St Francis Xavier Chapel "Maryknoll" Japanese Catholic Center, 222 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Formerly known as "Maryknoll"
Mission Statement
We of Saint Francis Xavier Chapel, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to announce in word and in deed the Good News of the Lord Jesus, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
We recognize our community's call to holiness based on mutuality, reciprocity, and interdependence and its ministry focusing on Japanese Catholics while also welcoming all in our greater community.
Fr. Doan Hoang's Message for September 28, 2025
Dear brothers and sisters,
I would like to jot some points down from today’s gospel for our reflections:
Jesus did not say the rich man in our today’s gospel was bad. We often add him he was bad. In fact, he was not bad at all. He allowed poor Lazarus to lie at his door day and night, notwithstanding his sore and sicknesses. Who of us would allow that on our own premises? Wouldn’t you call the police?
Jesus did not say that Lazarus did not get the scraps that fell from the man’s table. We say so, but not he. Maybe the poor man had to fetch them himself, creeping under the table with the dogs when the servants came to clean up after the meals. Jesus described the poor man Lazarus as totally destitute, totally helpless. He lay, since he could not sit or stand. He was full of sores, and the dogs –while waiting for the scraps- came to lick his wounds, which means he didn’t have the strength to keep the dogs away from himself.
The rich man wasn’t bad though, he did not take any action to improve the poor man’s lot. He did not make friends. He did not really care for the life process that was dying in the running sores of Lazarus. It was that lack of care that created a distance between him and Lazarus, one that grew from day to day, though they lived in the same world and in the same compound.
When they both finally died, that distance still separated them!
The rich man had not shared his life with anyone. He had not been mean, and had not been bad, but he had been alone, even though the other was there, too. He had not wanted to dirty his hands, and now even the tip of a finger he asked for was refused!
The distance had become too great!
親愛なる兄弟姉妹の皆様、
今日の福音書から、私たちの反省のためにいくつかのポイントを書き留めておきたいと思います。
イエス様は今日の福音書の中で、金持ちが悪いとは言っていません。私たちはよく金持ちが悪いと言います。しかし、彼は決して悪い人ではありません。彼は貧しいラザロを昼も夜も戸口に寝かせ、彼の痛みや病気にもかかわらず、それを許しました。私たちの誰が、自分の家の中でそんなことを許すでしょうか？警察を呼びますか？
イエスは、ラザロがその金持ちの食卓から落ちた切れ端をもらわなかったとは言いませんでした。私たちはそう言いますが、彼はそうではありません。もしかしたら、貧しい男は、召使いが食事の後片付けに来たときに、犬と一緒にテーブルの下にもぐりこんで、自分で取ってこなければならなかったかもしれません。イエスは、貧しいラザロという男を、全く貧しく、全く無力であると表現されました。彼は座ることも立つこともできず、横たわっていた。彼はただれだらけで、犬が彼の傷をなめるためにやってきて、食事の残飯を待っていたのです。
金持ちの人も悪くはなかったが、貧乏人の境遇を改善するような行動はとらなかった。友人を作ることもしなかった。彼は、ラザロの流れた傷の中で死んでいく生命の過程を、本当に気にかけなかったのです。そのような配慮がなかったために、ラザロとの間に距離が生まれ、同じ世界、同じ屋敷に住んでいながら、その距離は日ごとに大きくなっていったのです。
そして、二人が死ぬときにも、その距離が二人を隔てていたのです。
金持ちの人は、自分の人生を誰とも分かち合わなかった。意地悪をしたわけでもなく、悪いことをしたわけでもなく、相手がいるにもかかわらず、一人でいたのです。自分の手を汚したくないという思いから、指一本でもいいからと頼んだのに、断られました。
距離が遠くなりすぎたです。
in-church masses Schedule
Sunday: 8:30 am. Japanese Mass
10:00 am. English Mass
Saturday: 5:00 pm English Vigil Mass
Weekday Masses will resume on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 12:05pm
Weekday Masses are on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 12:05 pm.
Weekday Masses are subject to change due to funerals or illness.
First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m., Mass followed by Rosary and Divine Mercy. Confessions are available after the Mass.
COVID, Cold and Allergies:
- If you are not feeling well, please stay home and get well; you are in our prayers.
- Hand Sanitizers are available for you to use.
- Masks are optional.
Donations
Thank you for your continued support! We are grateful to all who donate to SFXCJCC. We are open for weekend and weekday Masses. And are slowly opening our facility to our ministries and groups.
We are still in need of your financial help! Would you please continue making your Sunday Collection contributions or donating to St Francis Xavier Chapel?
You can mail checks to the office:
SFXCJCC
222 S Hewitt Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
To donate by credit card, click the button below.
Get Involved
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Thank you!
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you. .