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On December 28, 2025, the closing Mass of the Holy Year was solemnly held at the Catholic Chofu Church. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Angel, the parish priest, and Father Rapp, the seminary director. It was a great joy for us, who have fulfilled our mission as a pilgrimage church, that the Chofu Church community and the seminary were able to celebrate this day together as one. ■ Messages from the two priests Two priests spoke at the Mass. In his homily, Father Angel used the image of the Holy Family in the Gospel of Matthew to talk about three things we should keep in mind as we go forward. Listen to the small voice in the silence . Accepting each other in a sense of security similar to "family life." Respect all roles, both public and private, behind-the-scenes "work (service)." "Even if new difficulties arise, as long as we unite our hearts, we will be fine." Father Lap's words gave us a powerful encouragement as we took our next step after the Jubilee Year. Father Lap delivered his sermon in Vietnamese. Even though I did not understand the details of the words, his powerful words conveyed the richness of Chofu Church, where people from various cultures come together, and the passion of universal faith. ■ Prayer of Thanksgiving by the Pilgrimage Committee Chairman At the end of the Mass, we shared a prayer of thanksgiving from Pilgrimage Committee Chairman Fujinaga, who has led the service for the past year. [Prayer of Thanksgiving on the Closing of the Holy Year (excerpt)] "...During the year that we have been designated a pilgrimage church, more than 4,000 people have visited Chofu Church, and these visitors have allowed us to discover new things about Chofu Church and meet unexpected people...which has allowed us to deepen our bonds with each other. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude once again for making it possible for us to safely close the Holy Year thanks to the cooperation of so many people, not only the work of our pilgrimage volunteers, but also the provision of hot meals, daily reception in the heat and cold, cleaning, record keeping, and supporting pilgrims behind the scenes. Building on the blessings of this past year, we would like to take another new step forward so that the church can be a beacon of hope." The full text is here. ↓ ■ Kamishibai "The Fir Trees": The seeds of synodality After the Mass, volunteers performed a picture-story show called "Fir Trees." It tells the story of a lone tree that tries to stand alone in a storm and falls, and the trees in the valley that are packed together but support each other and weather the storm. This story, which depicts the importance of living together while supporting each other, is the very theme of "walking together (synodality)" that the Chofu Church community will be cultivating from next year. We have renewed our determination to become such a strong community that can turn even storms into blessings from heaven. ■ Resonating prayers and singing: Shared emotions The afterglow of the closing Mass spread to the evening Rosary gathering via Zoom. A person from another church who attended the closing Mass at Chofu Church shared a moving story: "Everyone in the church came together as one, each singing and praying with gratitude for their own Jubilee. The beautiful reverberation of the song gave me a deep sense of unity." It was a moment when people were united in one prayer, transcending the walls of their churches. ■ Instead of concluding The Holy Year has come to an end, but our pilgrimage continues. May God's abundant blessings be upon Mr. Fujinaga, the Pilgrimage Committee Chair, all the volunteers who have supported us this past year, and all those who have visited Chofu Church. We will continue to walk together as "pilgrims of hope."

In celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, we will be holding Christmas and New Year's Masses as follows. Please join us. ◆ Wednesday, December 24th: Midnight Mass of the Nativity of the Lord 4:00 PM Mass with Children 7pm 8:30pm (mainly Vietnamese) 24 hours * There will be no 9:30 a.m. mass on this day. ◆ December 25th (Thursday) Nativity of the Lord 8:00 AM Early Morning Mass of the Nativity of the Lord 10:30 a.m. Nativity Day Mass * There will be no 8:00 PM mass on this day. ◆ Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday, December 31st 10:30 ◆ January 1st (Thursday) Mass for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God 0 o'clock 8 o'clock 10:30 ◆ First Friday Mass on January 2nd (Friday) 10:30 * There will be no 9:30 a.m. mass on this day. If you have any questions, please contact the church. May we welcome the birth of our Lord and the new year together with you in gratitude and joy.

