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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 .