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 January 25, 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Beatitudes call us to soul-searching and prompt a certain feeling of unease each time we hear them. But Jesus spoke them as an encouragement to us. They are not a law and lay no yoke on the disciple’s shoulders. In eight striking sentences they portray the marvellous freedom that a believer can enjoy. Jesus speaks from experience, because he lived the Beatitudes in his own life, and it is only by living them ourselves that we can discover how true they are.
In line with the Old Testament, it would seem that St Matthew’s “poor in spirit” was a reference, not so much to those lacking worldly possessions, but rather to those who found themselves in humble circumstances and continued to make do without complaint, those whose spirits remained free despite their lowly social standing and their servile duties, which were in such stark contrast to the arrogance of those who controlled the sources of wealth, and also were its main beneficiaries. Hundreds of years earlier the Psalmist prayed, “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his distress” (Ps 34:6). Such a person had some detachment from material things because he knew that they would not bring him complete happiness or security, and so he relied on God, confident that God alone would give him help and hope and strength.
But this does not mean that material poverty is a good thing. It simply is not. Jesus, fr example, would never regard that state as blessed where people live in slums without having enough to eat, and where health degenerates because conditions are all against it.
Paradoxically, Jesus himself never initiated any social reform, nor campaigned to redistribute wealth. “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust consume and thieves break in and steal, but rather lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven” he said in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 6:19+). Despite his miraculous feeding of the multitudes Jesus’ concern never stopped short at the material goods, or lack of them, in peoples’ lives.
It was on people themselves, the human person in relation to God, that Jesus focused his mission. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well” (Mt 6:33). And there is absolutely no doubt that his sympathy went out to the humble and those who were burdened, the outcasts like sinners and publicans who lived a despised existence on the verge of Jewish society. His love went out to people who have only God to turn to, the powerless, those who mourn, those who are persecuted, abused and calumniated on account of Christ, all these will be comforted. They will have mercy shown them. Theirs will be the kingdom of heaven; in them the love of God will reveal itself as the meaning of life; they will be called children of God, they shall see God.
親愛なる兄弟姉妹の皆さん、
八福は私たちに内省を促し、聞くたびにある種の不安感を抱かせる。しかしイエスはこれを励ましとして語られた。それは律法ではなく、弟子たちの肩に重荷を課すものではない。八つの印象的な言葉で、信者が享受できる驚くべき自由を描き出している。イエスは自らの経験から語っている。なぜなら彼は自らの人生でこの八福を実践したからだ。そして私たち自身がそれを生きることで初めて、その真実さを発見できるのである。
旧約聖書に沿えば、聖マタイの「霊的に貧しい者」とは、世俗的な財産に欠ける者というより、むしろ謙虚な境遇にありながらも不平を言わずにやりくりし、低い社会的地位や卑しい務めにもかかわらず、その精神が自由であり続けた者たちを指していたようだ。それは富の源泉を支配し、その主な受益者であった者たちの傲慢さとは、あまりにも対照的であった。何百年も前に詩編の作者はこう祈った。「この貧しい者が叫ぶと、主は聞き入れ、すべての苦しみから救い出された」（詩編34:6）。そのような人は物質的なものからある程度の距離を置いていた。なぜならそれらが完全な幸福や安全をもたらさないことを知っていたからである。ゆえに神に頼り、助けと希望と力を与えてくださるのは神のみであると確信していたのだ。
しかし、物質的な貧困が良いことだという意味ではない。決してそうではない。例えばイエスは、人々がスラムで十分な食料もなく暮らし、環境がすべてに不利なため健康が損なわれるような状態を、決して祝福された状態とは見なさなかっただろう。
逆説的に、イエス自身は社会改革を主導したこともなければ、富の再分配を訴えたこともなかった。「あなたがたは、地上に宝を積んではならない。そこでは虫やさびがそれを食い荒らし、盗人が押し入って盗む。むしろ、天に宝を積みなさい」と、山上の垂訓で彼は語った（マタイ6:19+）。群衆への奇跡的な給食にもかかわらず、イエスの関心は人々の生活における物質的財貨、あるいはその欠如に留まることは決してなかった。
イエスは自らの使命を、人々自身、すなわち神との関係における人間そのものに集中させた。「まず、神の国と神の救いの正義を求めなさい。そうすれば、これらのものはみな、加えて与えられる」（マタイ6:33）。そして疑いようもなく、彼の思いやりは謙虚な者たち、重荷を負わされた者たち、罪人や取税人といったユダヤ社会のはずれで軽蔑された存在を余儀なくされた者たちに向けられていた。神の御前に立つことしかできない人々、力なき者、嘆く者、キリストのために迫害され、虐待され、中傷される者たち――これらすべての人々は慰められ、憐れみを受ける。天の国は彼らのものとなる。彼らの中に神の愛は人生の意味として現れ、彼らは神の子と呼ばれ、神を見るであろう。
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/
This week, Fr Doan will be away from Wednesday, Feb 4th, to Friday, Feb. 6th, for his mother's funeral.
Weekday Mass will be cancel Wednesday to Friday this week.
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.
First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m., Mass followed by Rosary and Divine Mercy. Confessions are available after the Mass.
Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, 12:05 p.m. Mass with Ashes.
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. .