How do you spend your Saturday nights? At Chofu Catholic Church, we hold Eucharistic Adoration from 6:15 PM every Saturday prior to Mass at 7 PM. Our parish priest, Father Angel, has given us this opportunity because he wants us to not lose sight of the very presence of Jesus, who is present in our daily lives of faith, by placing too much importance on the prayers at Mass. He wants us to feel Jesus in our hearts and to be with him always. At 6:15pm, as dusk approached, the calming light of the cathedral filled the air. The time spent facing the Eucharist in this reversible space is truly a blissful time in which you can have a deep conversation with Jesus. By escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life and facing your own heart, you will surely be able to regain your true self before Jesus . During the Eucharistic Adoration , we will sing the prayer song "The Lord Lives Now" without organ accompaniment. We are sure that the warm singing of "The Lord Lives Now, He is in my Heart" will resonate in the clear air and touch your hearts. Welcoming Jesus into your heart during Eucharistic Adoration and feeling his presence deeply before attending Mass will surely enrich your faith. There are not many opportunities to feel this calm and centered in God in the heart of the city, and I hope to share this blessed time with as many people as possible. We look forward to seeing you at the Catholic Chofu Church Chapel every Saturday from 6:15 PM. Please come and experience this special, sacred moment .

巡礼の教会であり、チマッティ神父の記念館（お墓）や聖骸布の原寸大の公認レプリカがあるカトリック調布教会 ​​​ welcome To Chofu Church We are empowered by our unwavering trust in the Lord's teachings, and where we come together under the Holy Spirit, unity and harmony will come. Please join our community and experience the power of the Lord together in your daily life. The doors of Chofu Church are open to everyone. Please feel free to come to church even if it is your first time. We are empowered by our unwavering trust in the Lord's teachings, and where we come together under the Holy Spirit, unity and harmony will come. Please join our community and experience the power of the Lord together in your daily life. The doors of Chofu Church are open to everyone. Please feel free to come to church even if it is your first time. Chofu Church is a church entrusted to the Salesian Order by the Archdiocese of Tokyo, and we work together with all young people to help them maximize the talents they have been given by God and live happy lives. We are a youth pastoral church that supports the growth of each and every young person, taking Don Bosco's teaching of "loving young people and being with young people" to heart. Mass time Mass Time Anyone can attend either Mass. Please join us in praying. [Mass time announcement] Morning Mass on Wednesday, December 17th will be held at the Cathedral from 10:00. [Sunday Mass] Saturday: 19:00 Sunday: 7:30 9:00 10:30 [First Friday Mass] Every 1st Friday of the month: 10:30 [English Mass] English Mass Second Sunday: 14:00 [Mass for Everyone] International Mass 3rd Sunday: 10:30 　 *People from various countries attend Mass together, reading, praying, singing hymns and praising in their native language. [Mass in Vietnamese] Thánh Lễ tiếng Việt 4th Sunday: 14:00 The Sunday and weekday Mass hymns for August 2025 have been posted! Please click here to view them. Topics Topics A bond of hope formed with 4,000 pilgrims at the closing Mass of the Jubilee Year Jan 1 Information about Christmas and New Year's Masses Dec 10, 2025 A Moment of Quietness: An Invitation to Saturday Eucharistic Adoration Aug 9, 2025 Manthly Schedule Monthly Schedule If you would like to see the annual schedule, click here! → Schedule of The year For first-time visitors Anyone can enter the church. The chapel is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on days other than Sunday, so please feel free to come in and pray. The mass held there is an important ceremony held by the Catholic Church to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anyone can participate. Please feel free to ask any of the guides wearing armbands for assistance. For first-time visitors We look forward to! If you are lost, tired, troubled, suffering, or searching for a way, please come knock on the door of Chofu Church. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. " Matthew 11:28 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. "Revelation / Chapter 3, Verse 20 Chofu Church Page

News of the week This is a reprint of the "Notice" distributed during the mass. Event Information This is a guide to various events for church members to enjoy. Please come and join us! Volunteer Activities This is information about volunteer activities such as cleaning the church. Lectures and study sessions This is an announcement about various lectures and study sessions being held at Chofu Church. News of the week News of the week Lectures and study sessions Lectures and study sessions Hymns and Sheet Music for "Mass for All" 多言語曲楽譜 Lectures and study sessions Lectures and study sessions 02. Catholic introductory course Instructor: Sister Shimazaki Date and time: Every Wednesday 10:00-11:15 Location: Chofu Church, Joseph's Hall Target audience: People who are new to Christianity, People who want to deepen their faith and are considering baptism 02. Catholic introductory course Lecturer: Sister Shimazaki (member of the Notre Dame de Paris) Date and time: Every Monday 10:00-11:15 Location: Chofu Church, Joseph's Hall, Target: Baptism candidates and those who have been baptized Starts May 12, 2025 In addition, the monastery follows up on the newly baptized by reading the Gospel of Mark. For further details, please contact: Tel: 080-2213-7440 (Sr. Shimazaki) Event Information Event Information The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Dec 13 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Nov 15 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Jul 12 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Jun 21 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Apr 05 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Mar 15 Chofu City More info Details The 2nd Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Feb 15 Chofu City More info Details Church Mini Concert Sun, Feb 09 Chofu City More info Details The 1st Chofu Church Pilgrimage (Limited to Chofu Church members) Sat, Jan 18 Chofu City More info Details Pilgrimage to the Virgin Mary of Fuji Sat, May 18 Our Lady of Fuji More info Details About volunteer activites About volunteer activities Year-end cleaning ■Church cleaning: Thanks to everyone, we were able to do the end-of-year cleaning of the church on Sunday, December 8th, Saturday, December 7th, and Saturday, December 14th. Thank you for your cooperation. others Adjusting...

