“Sakura Sampradaya”—”The Heartbeat of a Missionary who traveled from Sri Lanka to Japan”

Posted on March 4, 2026 by editor

Bro. Prasanna Perera , OMI –  Japan is famous for many reasons. Among the crowds who come to Japan searching for these reasons, I am just another person. Simply I consider myself someone lost between my own will and the will of God. That is the very reason I gained the experiences and feelings that led me to write this.

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Who Decides When A Life Is Valuable?

Posted on February 28, 2026 by editor

Jerome Novotny , OMI –  Worthy? Who decides? When hospitals, media, and policy accept ending or withholding life for the vulnerable, I see how we begin to treat some people as less than fully human – problems to manage rather than neighbors to love. In this article, I ask who judges a life’s value and moves from institutions to the everyday moments where dignity is made or denied – a hurried bedside conversation, a refused invitation, a steady presence. Drawing on my Catholic faith, Scripture, and stories of the elderly, disabled, and marginalized, I examine how usefulness erodes the worth of a person and show how compassion – listening, shared meals, sacramental care – restores dignity and says, “You matter.”

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Celebrating Christmas Mass with Sri Lankans in Fukuoka

Posted on February 2, 2026 by editor

Samith Sandaruwan, OMI – As a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate who came from Sri Lanka to Japan almost 2 years ago, I had a great opportunity, at the request of my fellow Sri Lankans, to celebrate the Christmas Mass in Sinhalese on December 21, 2025. Unlike last year, this time we could celebrate the Holy Mass at Hikarigaoka Catholic Church in Fukuoka. It was decided to have it there, as many of the Sri Lankans lived close by. We were very grateful to Bishop Josef Abeia CMF, the Bishop of the Diocese of Fukuoka, and to Fr. Fr. Funatsu, the parish priest, who both graciously granted us permission to celebrate Mass there. We were also thankful to the parishioners for extending their supporting hand in various ways. If not for them, our dream of celebrating the Holy Mass would not have come true.

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Senior Citizens Feeling Lonely

Posted on January 6, 2026 by editor

Jerome Novotny , OMI –  Have you ever had a pervasive feeling of being alone, empty inside, or cut off from others? For many older adults, loneliness is a painful and distressing experience caused by a gap between their desired and their actual levels of social connection. Unlike simple social isolation, which is an objective lack of contact, loneliness is the subjective emotional pain of feeling alone, even when surrounded by others. The loss of loved ones, declining health, and a loss of purpose can intensify feelings of loneliness. The painful experience can result in a higher risk of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and even premature death.

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Merry Christmas in a world in turmoil.

Posted on December 20, 2025 by editor

Jerome Novotny , OMI –  Christmas arrives this year amid a world that feels heavy — news of conflict, loss, climate anxiety, economic strain, and a loneliness many of us carry in silence. Simultaneously, the season advances with a flurry of lights, lists, and unavoidable shopping frenzy, making it effortless to overlook the true purpose of our celebrations. Yet it is precisely in this tension — between the rushing and the brokenness — that the deeper meaning of Christmas can be found and lived.

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How to Grow Old with God

Posted on December 15, 2025 by editor

Jerome Novotny , OMI –  To grow old with God is not merely to count the passing years, but to allow those years to deepen faith, become gentle, and bring peace to the soul. Aging, when lived in union with God, becomes a holy pilgrimage – one in which the noise of life grows quieter, the essentials become clearer, and the soul is gradually prepared for future life.

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A Calling from God

Posted on December 9, 2025 by editor

Samith Sandaruwan, OMI – I would like to share my missionary calling. Before entering seminary, I heard about and observed the Oblates working in Sri Lanka and read books about their overseas missionary work. After graduating from high school, I cherished the desire to become an Oblate missionary, and God made that dream come true.

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Advent – a season of waiting

Posted on December 3, 2025 by editor

Brad Rozairo, OMI – Waiting is part of life, and it is always for something or someone. Have you ever considered the act of waiting within your daily life? Where in your life lies your Advent—that period of waiting? For instance, waiting for someone important, waiting for your child to return home after school, waiting for a husband returning from a long-distance posting, looking forward to a long journey to meet relatives – all these are your personal Advent.

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Way for the future, news from Toyohashi

Posted on December 2, 2025 by editor

Jude Peirispulle, OMI – Various activities are taking place in and out of our church daily.

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The Hardships of One Oblate Bursar

Posted on November 6, 2025 by editor

Kenichi Furukawa, OMI – My main job is accounting. However, due to a shortage of staff in Japan, I also serve as kindergarten principal and parish administrator. I’ve always asked for a reduction in my responsibilities, but it’s still being postponed.

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Lifelong Commitment as an Oblate Brother

Posted on November 1, 2025 by editor

Part １ – Perpetual Vows Ceremony

Bro. Nobuhiko Yagi, OMI – It was late at night on August 3, 1991. With the Perpetual Vows Ceremony scheduled for the next day, I couldn’t fall asleep. The thought that my life as a formal Brother would finally begin tomorrow made me realize, no matter how I looked at it, that my weaknesses and flaws made it impossible for me to walk as a Brother. I had prepared for the next day right up until that moment, yet the day before, my confidence began to crumble.

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 Priest as YouTuber: A New Way of Ministry 

Posted on September 24, 2025 by editor

Savarimuthu, Stephen, OMI – I am Fr. Steve OMI from India, serving in Japan. As the pastor of Naruto & Anan Catholic Churches, I am daily surrounded by the smiles of children and feel hope through Montessori education in the kindergarten. In my spare time, I prepare cooking videos featuring South Indian dishes, using my hometown cousins in Japanese for YouTube. 

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