|
Humanity is bowed down with troubles, sorrows and griefs. No one can escape, the world is wet with tears, but, thank God, the remedy is at our doors.
We have the church to go to, when everything seems to be hopeless. There, we find solitude and comfort. We can turn our hearts away from the world of matter and live in the spiritual world. The church can give us freedom. If we are hemmed in by difficulties, we have only to call upon God, and by His great mercy we shall be helped.
If sorrow and adversity visit us, we can turn our face to the Lord and heavenly consolation will be outpoured. If we are sick and in distress, we can implore God’s healing and He will answer our prayers. When our hearts are filled with the bitterness of the world, we can turn our eyes to the sweetness of God’s compassion and He will send us heavenly calm. If we are imprisoned in the material world, our spirit can soar into the Heavens and we shall be free indeed. When our days are drawing to a close, we can think of the eternal world and we shall be full of joy!
That’s the miracle and comforts one can experience inside the house of God. But sad to say, our old church is in the face of its final brink of existence and very soon it shall be razed to the ground. Thus, the desire to build a new edifice is inevitable. The Kamifukuoka community has shown rare unity more than ever, to construct a new church in spite of the pending difficulties. But be not in despair, but rather, smile by the mercy of the Lord, and be not sorrowful when meeting with worldly difficulties and depressions, for they will just pass away.
This is a little memorabilia of the old Kamifukuoka church and very soon a new Kamifukuoka church will rise!
(Continue reading below. More awesome pictures are also available.)
Kami-Fukuoka Catholic Church has been standing sturdy as far as any KCIC member can remember. It has been there to shelter us during our Masses, Prayers, Gatherings, and even during in our darkest days.
Considering distance and location, Kami-Fukuoka Catholic Church is by far the closest and most accesible church from the Tobu-Tojo Line. 5 mins is all it takes to get here from the station. I personally hold a 1min record from the station.
The wooden Interior design of this little church encourages nature, solemnity, and peace. The Laquer Finish has kept the material shiny, strong and even water-resitant from flower vases accidentally falling.
Mother Mary's majestic image located at the right portion of the altar keeps us reminded of our faith. Miraculously, her merciful image somehow helps very active children to keep from running around the altar too.
A Priest once said that "The Holy Cross is so pitiful that the Holy week can never be marketed. Instead, they waited for easter and invented the bunny." Yes, the cross is indeed so hard to look at that each time we pray, we close our eyes and bowed down below it. The Kami-Fukuoka catholic church has a very strong image of the holy cross. Try looking closer at this cross in the remaining sundays. You can see a very strong detail of Christ's suffering.
 Novo, has been KCIC's most diligent altar boy for more than three years already. As far as i can remember, no one has been an altar boy that long eversince KCIC has been organized. We should encourage him to take the bigger responsibilty of doing it for the next few months in Kawagoe Church.
KCIC masses has been stepping up through the years. The Projector screen has been there to make our readings easier and more convinient for all nationalities. I never minded the "three-second reading" delays from one of our active parishioners. Its the participation, reading, and singing with passion that counts.
KCIC spiritual moderator, Fr. Jack Serate has been celebrating Masses in our church for many years. I always loved the humour that he brings with every Homily. Not only his Filipino/Cebuano blood helped him to reach out every KCICian heart but it's his awesome camarederie.
The KCICian smile is so powerful that even a depixelated photo can't stop them from shining.
Remember these smiles very well. This is just half way compared to their smiles after the new Kami-Fukuoka Catholic Church will be built.
|
