Name

Machida Catholic Church

Dedicated to

St. James

Date of Establishment

September 29, 1958.　New church was dedicated on September 15, 2001.

Parish Priest

Francis As. Takahiro Tanaka

Number of Parishioners

1,444 (as of Dec.31,2019)

Sunday Mass (All in Japanese): Sat./ 18:30　Sun.7:30 / 10:30　

Weekday Mass

Wed. & Fri. 10:00am ( Please note that there are days without Mass )

Sunday School

Please refer to the website of Machida Church.

Bible Study

Please refer to the website of Machida Church.

Volunteer Activities

Please refer to the website of Machida Church.

Address

3-2-1 Nakamachi, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194-0021

Telephone

042-722-4504

Fax

042-722-4512

Website

http://www.machida-catholic.jp/stjacob/

Facilities for the Handicapped

Slope (or Barrier free), Elevator, Toilet

Directions

7 minutes walk from North Gate (or East Gate) of Machida Stn on Odakyu Odawara Line. Or 12 minutes walk (passing through the Odakyu’s Machida Stn) from Machida Stn on JR Yokohama Line. **Sunday is no parking day in Machida Church.　GoogleMap

Parish History

History

Since the beginning of Meiji Era the area of Machida had been under the mission of Paris Foreign Missionary, M.E.P. In 1948 after the World War II the first seed of the word of the Lord has been sawn. Fr. Antonio P. Saichi Nishida of Hachioji Church came to Machida to offer the first Mass at a house of Catholic family. With this as the start it has been carried on monthly at the different house of the Christian families of Machida in turn. During the Mass a Japanese wood cabinet (Tansu) of the house was used as the alter and people called that period the time of Tansu Church yearning for the old days. At the beginning the area of the Church was surrounded by mulberry fields and the number of parishioners was only 50. After that there came the time of traveling Church by Franciscan Friars of the Atonement who had been trusted the pastoral care of Machida Church through Fr.Hyacinth Coirin, S.A.(1950-1955) and Fr. Cyril Colton S.A.(1955-1961). People called the period the time of Suitcase Church that serves as the reminder of the two missionaries’ efforts, because the two priests had always carried their suitcases in which they put all the necessary things for the Mass. That is all about the cradle period of the Church. Having been trained by the distinct personalities of successive priests the 　 parishioners who have a sense of urban diversity have built an active Church community. Starting from the Saturday school for children to “Odamaki-kai” for senior group, the Church activities cover various ages and fields by active participation of the people.

Present Situation

Now the parishioners have increased over 1700.The geographical location of the Church is good linking Tokyo metropolis and Kanagawa prefecture and also the access is convenient for the inhabitants of the surrounding area. The land and Church building had been founded with the financial support from Cologne Archdiocese in Germany and it has been reconstructed totally by the efforts of the parishioners on 15th of September, 2001.