Tokyo Prelate thanks Sisters of Infant Jesus for their 150 years of service in Japan

A Japanese archbishop thanked the Congregation of the Infant Jesus Sisters for their missionary service to the country for the last 150 years.

Divine Word Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass to conclude the 150th anniversary year of the mission in Japan of the Sisters of Infant Jesus, Nicholas Barre, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church on June 24.

They were the very first Religious Sisters to arrive in Japan 151 years ago.

It has been 150 years since the sister of the Church of Jesus (Nicola Barre) arrived in Japan, the prelate said.

Kikuchi also expressed gratitude to the nuns for the yeoman pastoral care they have provided to the church in Japan.

Archbishop Leo Boccardi, Apostolic Nuncio to Japan, local government authorities, priests, nuns, and lay leaders attended the grand finale event.

The chorus of the students at Inaba Gakuen showed off their singing voices.

The first male missionary sent to Japan was Saint Francis Xavier, a Spanish Catholic missionary, and co-founder of the Society of Jesus, whereas Mathilde Mother Mathilde Raclot (1814–1872) was the first female missionary who arrived in Yokohama, Japan.

Mother Mathilde brought the first group of French nuns to Japan in 1872, where they assisted underprivileged mothers and children, especially to provide education to girls regardless of their social standing. She died at the age of 96 on January 20, 1911, and was buried in Yokohama.

She rose to prominence as one of Asia's most significant missionaries and founded the first convent schools in Malaya, Singapore, and later Japan.

She studied Japanese and catechized.

Around 700 children were residing at the Sisters' convents in Tokyo and Yokohama. Mother Mathilde established a house for the needy, the ill, and earthquake and typhoon victims.

She exerted herself beyond her capacity and gave freely. Due to divine providence, the ever-increasing number of people living in poverty always had access to plenty of rice and resources.

By establishing schools for the daughters of affluent families, the bishop of Tokyo hoped to expand Catholicism in that city in 1892. But Mother Mathilde clung to the purpose for which her institute had been established—to assist the underprivileged.

She served as the mission's superior for more than 50 years. The intricate nuances of business and government, as well as the requirement to use intelligent judgment when making judgments that might have an impact on many people's well-being, kept her days busy.

The Infant Jesus schools she founded in Malaya, Singapore, and Japan are very proud of her.

Today, Mother St. Mathilde's efforts are still being seen at the 56 Convent schools in Malaysia and the 11 Convent schools in Singapore.

She was honored in 2014 for her services to Singapore by being inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame.

A French priest, Nicolas Barré (1621–1686), founded the Congregation of the Holy Infant Jesus, then known as the Dames of St. Maur, in France in 1666.

In Asia, they are present in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. -Santosh Digal