Catholic Chofu Church Youth Pilgrimage Church Pope Francis has announced that 2025 will be a Holy Year. In his Bull called "Hope Does Not Deceive," he designated 2025 as a Holy Year and invites us to celebrate it with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope." Chofu Church has been designated as a pilgrimage church (especially for young people) by the Tokyo Diocese. Holy Year 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope https://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/catholic/holyyear/jubilee2025/ A Jubilee is a special celebration that the Church observes at least once every 25 years. It is a year of pilgrimage, focusing on the spiritual life, It is a year in which we go to confession, celebrate special masses, and turn to God in thanksgiving and repentance. The Holy Year will begin on December 24, 2024, with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Ordinary Jubilee will conclude with the closure of the door on the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, 2026. Chofu Church will start as a pilgrimage church (especially for young people) on December 29, 2024. The Jubilee Year is an opportunity to receive hope from God's grace and to be strengthened in our journey toward God. We are called to be a source of hope to many in times of difficulty. In order to share this blessing with many people, Chofu Church encourages people to interact with the relics in the church. We are preparing a pilgrimage course for you to experience the presence of God. Pilgrimage route information Click to enlarge Chofu Catholic Church The parish, which has St. John Bosco as its patron saint, was approved in 1967. The current cathedral was built in 2008 and is located on the grounds of the Salesian Seminary. The adjacent Cimatti Hall (parish hall) can also be used to hold various events, including concerts. Cathedral (outside) The chapel of Chofu Church is designed based on the motif of the tabernacle where Moses met with God, and is a sacred place. Tabernacle of Meeting (Exodus 33:7-23) "And when Moses entered the tabernacle, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tabernacle, they rose up and worshiped, every man at the door of his tent. And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." Cathedral (inside) All seats in the cathedral are arranged facing the altar and the cross of Jesus. There are also 12 small stained-glass windows on both sides of the wall, which embody the image of the 12 apostles watching over the inside of the cathedral. Salesian Seminary Cathedral A replica of the painting "Father Kibe and the 187 Martyrs" by Ando Maki is displayed at the entrance. At the front of the church is the "Bronze Statue of Jesus on the Cross" by Munehiro Ikeda. The reading stand and altar are engraved in seal script with the words "Faith, Hope, and Love," which are the foundations of Christian life. Vincenzo Cimatti Born in Faenza, Italy, he came to Japan in 1926 as a Salesian missionary, dedicated to the formation of young people. He devoted himself to music and prayer, and to establishing churches, schools, and orphanages, and devoted all his efforts to the evangelization of Japan, before passing away in 1965. In 1991, the Church declared him "Venerable," acknowledging that he had heroically lived the virtues of "faith, hope, and charity." Father Cimatti's body is enshrined in the Seminary Memorial Chapel. An autopsy conducted 12 years after his death confirmed that his body had not decayed and that his skin was still elastic, and he remains in his sarcophagus in the Memorial Chapel to this day. Cimatti Museum This museum was built in 1983 on the grounds of the Salesian Seminary to commemorate Father Cimatti's legacy and to preserve and study his materials. The first floor houses a music archive with a collection of over 950 pieces composed by his teacher. Halfway up the stairs are photographs from his time in Italy, and on the second floor are exhibits of his research and collections as a Doctor of Natural Sciences, as well as drafts and handwritten notes on all aspects of music, including music theory and harmony, as well as 6,300 letters collected to date, and information on his missionary life in Japan. Father Chiara's gravestone The tombstone standing quietly in front of the museum is that of Father Giuseppe Chiara, who was the model for Rodrigo, the protagonist of Shusaku Endo's "Silence." In the 17th century, there was a "Christian House" near Myogadani Station in Bunkyo Ward, where ten missionary priests who renounced their faith in 1643 were interred. Father Chiara died of illness in 1685 and was buried at Koishikawa Muryoin Temple, but in 1943 Father Tassinari of the Salesian Society discovered the tombstone and moved it to Chofu Theological Seminary. It is currently designated as a cultural property of Chofu City. Replica of the Shroud According to the Bible, Jesus' body was wrapped in "linen, sindum, and shroud." The shroud, which is said to have been preserved, is located in Turin, northern