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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 .

Christian Church Basic Information Please refer to the Q&A format that summarizes basic information about Christian churches. If you would like to know more, please ask a priest or come to a Sunday mass. Q&A Weddings and Funerals Q&A Prayer, Beliefs, and the Holy Spirit Q&A on the Bible, Christmas and Easter About Chofu Church What is the Catholic Church? Our church is the "Catholic Church." Catholic means "universal" or "worldwide." It is a church that has inherited a 2,000-year tradition that began with Jesus' disciples, and spreads throughout the world with the Pope as the center of unity. There are approximately 1.3 billion believers worldwide. About 2000 years ago, Jesus preached to the people of Judea (now Israel) and performed miraculous deeds. The core of his teaching was, "God loves you. Love God and love one another." Jesus taught the way to God and man and set an example for people, but he incurred the wrath of the religious leaders of the time and was crucified. However, as foretold in the Old Testament, Jesus resurrected on the third day and commanded his disciples to "go into all the world and preach the teachings," and returned to God. The disciples, as commanded by Jesus, spread Jesus' teachings to people, and a group of people who believed in Jesus as the Lord and Christ (Savior) was born. This is the "church." The church is a community of people who believe in Jesus and seek to walk in his way. What is Mass? The Mass is a gathering that originated from Jesus' " Last Supper ." On the night before his death on the cross, Jesus had supper with his disciples, where he said, "This is my body and my blood," and gave bread and wine to his disciples. He then commanded his disciples, "Do this in remembrance of me." For 2,000 years since then, the Church has been holding the Mass to commemorate Jesus' death and resurrection, receiving Jesus in the bread and wine as commanded, and becoming one with Jesus. In the first half of the Mass, we hear the words of the Bible that are set for each day and give thanks for the grace of salvation realized by Jesus. In the second half, we gather around the Lord's table (altar) to offer bread and wine, and eat the bread that became the body of Christ (the Eucharist) . Mass is conducted by a priest. Mass is held not only on Sundays but also on weekdays, and is also held for weddings and funerals. At Sunday Mass, a pamphlet called " Bible and Liturgy " with the Bible of the day printed on it is distributed, but you may take it home after the mass. In some churches, religious services may be held on Sundays when the priest is not present. What does "Amen" mean at the end of a prayer? And why do we say "Amen"? Amen is a Hebrew word meaning "verily" or "so be it." In Christianity, it is recited by everyone at the end of a prayer to show agreement and unity with the representative's prayer. Although it is a short phrase, it can be seen as a confession of faith that expresses the wish that "so be it." What is the difference between Catholics and Protestants? Christianity is divided into Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodox churches. Although they are all Christian, there are some differences in their interpretation of the Bible and their doctrines. Recently, the "ecumenical movement" has been underway, and in Japan, the interdenominational New Interconfessional Translation of the Bible has been published and is used by many denominations. Protestantism split off from Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, and it is said that there are now several hundred denominations in Japan alone. The Catholic Church is united under the Pope and has one doctrine. In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), the Watchtower (Jehovah's Witnesses), and the Unification Church are distinguished from Christianity in terms of their doctrines. How can I attend Mass? Please feel free to come to Mass any time. Please join in singing hymns and listening to the Bible readings with the other believers. Donations are optional (but not mandatory). In the second half of the Mass, there will be a "Sign of Peace." Please say "Peace of the Lord" and greet (bow) those around you. At the end of the Mass, Communion is held. The faithful receive Christ (the Eucharist) in the round bread. Communion is limited to Catholic baptized believers, but those who have not yet been baptized can receive a blessing instead. Line up in the same line as the believers, and bow your head slightly in front of the priest or minister, saying "I would like a blessing." After the blessing is over, say "Amen" and return to your original seat. Q&A Weddings and Funerals Q&A Prayer, Beliefs, and the Holy Spirit Q&A on the Bible, Christmas and Easter

Youth Ministry "A church that inherits the love and passion of Don Bosco and walks with young people" Chofu Church, which is based on the Salesian Sisters, aims to help all young people to maximize their God-given talents, Let's walk together to live a happy life. With Don Bosco's teaching of "loving young people and being with young people" in mind We support the development of each and every young person. Sunday School I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you. https://www.facebook.com/chofusalesiosundayschool?locale=ja_JP Junior and Senior High School Students Association I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you. Contact David Perez info@mysite.com | Tel: 123-456-7890 Youth Association I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you. Contact Natalia Cortés info@mysite.com | Tel: 123-456-7890 Boy Scouts I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you. https://chofu2dan.blogspot.com/ Youth Association I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you. Contact Natalia Cortés info@mysite.com | Tel: 123-456-7890

Weddings and funerals Here are some tips about church weddings and church funerals. I want to have a wedding... We accept wedding ceremonies for both believers and non-believers. A wedding is a sacred occasion for prayer in which couples pledge their love and faithfulness to each other before God and others, and are bound by God to have a lifelong bond. Therefore, couples who wish to get married are required to take a "marriage course" regardless of whether they are believers or not, so that they can understand the meaning of marriage and have a rich married life. For details on conditions, please contact the reception desk at Chofu Church. I have to go to a church funeral, what should I do? For Christians, death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life. Funerals allow us to remember the hope and comfort of the Kingdom of God even in the midst of our sorrow. Please pray that the deceased may rest in peace with God. It is common for Catholic funerals to have floral tributes. Flowers are offered, hands are folded, and a silent prayer is performed. The envelope for the tribute should be a Christian style one with "Ohanaryo" written on it, or if one is not available, "Goreizen" can be used. return