MISSIONARY IN FOCUS
Pari sa Japan
Read more of the experiences of Fr.Robert Zarate as a Filipino Missionary priest by visiting http://parisajapan.blogspot.com/
I am a Filipino
Catholic priest who
came here as a
Salesian of Don
Bosco on August 2,
2000, almost 8
months after my
priestly ordination.
After a year and a
half of Japanese
studies, I first worked
at the Ikuei Salesian
Polytechnic School
as an English
Conversation
teacher. Then, a year
with the Catholic
Tokyo International
Center gave me
more opportunities to
work hand-in-hand
with the Church in
Japan for migrants.
This paved the way
for a 2-year stint as
Assistant
Parish
Priest in Yamato,
Kanagawa, under the
auspices of the
Diocese
of
Yokohama. I am
presently a guest
priest in the Seishin
Area of the diocese in
Shizuoka-ken and am
presently based in
Shizuoka Catholic
Parish Church.
ur boss at Catholic
O
Tokyo International
Center thought that
I would be having a
3-year contract with
the office. I felt flattered that he
said I was truly needed there,
but there was nothing they could
do since it was the Provincial's
decision to transfer me to a
parish in another diocese.
I was to be transferred to a
parish church in Yamato,
Kanagawa Prefecture, as
substitute of a Salesian priest
who was to become a
missionary to the Solomon
Islands; Yamato Church
belongs to the Diocese of
Yokohama. Well, it was my first
time outside Tokyo since I came
to Japan.
Anyway, I transferred to this
new parish after a 3-week
vacation in the Philippines. At
first, it really felt very provincial.
The planes of the Americans in
the nearby Atsugi Base were
also too noisy to bear! Yet, just
after some weeks, I really felt at
home!
I come from a province
called Laguna, south of Metro
Manila. Kanagawa is almost
like the same with Tokyo. It
takes around 42 minutes by
express train from the
westernmost metropolis of
Shinjuku... those crowded
trains! At first glance, it
seemed like a place that has
nothing to offer... but after
sometime, you come to realize
it offers one important thing:
HOME.
Yamato is a parish
composed of 6 language
groups: Japanese, English
(including the Filipinos),
Vietnamese,
Spanish,
Portuguese and Sinhalese. It
has a kindergarten attached to
the church. I only spent 2
years in this parish but it
seemed that I was given so
much experiences! There
were Japanese masses, of
course. Being busy on Sunday
afternoons with English or
Tagalog masses in other
parishes, I was almost the one
always celebrating the
Saturday anticipated mass.
Then, there was the daily
Japanese mass which we took
turns celebrating. I was also
the one-in-charge of the 9:30
1st and 3rd Sunday masses.
The 1st Sunday mass was
considered
the
real
COMMUNITY MASS, with
readings ang prayers (or even
songs) from other languages
aside from Japanese. It was
here in Yamato that I was
exposed to saying the homily
in 2 or 3 languages. It was
here that I realized that EACH
AND EVERYONE DESERVES
TO UNDERSTAND. At least,
in the homily, I tried to do it. It
reaped good remarks from
both Japanese and foreigners
alike.
The parish priest passed
on to me some catechism
lessons to Japanese who were
studying for their baptism or
their church wedding. In the
kindergarten, I was also the
one in-charge of the monthly
religion classes of both kids
and teachers. I was also given
the chance to start some
English phrase classes with
songs. The kindergarten was
one place I truly enjoyed. The
innocence and eagerness of
the kids truly revive one's tired
spirit!
Yamato's atmosphere is
different compared to other
churches. It is truly a very
international church. Here, you
don't have to think if you have to
be Japanese, Filipino or Sri
Lankan. Here, you only have to
think you are Catholic. That
would be enough. It was the
only enticing spirit in the
community... and it made
Yamato show that it can be
Church!
It was in Yamato that I
have finally calmed down. The
parish priest was also very
encouraging and supportive.
He treated me like an adult.
He treated me as a person...
and I could truly feel I grew!
The Philippine missionaries here in Japan, taken during the
annual gathering last May 2008, with the ECMI in-charge of
the CBCP, Bishop Cantillas.