Italy, and a replica is on display at the Cathedral in Chofu (only at Chofu Church in Japan). The shroud bears the same bloodstains as Jesus, including the crucifixion, scourging, crown of thorns, nail marks, and piercing wounds to the chest, and records the suffering and resurrection of Jesus. Holy Shroud HP ( https://sindon-jp.com/ ) Plenary Indemnity A plenary indulgence is a complete remission of the punishment that one would have received as an apology for a sin that has been committed, by God's mercy and grace. Parents may try to punish their children severely for the sake of their education, as they want to raise them to be considerate people because of their selfish behavior. By making them suffer a little, they make them realize the seriousness of what they have done. However, as soon as the child realizes his or her own fault, reflects on it, and apologises, the parents immediately waive the punishment and embrace the child lovingly, praising him or her for being honest. When we commit a sin, we hurt and sadden God and our neighbors by behaving selfishly. We also forget God's mercy and distance ourselves from him. However, when we sincerely regret the sin we have committed, receive the sacrament of penance, and resolve to move forward as new people, the Church can, on God's behalf, absolve us from making the reparation we should have made, that is, from accepting punishment as a sign of our apology. This is what is called "indulgence." God is pleased with and fully accepts our "sincere and honest attitude of remorse" and our "positive determination to deepen our love." This historical form, which God is full of love for human beings and which we are not aware of, is called "penal indulgence." In sending us his Son, Christ, God makes us realize his call to mercy. Christ has forgiven us, freed us from our sins, and redeemed us. In gratitude for this fact, the Church gives Christians public encouragement in the form of "indulgences," or "freedom of reparation," so that they too may love, support, and show solidarity with one another. A plenary indulgence is a complete remission of the punishment that one would have received as an apology for a sin that has been committed, by God's mercy and grace. Parents may try to punish their children severely for the sake of their education, as they want to raise them to be considerate people because of their selfish behavior. By making them suffer a little, they make them realize the seriousness of what they have done. However, as soon as the child realizes his or her own fault, reflects on it, and apologises, the parents immediately waive the punishment and embrace the child lovingly, praising him or her for being honest. When we commit a sin, we hurt and sadden God and our neighbors by behaving selfishly. We also forget God's mercy and distance ourselves from him. However, when we sincerely regret the sin we have committed, receive the sacrament of penance, and resolve to move forward as new people, the Church can, on God's behalf, absolve us from making the reparation we should have made, that is, from accepting punishment as a sign of our apology. This is what is called "indulgence." God is pleased with and fully accepts our "sincere and honest attitude of remorse" and our "positive determination to deepen our love." This historical form, which God is full of love for human beings and which we are not aware of, is called "penal indulgence." In sending us his Son, Christ, God makes us realize his call to mercy. Christ has forgiven us, freed us from our sins, and redeemed us. In gratitude for this fact, the Church gives Christians public encouragement in the form of "indulgences," or "freedom of reparation," so that they too may love, support, and show solidarity with one another. Conditions for Obtaining Plenary Indemnity Moved by a spirit of charity, before and after carrying out the works (A, B, C) prescribed by the Church for a Plenary Indulgence , three fundamental conditions must be fulfilled: Three basic conditions (01-03) Receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation Before receiving a plenary indulgence, one must receive the sacrament of reconciliation (confession). 01 02 Receiving Holy Communion After receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, you must receive Holy Communion. 03 Praying for the Pope's wishes We need to pray a special prayer that the Pope intends. Lord's Prayer Hail Mary Prayer Glory Singing (Praise of the Most Holy Trinity) Declaration of Faith Pilgrimage course schedule and application method 1. Supervising priest: Father Yamanouchi Record of the Journey of the Catholic Chofu Church This record will begin in April 2024 and run through the Holy Year of 2025, the 100th anniversary of the Salesian Society's arrival in Japan. This is a record of the graces that the Catholic Chofu Church community has received as a pilgrimage church from the Lord Jesus Christ and the journey that it has traveled together with the Holy Spirit . Chofu Church Journey Record