Parishes
Sekimachi Catholic Church
Name
Sekimachi Catholic Church
Dedicated to
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
Date of Establishment
May 30, 1957
Parish Priest
Bartholomew Yasuaki Inagawa
Number of Parishioners
878 (as of Dec.31,2019)
Sunday Mass (All in Japanese)
7:00 am/ 9:30 am
Weekday Mass (in Japanese)
Friday: 10:00 (3rd Friday: 11:00)
Sunday School
“Preschool and Elementary School Children Meeting” 2nd, 4th Sun.10:30˜11:30 “Junior and High School students meeting” 1st, 3rd Sun.10:30˜11:30 “Parents and guardians round-table discussion group” 2nd Sun.
Bible Study
Please ask information.
Volunteer Activity
Welfare activities at the church: visiting and support for the sick and elderly. Sanya support activities: donation of rice, other foods, medicines and blankets. Boluntary group activities: Making nappies for the Akitsu Special Nursery Folding nappies for the Akitsu Special Nursery (4th Wed, in the morning) Quilt making for the Mother Teresa Center.
Address
2-11-7 Sekimachi-kita, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 177-0051
Telephone
03-3920-2211
Fax
03-3929-4686
Website
Facilities for the Handicapped
Sloped Entrance
Directions
10 minutes walk southwest from the south gate of Musashiseki Sta. on Seibu Shinjuku Line. [From JR Kichijōji Sta.-north gate] Take Seibu Bus at No.4 stand headed for Tominnōen-Sekonic or for Nīzasakae or for Seibushako or for Tenjin-yama. Get off at Sekimachi-icchōme stop. 5 minutes walk west from the stop. Or take bus at No.5 stand headed for Hanakoganei Sta. or for Tenjin-yama. Get off at Jiundōbyōinmae stop. 5 minutes walk northeast from the stop. [From JR Mitaka Sta.-north gate] Take Kantō Bus at No.1 stand headed for Musashiseki Sta.. Get off at Sekimachi-icchōme stop. 5 minutes walk west from the stop. GoogleMap
Parish History
Environment
Around the Church there are Tokyo Catholic Seminary, Jesuit Seminary and other ten religious convents which create the unique relationship and intimacy with the Church as our intangible treasure. On the special occasion of 50th years anniversary the new Assembly Hall has been completed. The concept is ” the place for learning, exchanging and activities in family of God ” As a part of the activation of the Church community and to aim the transparent organic management the the rules of the Church Community has been revised. Whether willing or not the generation change in the society has been advancing and the Church aims at building the Church community of participating style. Though the relationship with our neighborhood is not so active but it is now expanding with the awareness of our parishioners through Boy Scout and Al-Anon activities. This Church has managed the two catholic ommon burial grounds , Itsukaichi cemetery park and Fuchu graveyard. Fuchu graveyard has succeeded the graveyard of old Tanashi Church and people who had belonged to Tanashi Church can use there. The Church is located in a quiet residential area of western end of Nerima Ward about 10 minutes walk from Musashiseki Station of Seibu Shinjuku Line. There are many Catholic facilities like Tokyo Catholic Major Seminary, Jesuit Religious House, Religious House of Conventual’s Franciscan OFM Conv., Missionary Sisters of Christ The King,. other convents, retreat houses and Catholic kindergartens, which are the missionary bases for evangelization and create the sense of Catholic area. We thank a lot to their assistances for our Church.
History
The Church has been started among the people around the area who have attended the Holy Mass at the Seminary and exchanged their mutual friendship. By the effort of Fr. Alexio Houssin,S.J. and others who taught at the seminary a new plan of building an independent parish had been raised. The plan had been supported by the special financial assistance of Cologne in Germany and then the present chapel has been constructed at this site. Until then the most of the parishioners had belonged to Shimoigusa Church. On 30th of May in 1957 ( Showa 32) the dedication solemn Mass had been offered inviting Cardinal Josef Frings of Colonge. The petron Saint of the Church is St. Theresa of the Child Jesus. The day was heavy rainy day and it made our memory more clear and impressive. Cardinal Frings said in his sermon that he was so surprised at the small size of this Church comparing with the Cathedral of Cologne as if it looked like a giant and a dwarf. 51 years has been passed since the start of this Church. The present chaplain is Fr. Yasuaki Bartholomew INAGAWA. During the time many priests have been born from this Church. Fr. Tsuyoshi Kawakami, O.F.M., and Fr.Takahiro Tanaka, Fr. Masanori Koga, Fr. Yukifumi Ito of Tokyo Archdiocese. They are all very active on the different Apostolic field and they are encouraging us in the Diocese. Inside the chapel a big Cross is caught our eyes. This Cross is one of the special products of the Church which had been made by a seminarian , Arrow Smith, upon the requested of Fr. Evangelista, S.J. who was the chief of the religious house of S.J. in Shakujii then. In this connection the big statue of Our Lady has been sent from Spain by Fr. Cangas’ parents and St. Theresa of the Child Jesus’ statue was sent by a old lady from Arst City in Belgium.
Present Situation
In 2000 due to the closure of Tanashi Church our Church has received many people from there. The numbers of parishioners has increased from 75 at the start to the1,000 at present and thus it becomes quite a big family. The activities of the community have been organized well and we aim at building about the Kingdom of God suitable to the environment. of Catholic area. In May of 2007 on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the Church the renewal plan of the Church Hall has been raised up as it has been hoped long time. The construction has been done from January to July in 2008. On the 3rd of August 2008 the inaugural celebration Mass has been offered. On Christmas Mass in 2008 about 450 people have attended and on Easter Mass in 2009 about 530 people have attended in which some new development has been going on. In front of the Church the statue of Infant Jesus & Our Lady and St. Therese dedicated by the late Mrs. Inagawa, the mother of Fr.Yasuaki Inagawa, have been built and people enjoy to see them popularly.
