(ANS - Yokohama)-The last Mass of 2015 in the Salesian parish in Hamamatsu (Diocese of Yokohama) was celebrated by the Rector and Parish Priest Fr Angel Yamanouchi, SDB, with the final blessing given by the Provincial Fr Mario Yamanouchi. This was followed by Mass in Portuguese and the New Year celebrations with a congregation of about 150 people most of them migrants.

Since 2005 the Salesian parish in Hamamatsu with its cultural and pastoral centre has been one of the new frontiers of the Province of Japan. It pays particular attention to the Catholic communities of migrants from different countries.

Fr Angel Yamanouchi celebrated Mass. The Mass concluded with the final blessing given by Fr Mario Yamanouchi, Provincial of Japan. He shared his recent experience of the opening of the Year of Mercy on 8 December in St. Peter's Square in Rome. There was an exhibition of souvenirs and photographs of the Holy Door in the Parish Church.

Mass was then celebrated in Portuguese by Fr. Evaristo Higa, who has been working for 20 years with the community of Brazilian workers in the diocese of Yokohama. The New Year celebrations continued with dinner, music, games and the first Masses of 2016 in Japanese and Portuguese.

Published  04/01/2016