"The Japan Jottings" have been published since 1957 at Christmas. Since then, the 4 seasons of each year in the past brought some "hot news"of Japan missions and missionary activities to the readers and co-missionaries of the Passionist circles around the world. Now our great original missionaries have faded from the scenes one after another, and yet their memories have been kept alive in our hearts. Thanks to the efforts of Fr. Ward Biddle C.P., we have been able to publish "The Japan Jottings" twice a year, since 2003. We could not publish the Japan Jottings for some years after the late Fr. Francis Horack, C.P. passed away in the year 2000. My affection and heartfelt thanks go to the readers and the benefactors of our Passionist families and friends, and your contributions always remain in our Passionist mission history of Japan. You have been a part of our mission and we are very proud of being one with you in one Spirit and one Body, Jesus Christ, our Crucified Love.

Spring 2007
I am writting this the 1st week of April. It is Resurrection time, as even the blossoming cherry trees proclaim. Jesus is risen! But that momentous event was not confined to 2000 years ago. Jesus' Resurrection is like the sun that continues to radiate out to all that revolves around it. It is a center that draws all times and places. It energizes people in all ages and places with the Passion-love of Jesus. So Moses on Mt. Sinai and Francis on Mt. Alveno, and John Paul II on the portico of St. Peter's were all filled with that love and became its instruments for millions of others all over the world. That is the centrality of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus in human history. Its love-power is always radiating out, always at work all over the globe.