“What if a house became a bridge?” I ask you now, standing before the Piarist Fathers Calasanz House. It is a place with a story stretching back to the post-World War II era. The Piarist Fathers Calasanz House in Tokyo represents the Order’s commitment to spreading their mission in Asia.
In 1947, the Piarist Order decided to expand its missionary work. Japan, opening to the West after its defeat, became the first chosen location. Fathers Feliciano Perez and Pedro Luis Perea arrived in Japan on October 3, 1950. Pope Pius XII blessed their mission. Bishop Thomas Wakida of Yokohama welcomed them. He sent them to Yokosuka to study Japanese and learn the culture.
The first winter proved difficult for Fr. Perea. After six months, he returned to Spain for his health. Fr. Feliciano, with the Bishop’s help, began his missionary work in Yokohama. In 1952, he received a church, a house, and permission to establish a new community with missionaries from Spain. This marked a pivotal moment for the Piarist Fathers Calasanz House.
Four priests and a brother arrived in September 1952. The new community was established in the Church of Tobe, Yokohama. They studied Japanese for two years. They also assisted in various churches by celebrating Sunday masses in Latin.
Fr. Feliciano sought to expand the mission through educational activities. The Apostolic Nuncio offered him a school in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries ran the Nanzan University in Nagoya. They wanted to focus on Nagoya and offered their Yokkaichi School to the Piarist Order.
In 1955, Fr. Feliciano opened a new religious house in Yokkaichi. With Fr. Rivero and two other priests, they took charge of a small private high school. The school was named Stella Maris, or Kaisei, under the patronage of Mary Star of the Sea, the patron of the Catholic Church of Yokkaichi.
Kaisei School grew under the Piarist Order’s guidance. Student numbers increased from 450 in 1958-1959. The number of teachers, both religious and lay, also grew. The mission became a Provincial Delegation, under the Vasconia Province in Spain. A Local Chapter was formed.
In 1965, Fr. Laureano Suarez, an assistant General, visited the houses in Yokohama and Yokkaichi. A general meeting addressed the Novitiate Program, Vocation, and Economic status. Following this visitation, the Piarist Fathers opened the House of Tokyo in 1966. Its purpose was vocational activities and the formation of new candidates for the Order. This new establishment strengthened the Piarist presence in Tokyo. The Piarist Fathers Calasanz House aimed to cultivate future members.
In 1968, a new convent near Kaisei School was blessed. Difficulties arose, including health and spiritual crises among missionaries. Kaisei School faced challenges in discipline and studies. Despite these issues, student numbers continued to grow. In 1972-1973, Kaisei reached 1,000 students. In 1972, the Maryknoll Fathers transferred the Parish Church of Yokkaichi to the Piarist Order. The Parish had 750 Christians and two Kindergartens with 300 children.
Today, the Piarist Fathers Calasanz House continues to serve as a center for vocational activities. It stands as a testament to the Order’s enduring commitment to education. Remember the journey of the Piarist Fathers as you stand here. They faced challenges and built communities, one step at a time.