Introduction.
On 1 January 2024, I attended Mass at the Catholic Church in Japan. I usually go to the Bishop’s Cathedral in Nunoike, I usually go to the Bishop’s Cathedral in Nunoike, but I had misplaced somewhere a piece of paper with the start time of the New Year’s Mass on it. The New Year’s Mass often starts at a different time than usual, and I looked on the website, but that information was not on there. Church personnel are generally older and may not be familiar with internet-related matters, and this often happens. I had no choice but to go to another Nanzan Catholic Church which is the second largest church in Nagoya.
The church
When I entered the church, the first thing I noticed was that there were a few young men in their 20s. This is because basically only elderly ladies come to church services, so it is very rare to see young people (especially men who are full of energy). On this particular day, being New Year’s Day, they were probably brought by their mothers.
As Mass began, the priest explained that today is the feast of Mary, Mother of God, a doctrine established by the Council of Ephesus held in the Roman Empire, and that it is also the Day of Prayer for World Peace. He then reminded everyone of the suffering in Ukraine and Palestine, where war continues, and everyone prayed for peace.
Scene of the Mass
The Mass lasted for about one hour. During that time, we sang the prescribed songs, prayed the prescribed prayers and the ritual process went on and on anyway. Without faith, it seems no wonder people are leaving the church.
Coming of age ceremony.
On this day, the plan was to intersperse the coming-of-age ceremony in the middle of the Mass for those among the faithful who were to become adults, but there were no applicable persons, so it did not take place. The Catholic Church in Japan, which is even just small, represents only 0.3% of the total population. It is getting smaller and smaller. It is a worldwide trend that people are leaving the Church, and all Japanese believers are worried.
Summary.
On this first day of the year, I experienced first-hand the current state of the Catholic Church in Japan. The number of young people is declining and the number of believers is also decreasing. I am worried about what will happen to the Catholic Church in Japan in the future.
Message to foreigners.
The Catholic Church in Japan is interesting for foreigners. However, I also want you to know that there is a growing trend away from young people. Please pray to support the Catholic Church in Japan.
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