On May 3, 2025, a Memorial Mass was offered for His Holiness the late Pope Francis, at St. Ignatius Church in Kojimachi, Tokyo. It was an event jointly conducted by the Japan Province of the Society of Jesus, the Sophia School Corporation, Sophia University, and St. Ignatius Church.
The main celebrant at the Mass was Rev. Fr. Tsutomu Sakuma, Provincial of the Japan Jesuit Province, and concelebrants at the altar were Fr. Sali Augustine the Chancellor of the Sophia School Corporation, and Fr. Toshiaki Koso the Pastor of St. Ignatius Church. Attending the event were over 1200 people, all of whom had gathered to mourn the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The ceremony commenced with the entrance of the priests, and this in turn was followed by the sprinkling of holy water and offering of incense. Fr. Sakuma thereupon inaugurated the Mass, by uttering the following words related to His Holiness: “At the time of his investiture, when Pope Francis was asked, ‘What is your guiding principle in order to lead the Church?’ He replied, ‘I have no specific plan. I just respond to the needs of the moment.’ On reflecting upon his 12 years of guidance, we notice an unfailing devotion on his part to listen to the ostracized, and stand beside those facing hardships. This consistency was directed by the Holy Spirit through discernment, and today we offer this Mass as a prayer for the canonization and beatification of Pope Francis, who continues to guide us from heaven.”
The sermon was rendered by Fr. Juan Haidar, who is a professor in the Faculty of Theology of Sophia University and a former student of Pope Francis in Argentina. Fr. Haidar declared, “It is hard to speak about Francis, because his life was so beautiful and rich.” Sharing anecdotes related to the Pope’s time as a parish priest in Argentina, and reflecting on the hope he had brought to many, Fr. Haidar described the late Pope as “a man who believed in the Gospel, trusted in people, and had faith in the Holy Spirit.”
The Mass then proceeded with the Prayers of the Faithful, where members of the Church and Sophia University offered prayers for the late Pope, and then came the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the thanksgiving hymn, and distribution of Holy Communion. The Mass eventually concluded with the singing of the hymn, “Look at the Birds in the Sky” (verses 1 and 2).
Commemorative cards were distributed to all the attendees. Here the front of the card featured a photograph and signature of Pope Francis dating to his 2019 visit to Sophia University, while the back presented the following message he had shared with students, during the 2017 online event entitled, “Let’s Talk with Pope Francis”: “Young people have the energy to move forward, but I’m afraid they are moving too hastily these days. If they lose touch with their roots, they will have nothing to support their growth. I would like to see them continue to move, but to be firmly rooted as they face their future.”
The Mass may be viewed on the official YouTube channel of St. Ignatius Church: