Begun in the ashes of war, Catholic Church Ueno stands as a testament to resilience. It rose from the ruins of Tokyo after the devastating bombings of March 1945. Imagine the scene. The area was reduced to rubble. Ueno Station’s underground passage became a refuge for the injured and homeless.
Father Joseph Flaujac of the Paris Foreign Mission Society organized a medical team. Sisters from Seibo Hospital of Franciscan Missionary of Mary and Sisters of Bethany helped. They treated over 25000 people in three years. Father Flaujac purchased land for a mission base. Barracks became a clinic a convent and a nursery. Parishioners gathered there. An old passenger car served as a temporary chapel. Then the nursery became the chapel. Gradually the church took shape.
In 1950 Father Etienne Durecu became the first chaplain. Ueno Nursery School opened. On Sundays the nursery served as a chapel for Mass. At that time Catholic Church Ueno was a sub-parish of Asakusa Church. The church was dedicated to St. Bernadette. Archbishop Jean Baptiste Alexis Chambon chose the name. His home was in Lourdes France. No other church in Tokyo was named after St. Bernadette.
Catholic Church Ueno became an independent parish in 1954. In 1955 Father Marcel Le Dorze became the third chaplain. As the city recovered Father Flaujac planned to rebuild the nursery and clinic. They decided to construct a new chapel for Catholic Church Ueno. Parishioners raised funds.
Father Le Dorze visited churches in France to ask for donations. The 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s apparition was celebrated in France. A French Catholic magazine featured Catholic Church Ueno. People donated generously. In 1961 the chapel was completed. Donors’ names were inscribed under the altar.
The relief project started after World War II ended its mission. Sakamoto Hospital closed in 1968. Ueno Nursery School closed in 1972. The Sisters of Bethany returned to their convent. In 1987 the Archdiocese of Tokyo took over jurisdiction. Father Ludovic Ibaragi Ejiro Sugita became the fourth chaplain.
In 2001 the Jesuit Chinese Center joined the community. Catholic Church Ueno celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. Today Catholic Church Ueno continues its mission. It serves as a base for downtown Tokyo. It collaborates with the Evangelical Cooperation Unit. Together they preach the Gospel and provide aid.
Currently Catholic Church Ueno holds Sunday Mass in Japanese at 10:00 am. Chinese Mass is at 1:30 pm. Joint Masses are celebrated on special feast days like Easter and Christmas. The church also joins Asakusa Church and Honjo Church for joint services. These services include the Sacrament of Confirmation and exchanges of homilies. Friendship programs promote fellowship. Table tennis and dancing events are held. The church opens its facilities to foreign groups. They help address various problems.
The Ueno Catholic Church is more than just a building. It is a symbol of hope born from devastation. It is a community united in faith and service.