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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Peace with Creation: Season of Creation 2025

Posted on July 19, 2025 by editor

Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI – The theme for this year’s Season of Creation is “Peace with Creation.” The Season of Creation is an ecumenical initiative that takes place annually from September 1, the World Day of Prayer for Creation, to October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Creation. The Biblical base for the theme, “Peace with Creation”, comes from Isaiah 32:14-18. During the Season of Creation, we join together as sisters and brothers of a universal family, celebrating in prayer and action how to renew our appreciation, our commitment, conversion, and our care and activities to protect and bring new life to Mother Earth, our Common Home. The Season is in the spirit of truth, a time to do a heart-filled assessment of the situation of Mother Earth, which is suffering many abuses and misuses by us humans. The Season of Creation is a source of strength and communion, encouraging us to truly hope and act justly with all of creation. To begin in a deep spirit of heartfelt gratitude, we thank our loving God for the beautiful gift of all creation.

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A Journey of Peace: Bearing Hope – A Message from the Bishops 80 Years After the War

Posted on July 8, 2025 by editor

To all who want peace, especially young people:

Introduction

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In this milestone year, we once again pray for those who lost their lives, for those whose dignity was violated in various ways, and for the natural environment that suffered so much damage. After as many years as a human lifetime, how shall we accept the idea of valuing human dignity and the desire to realize peace, and how shall we pass that idea and desire on to the next generation?

In this Holy Year, which is celebrated once every 25 years in the Catholic Church, we hope to move forward with you, especially you young people, in the hope of creating a peaceful world.

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Nuclear War: Waiting To Happen?

Posted on June 24, 2025 by editor

Nuclear missiles pointed at each other. Deterrence.
Nuclear war concept.

Jerome Novotny , OMI – Many people today, especially here in Japan and Asia, possess nuclear anxiety and fear that a nuclear war will occur. In the past, many have argued that the concept of nuclear deterrence would not only prevent the use of nuclear weapons but even prevent wars. They claimed that the balance of terror would preserve peace. Yet facts show that nuclear deterrence is not aiding but obstructing peace. 

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An experience of Holy days in the Countryside

Posted on April 29, 2025 by editor

Brad Rozairo, OMI – Holy Week on the liturgical calendar is a hectic time for priests. Spending these important days with small pockets of people in the countryside has made me reflect on my vocation and missionary life. On Maundy Thursday (April 17, 2025), as I spent some quiet time in a rural area, I recalled my thoughts, feelings and experiences, and decided to put them into words.

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Refugee Crying Out in the Wilderness

Posted on April 27, 2025 by editor

Jerome Novotny , OMI – Poet Warsan Shire hit a nerve when she composed this stanza in her poem “Home”.

“No one leaves home unless / home is the mouth of a shark.

You only run for the border / when you see the whole city / running as well.” and

“no one puts their children in a boat / unless the water is safer than the land.”

Today, we are facing a global refugee crisis. In mid-2024, the refugee population reached 43.7 million. In addition to this number, there are 72.1 million internally displaced people and 8 million asylum seekers, leaving a total estimate of 122.6 million people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes.

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“Let us journey together in hope”

Posted on April 4, 2025 by editor

Brad Rozairo, OMI – Pope Francis’ message for this year’s Lent titled “Let us journey together in hope” highlights three key dimensions of the Lenten journey, namely: Journeying in Conversion, Journeying Together and Journeying in Hope.

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World Earth Day 2025 Focuses on Our Power, Our Planet

Posted on April 3, 2025 by editor

Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI – Tuesday, April 22, 2025, is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. Everyone is invited to support, to study and reflect on Earth Day’s 2025 theme – Our Power, Our Planet. There are many ways to make a difference for our planet on Earth Day and every day. Join millions worldwide in Earth Day 2025 activities. Attend a local event or plan and register your own. Earthday.org mentions several resources such as quizzes, fact sheets, articles and more to help us celebrate Earth Day this year in our homes and communities, at work and at school. We are invited to act now to make smart powerful energy choices at a family level and community level and demand rapid renewable energy deployment from your governments, industries, schools and businesses.

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Mission: a gift

Posted on March 11, 2025 by editor

Brad Rozairo, OMI – The Oblates of Mary Immaculate have worked in Japan for the last seventy-five years. God has generously sent laborers to care for His mission in the Far East. Today, many who labored may not be with us, but they have left their memories in the hearts and minds of the people they ministered to. We salute them for their dedication, sacrifice and commitment.

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World Water Day 2025: Focuses on Glacier Preservation

Posted on March 4, 2025 by editor

Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI – In 1993 the UN General Assembly designated March 22nd as World Water Day (WWD). This observance is one of the largest international days. Each year the UN selects a theme for World Water Day, and the theme chosen for World Water Day 2025 is Glacier Preservation. In this article I share much information from UN.org and UN Water. A glacier is a river of ice often covered in snow, slowly moving down a valley from a mountainous area, with its melting waters flowing downstream. The UN points out that glaciers are critical to the water cycle. They provide essential supplies of fresh water for drinking water, sanitation systems, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. We are told that glaciers are melting faster than ever before.

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