The province of Japan celebrates one hundred years of life
In 1908, the first four missionary Sisters arrived in Japan from the Province of Australia. Then French and Belgian Sisters joined them, followed by Sisters from Spain, New Zealand, the United States, Germany, Malta, England, Poland, China, Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines. Over the years many Sisters have come to Japan and taken part in the educational apostolate.
The Japan Province has been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the province since January 1, 2008.
The province of Japan celebrates one hundred years of life
It was in June 2007 that Sr. Koko Nagano and the Provincial Council began to prepare the Centenary. We knew that Koko’s intention was to make the ceremony a very simple one, considering the present day situation and the ages of our RSCJS. The ceremony was divided into two parts: the Centennial Mass and the Tea Party. The question of how to accommodate the invited guests into our big chapel was problematic, as 500 people was the limited number that the chapel could hold. The ceremony consisted of Mass and a PowerPoint presentation of a short history of the 100 years of the Society in Japan. At the same time at the corner of the refectory there would be an exhibition of the 100-year history. As to the simple tea party, the graduates were asked to take responsibility. They were so willing to do it!
January, 13th, 2008: The Main Gate of the University of the Sacred Heart, Shibuya Campus, Tokyo
The weather forecast said that we were going to have a snowy cold day, but miraculously it became a nice fine day!
Our Chapel, Shibuya Campus
Promptly on time at 2:00 pm, our Centenary Mass began with a solemn procession of 17 priests, each called out by name. After they were seated round the altar, the students of the International School played a beautiful string quartet. At the offertory, the representatives of each RSCJ community offered a symbol, from the youngest candidate to the eldest, sister Miyoshi who was born in 1908, and who offered the Constitutions of the Society in Japanese. At the end there was an exchange of candle lightning as the symbol of tradition passing from the elder sister to the youngest one.
After praising the Lord with heartfelt singing of hymns during the mass, all the priests were seated in the stalls, and we watched a PowerPoint presentation, “A Commemoration of the Centenary of the Arrival of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Japan”-a short history of the Province of Japan.
We could taste and enjoy this presentation with one mind and heart. Finally Sr. Koko Nagano, Provincial of Japan gave a wonderful closing speech.
Sr. Nagano reminded us that “Just as a person who becomes 100 years old lives according to his or her age, so during our 100 years in Japan we have learned to trust in the invisible work of God, which is far above human strength. Many of us in our younger days learned from the deep faith and active strength of our sisters of the early days and made efforts to spread the gifts we have received in our country which is non-Christian and in other parts of Asia. We too are now somewhat at a standstill, not because of natural disasters or wars, but by rapid changes in the world and the ageing of our sisters. Because we are in such a period, we are learning to see what is invisible, to hear what we did not hear and to work more contemplatively. The history of the Church and that of the Society may seem to have come to a slowing down but new life begins to sprout out from happenings that might make us shrink back. In our weakness we are filled with hope and trust and sing the Magnificat. From today, let us look with a new eye at the world that surrounds us and work with greater faith and gratitude for the glory of the Heart of Jesus.”
The second part began with the tea party prepared by the generous graduates.
RSCJ from the six countries of the region of Asia joined the province of Japan for the celebration.
Sr. Pratibha (India) Sr. Shimamoto, Sr. Iraida Sua-An (Philippines)
Sr. Diana Hayes (Australia) Sr. Sally.Rude (Indonesia), Sr Chizuru
Sr. Chang Manling and Sr. Atsuko Miyama came from Taiwan
Sisters Catherine and Agnes Kim from Korea, Sr. Kato
We shared a wonderful time of reunion with dear friends, the archbishop, priests, rscj, nuns, families, benefactors, graduates, and former maintenance staff. Empress Michiko came as one of the graduates! We enjoyed this friendly atmosphere, taking sushi, sandwiches and cakes all-hand made by our kind graduates. We had time to see the exhibition of photos of dear old missionaries or different moments in the history of the Society...
and were amazed to see the big round cake made by one of the graduates and decorated with our motto, Ubi caritas ibi Deus. What we feel at this moment is that we have experienced a deep bond and cooperation with our graduates and the strength of powerful prayer and blessing from the countless people whom we have contacted and especially the missionaries who are in heaven now. With deep joy, we shout “From today, let us look with a new eye at the world that surrounds us and work with greater faith and gratitude for the glory of the Heart of Jesus” ( from the speech of Sr. Koko Nagano)
The Provincial: Sr. Koko NaganoThe Provincial HouseThe Society of the Sacred Heart4-3-1, Hiroo, Shibuya-kuTokyo 150-0012
