggaling pa sa Ofunato kasama na rin ang ating kapatid na si Aiko. Nagpapasalamat po kami ng marami sa mga dumalo sa Misang isinagawa ni Father Garry hindi po man nakarating ang ibang kababayan natin inaasahan po namin na makasama kayong lahat sa susunod na buwan.
    Maraming salamat po at naway magkita kita po tayo sa mga susunod na pagtitipon.
                                   Devie Ito


Goshogawara Kanagi Cherry blossom festival

After Mass sharing meal together


..................................
IWATE KEN

..................................

Mass in Ichinoseki


We had our Tagalog mass in ichinoseki. They were few who came due to the activities  in school. But am glad to meet some new faces, Paul, Glen and Chris who are the trainees in Toyota. Lolita san was also there with Adrian who helped to serve in the mass.  And sister, Terada sensei, Erva was also there. It was nice to meet all them today in the mass.    

during the Ama Namin 

Saito san and Aiko san practice the songs for our mass



..................................

PAG ASA  IWATE General Assembly


PAG ASA IWATE held its general assembly for the second time since its foundation three years ago. PAG ASA coordinators Marife Sugawara , Erva  Sugawara and Rose Marie Miura together with Fr. Edgar presented and guided the meeting. We presented the 2013 activities of the community, report the financial status and presented the activities for 2014.

After the assembly Fr. Edgar celebrated the mass with the community in Ofunato




..................................

Mass in Kuji with Fr. Sato

The mass in Kuji was celebrated by Fr. Sato. After the mass Geraldine Kamiyama's husband celebrated his birthday  in the church. Ghe thank God for the blessings for her husband and she hope that the family will get closer to good.



..................................

MIYAGI KEN

..................................

Mass in Ishinomaki


I concelebrated the mass in Ishinomaki together with Fr. Aizu. Fr. Aizu told me that it is his first mass in the community since they begun the movement. Fr. Aizu together with the team of the fifth district here in the diocese  made a schedule in which all of them could move around the church and meet all the christians in the churches where they are working.
During the mass there were around 10-15 Filipinas who attended the mass. I meet them and informed them that I will be staying from now on here in Ishinomaki. I have some plans to visit them soon. And we hope to organize the group and will try to schedule some activities here.


..................................

Minami San Riku Mass


After my mass in Ishinomaki, I went to Minami San Riku to celebrate the Tagalog mass there. I never  expect to see many who will be attending the church. There were also many children who joined with their mother. Jojo and Amelia lead in the singing and guitar.  As the number of the children is growing we will have to plan how to handle them while it is going to the summer season. 
After the mass Fr. Aizu joined us for the simple sharing. Chiba san, the Yonekawa base coordinator also joined in our mass. 








..................................

FUKUSHIMA KEN

..................................


Hawak Kamay Event




お疲れさま でした!Inspite of all the pros and cons we struggled,...here we are still kicking and finished the event with the help of each other,... Hawak Kamay na we did our best today. I'm very thankful not only to the officers and members but also to those people who gave their efforts and talents to share with us. Those friends, husbands of other members and people around who really helped us from the preparation till the end of the event.
Nakakataba ng puso na kulang man yung kababayan na tumulong sa atin,... may mga hapon naman na hindi tayo iniwan. Thank you so much everyone.


comment from Menchi Watanabe.


...............................

Koriyama English Mass

...............................

On the fourth Saturday of the month, we celebrate the mass in Koriyama Church. During our mass, Josephine played the guitar during the singing of the final hymn. It was then decided that she will be playing the guitar in our masses here.
We did some practice of the songs after the mass. And mostly she can manage with the songs. We gave her the copy of the song books and she said she will practice. We are looking forward for her playing in the church next month.

song practice
...............................

Shirakawa International Mass
...............................
It`s our first mass  since Fr. Tanaka had been transferred to Miyako church. The new priest Fr. Etemi in Shirakawa has been telling me of his work and how he got to know the members in the community in both parishes in the area (Shirakawa and Sukagawa). After the mass, Melanie and company invited us for a meal and sharing. It was a relaxing way to be with them and to get the know the different situation of the members in the community.


...............................

Iwaki Church Mass with Bishop Hiraga

...............................
After the mass in Shirawaka, we went to Iwaki Church to join in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with the volunteers from the Kanagawa ken, Aizuwakamatsu and other areas. They came to Iwaki to have a volunteer work here. Since there was an accident when we left for Shirakawa, we were late when we arrive for the mass. After the mass, we interact with the volunteers and I meet the Yamato Catholic Filipino community members.
It was indeed a great meet those people who are supporting the work here in the area. It was also good to know that the Filipino communities are truly connected with their local churches. Sa mga taga  Yamato Church Filipino Community - Maraming Salamat po.

with the volunteer from Yamata Catholic Church



...............................

Minami San Riku Ritchie Lunch/Cafe Blessing

...............................


Last May 27, we went to Minami San Riku to bless the Richie Lunch/Cafe which is owned by the Sasaki family. Together with Aiko and Fr. Aizu we drove to Minami San Riku and did the blessing of the new restaurant. We also met the husband and the daughter of Amelia who were busy with the preparation for the party. The restaurant/cafe will open on Friday May 29.

Amelia with her husband before the blessing of the cafe/restaurant

...............................
Mass Schedule for June 2014
...............................

June 1 (Sun) - Noda Machi  (Fukushima Shi)- English Mass   3 pm
              Mizusawa Catholic Church - International Mass 2pm

June 7 (Sat) - Kuji Catholic Church - International Mass       2 pm

June 8 (Sun) - Hachinohe Catholic Church - English Mass   1pm

June 11 (Wed) Hirosaki Catholic Church  Novena and English   Mass - 11 am

June 14 (Sat)  Onahama (Fukushima, Iwaki Shi) English Mass 2pm

June 15(Sun) Ishinomaki Catholic Church  International Mass10 am
                      Minami San Riku - Tagalog Mass - 2 pm

June 21 (Sat) - Ichinoseki Catholic Church - Tagalog Mass - 2 pm

June 22 (Sun) Shirakawa Catholic Church International Mass -9:30 am
                         Iwaki Catholic Church - English Mass - 2 pm

June 28 (Sat) - Koriyama Catholic Church - English Mass - 5 pm

June 29 (Sun) - Koriyama Catholic Church - Japanese Mass - 9 am
                         Koriyama Catholic Church - English Mass 11 am

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e0/e1/4e/e0e14ecf2cf62b68a5cfbfeedbd6f8b7.jpg



2 comments: