HISTORY of Furano Catholic Church/EN

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A Seed Was Sown in Furano

In 1952, there was no Catholic church in Furano.
Fr. Januario of Sunagawa Catholic Church came to Furano once a month to celebrate Mass for the 26 Catholics living here.
Fr. Januario wished to share the message of Jesus with more people and began to hope that a church and a kindergarten could be built in Furano.
A large amount of funding was needed for the construction. With donations from Catholics living in Fulda, Germany, construction of the church and kindergarten began.
With the support of many people, the kindergarten was completed. One of its rooms was used as a chapel, and on October 27, 1952, the dedication ceremony of Furano Catholic Church was held.

A Seed Was Sown in Furano

In 1952, there was no Catholic church in Furano.
Fr. Januario of Sunagawa Catholic Church came to Furano once a month to celebrate Mass for the 26 Catholics living here.
Fr. Januario wished to share the message of Jesus with more people and began to hope that a church and a kindergarten could be built in Furano.
A large amount of funding was needed for the construction. With donations from Catholics living in Fulda, Germany, construction of the church and kindergarten began.
With the support of many people, the kindergarten was completed. One of its rooms was used as a chapel, and on October 27, 1952, the dedication ceremony of Furano Catholic Church was held.

Toward the Present Church

After the dedication of Sunagawa Catholic Church, Furano became one of its mission stations, and Fr. Januario, the parish priest of Sunagawa, regularly traveled to Furano to provide pastoral care.
At that time, 26 Catholics were living in the Furano area. They were devoted members of the Church and actively shared their faith with others.
Through their efforts, a new building for Misono Kindergarten, measuring 213.5 square meters, was constructed on a 3,861-square-meter site. One room was used as a chapel, and on October 27, 1952, Furano Catholic Church was dedicated.
Fr. Stanislao Mulder of the Dutch Province of the Franciscan Order became the first parish priest and the first director of the kindergarten.
The establishment of the church also received enthusiastic support from the late Masa Natori, who was not a Catholic at the time. She had founded and directed a children’s home in Furano called Kuni no Ko Ryo, which cared for war orphans and children returning from overseas after the war.
Recognizing the importance of religious education for the children, she asked Fr. Januario to celebrate Mass at the children’s home. Through this ministry, many of the children were introduced to the Catholic faith.
At Christmas in 1953, around 20 staff members and children of Kuni no Ko Ryo were baptized.
As the parish continued to grow, the church became too small. The church and kindergarten buildings had also deteriorated after many years of enduring Furano’s severe winter weather.
With the support of Catholics in Germany and members of the Furano parish, the entire complex was rebuilt. The new church was dedicated on April 30, 1979.
The new church building covered 386 square meters, and the kindergarten 755 square meters. Both were constructed of reinforced concrete, at a total cost of approximately 85 million yen.
Much of this achievement was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the parish priest at the time, Fr. Theodor Siebel.

Toward the Present Church

After the dedication of Sunagawa Catholic Church, Furano became one of its mission stations, and Fr. Januario, the parish priest of Sunagawa, regularly traveled to Furano to provide pastoral care.
At that time, 26 Catholics were living in the Furano area. They were devoted members of the Church and actively shared their faith with others.
Through their efforts, a new building for Misono Kindergarten, measuring 213.5 square meters, was constructed on a 3,861-square-meter site. One room was used as a chapel, and on October 27, 1952, Furano Catholic Church was dedicated.
Fr. Stanislao Mulder of the Dutch Province of the Franciscan Order became the first parish priest and the first director of the kindergarten.
The establishment of the church also received enthusiastic support from the late Masa Natori, who was not a Catholic at the time. She had founded and directed a children’s home in Furano called Kuni no Ko Ryo, which cared for war orphans and children returning from overseas after the war.
Recognizing the importance of religious education for the children, she asked Fr. Januario to celebrate Mass at the children’s home. Through this ministry, many of the children were introduced to the Catholic faith.
At Christmas in 1953, around 20 staff members and children of Kuni no Ko Ryo were baptized.
As the parish continued to grow, the church became too small. The church and kindergarten buildings had also deteriorated after many years of enduring Furano’s severe winter weather.
With the support of Catholics in Germany and members of the Furano parish, the entire complex was rebuilt. The new church was dedicated on April 30, 1979.
The new church building covered 386 square meters, and the kindergarten 755 square meters. Both were constructed of reinforced concrete, at a total cost of approximately 85 million yen.
Much of this achievement was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the parish priest at the time, Fr. Theodor Siebel.