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 April 26, 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
Many years ago, when I was a boy sleeping with some roommates in a big room at the seminary. At around midnight, I woke up and tried to get out of that dark room for a bathroom. I did not know exactly where the door was, and I looked for a light switch, but it was not there. I was groping for the windows, other beds, shoes, and even bicycles, but the door I couldn’t find any of them. And I stated to scream: “The door, oh my God, where is the door?” Then other boy came up to open the door and let me out. It was a horrible experience! Have you heard about a bus accident, it was fell down and inflamed. The passengers then wanted to get out of it, but the door was locked, and no one could open it? They were ensuing panic and desolation! They did not know what to do, and how to escape. There was no any other door, no exit! It was terrifying experiences.
And then there is a man from Nazareth, who says, “I am the door.” Another time he said, “I have opened a door in front of you, a door nobody will be able to close.” For thirty years he had lived in Nazareth, nobody knew what he did there, but most probably he did the usual things. But then he escaped, he was free and he set others free, too.
The paralyzed man who came through the roof because the door was blocked was told: “Your sins are forgiven, your legs are unbound.” The leaders of the people did not like that; Levi, the tax collector, who was sitting in his office with his money and his intrigues, was told: “Follow me!” and he stood up without counting the money and the cost; without even closing the door behind him. The leaders of the people did not like that; they were all fasting; he was not fasting. They were all sticking to an absolute Sabbath rule, but he healed on that day. The leaders of the people did not like that either. They preferred all doors closed!
So, many in our world think, like those leaders in Jesus’ time that things are settled, that we are caught once for all. So many think our situation is desperate, without an escape hatch that we are shut in on ourselves. But he said: “I am the door! I am the gate!” leading us from the restrictions of a world so familiar to us. Leading us into space, into God, into transcendence, but also into a Kingdom here on earth, into him who said: “I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink,” in every sense of those words.
親愛なる兄弟姉妹の皆様、
何年も前のことですが、私がまだ少年だった頃、神学校の大きな部屋でルームメイトたちと一緒に寝ていた時のことです。真夜中頃、目が覚めてトイレに行こうと、その暗い部屋から出ようとしました。ドアがどこにあるのか正確にはわからず、照明のスイッチを探しましたが、そこにはありませんでした。窓や他のベッド、靴、さらには自転車まで手探りで探しましたが、ドアだけはどこにも見つかりませんでした。そして私は叫び始めました。「ドア、ああ神様、ドアはどこだ？」すると、別の少年がドアを開けて外に出してくれました。それは恐ろしい体験でした！バス事故の話を聞いたことがありますか？バスが転落して炎上したのです。乗客たちはバスから脱出しようとしたのですが、ドアはロックされていて、誰も開けることができませんでした。彼らはパニックと絶望に陥りました！どうすればいいのか、どうやって逃げればいいのか、全く分からなかったのです。他のドアも出口もどこにもありませんでした！それは恐ろしい体験でした。
そして、ナザレ出身のある男が、「私がその扉だ」と言いました。また別の時には、「私はあなたたちの前に扉を開いた。誰も閉じることのできない扉だ」とも言いました。彼は30年間ナザレで暮らしていましたが、そこで何をしていたのか誰も知りませんでした。おそらくは、ごく普通の生活を送っていたのでしょう。しかしその後、彼はそこから抜け出し、自由になり、他の人々をも自由へと導いたのです。
入り口が塞がれていたため屋根から降ろされてきた麻痺した男には、「あなたの罪は赦された。立ちなさい」と言われた。民の指導者たちはそれを快く思わなかった。一方、金と陰謀にまみれて事務所に座っていた取税人のレビには、「私について来なさい」と言われた。彼は金や代価を計算することなく、後ろのドアを閉めることさえせずに立ち上がった。民の指導者たちはそれを快く思わなかった。彼らは皆断食していたが、彼は断食していなかった。彼らは皆、厳格な安息日の掟を守っていたが、彼はその日に癒やしを行った。民の指導者たちは、それもまた快く思わなかった。彼らはすべての扉が閉ざされていることを望んでいたのだ！
ですから、私たちの世界の多くの人々は、イエスの時代の指導者たちのように、物事は決着がついている、私たちは一度きりで縛られているのだと考えています。あまりにも多くの人が、私たちの状況は絶望的で、逃げ道もなく、自分の中に閉じ込められているのだと考えています。しかし、彼は言われました。「わたしが門だ！『わたしが門だ！』」と。私たちを、あまりにも馴染み深いこの世界の束縛から導き出し、広大な空間へ、神のもとへ、超越へと、そして同時に、この地上の御国へと、また「わたしは腹を空かせたが、あなたがたは食べ物を与えてくれた。渇いたが、あなたがたは飲み物を与えてくれた」と、その言葉のあらゆる意味において語られた御方のもとへと導いてくださるのです。
in-church masses Schedule
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. Japanese Mass
10:00 a.m. English Mass
Saturday: 5:00 p.m. English Vigil Mass/
Weekday Masses are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 12:05 p.m.
Weekday Masses are subject to change due to funerals or illness.
Weekday Masses are canceled but will resume on May 5th. . Sorry for the inconvenience.
First Saturday Devotion:
First Saturday Devotion will resume on May 2, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Mass followed by Rosary and Divine Mercy. Confessions are available after the Mass.
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. .