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.
I was also much obliged to our fellow Sri Lankan Catholics for the enthusiasm they had shown from the very beginning and for sharing the responsibilities with the Japanese to make the gathering a success. Participation at the Mass was beyond my expectation. The Church was filled not only with Sri Lankans but also with many Japanese. I was so delighted to see the number of Japanese Catholics who attended. We had Fr. Funatsu preach the sermon in Japanese for them. I’m sure that they all had a unique experience participating in the Sinhalese Mass and the Carols that followed it. Another thing that made me happy was that a Japanese pianist, filling in for the lack of a Sri Lankan pianist, played our hymns in Sinhalese. We were also pleased to find a Buddhist guitarist. Their dedicated hymn preparations colored the service, and all who attended the Mass were very delighted.
I was also so happy to receive appreciation from those Buddhist and Methodist participants for organizing a Christmas Mass for Sri Lankans.
Prior to the gathering, we managed to meet in person and had several Zoom meetings in preparation for the Mass and Christmas carols. I was filled with humble pride as a result of all these preparations and witnessing the leadership roles played by everyone in attendance. All the participants were delighted by the carols and sharing in the fellowship meal that followed afterwards.
For me, while continuing my Japanese studies, this celebration was a beautiful opportunity to render my service in a little way. I hope, while concentrating on serving the Japanese Church, I can also look forward to being with my Sri Lankan brethren whenever they need me.
Above all I thank the Almighty God for guiding all of us in our own way to pay Him due homage and worship and for bringing this gathering to a successful completion.
