“He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:2)
Post-pandemic, I noticed something unsettling: there was no organized young adults group for foreign migrants in the Church in Osaka, Japan. The Holy Spirit stirred my heart. I had been carrying a gift from my recent theological studies, and I felt moved to offer it. Trusting in grace, I gathered a few foreign young adults at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Osaka—no funding, no formal team, just faith, bold heart and formation. With the support of my sisters in the Nishinari community, that quiet “yes” whispered two years ago in the midst of grief and limitation became the beginning of what we now call ICYA—the International Catholic Young Adults.
Young people today are truly the poor—hungry and thirsty for Jesus, longing for meaning, belonging, and encounter with God. From the beginning, we adapted the Assumption motto: “All for Jesus!” The goal was never just to start another group. It was to create a space of transfiguration—a place where young adults could encounter Christ and be transformed, so they too could go forth and transform others.
True to the mission of the Assumption and the vision of Saint Marie Eugénie, education is never confined to the four walls of a classroom. To educate is to transform the world. Formation is a journey of transfiguration and transformation—a lifelong process of shaping hearts, minds, and lives so that disciples are not only formed but also sent forth to live and witness the Gospel fully. At ICYA, we embrace this mission by fostering not just knowledge, but deep encounter, personal conversion, and apostolic courage. This is Assumption formation in action: attentive to the signs of the times, responsive to real needs, and rooted in our simple but profound motto—All for Jesus!
Formation came through prayer, study, mission, and community. God opened unexpected doors. In the early years of ICYA, while I facilitated face-to-face sessions, many excellent speakers joined us online. Others donated pre-recorded formation inputs, allowing hybrid encounters that bridged language, distance, and culture. The young adults came hungry for faith. And faith, when nurtured, bore fruit.
They listened to the Word. They studied the Catechism. They reflected on real-life issues. And they began to serve. On days when no one signed up for takidashi (soup kitchen service for the homeless), these young adults quietly stepped up. They served in the Eucharistic celebration—as readers, choir members, altar servers, and collectors. They learned that formation is not just about ideas, but about offering one’s hands, feet, and heart to Christ.
As the ICYA community grew, it became known in nearby churches. One visible sign of this growth was their participation in the Local Jubilee Pilgrimage of the Archdiocese of Osaka-Takamatsu—a journey of faith, community, and mission. Many were strengthened by this grace-filled experience.
And now, their light is shining farther.
From July 25 to August 6, five of our core leaders joined 175 young people from the Assumption family and the wider Catholic Church on a pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee of Youth. As I write this, they are still there—walking, learning, praying, and being transfigured by the youthful witness of the universal Church. And they will not return the same.
Even before this pilgrimage, two of the ICYA core volunteer leaders were invited by the Auxiliary Bishop of Osaka-Takamatsu to share their testimonies at the Archdiocesan Evangelization and Pastoral Assembly. One of them was also selected to share in a workshop on effective youth ministry. Later this year, one will represent young Catholic migrants in Japan at the Asian Youth Congress in Penang, Malaysia.
For me, ICYA has also been a journey of transfiguration. I offered this mission in the shadow of personal sorrow—the death of my mother—and amid the challenge of learning a new language and culture. But it became one of the sacred paths that led me to say my perpetual vows in the Religious of the Assumption on November 9, 2024. It gave me a glimpse of what it means to live “transformed to transform.”
Two months ago, I stepped down as ICYA moderator to focus more on language studies and be present with my community as we prepare to close our convent. Since then, the young leaders have courageously stepped forward. They drafted their own constitution and by-laws. They are growing in confidence and in faith. I remain their sister and spiritual friend—on call, ready to listen and guide, just as Jesus made Himself available to those who longed to learn and be loved.
As Assumption Sisters, we continue to accompany them. We’ve opened the doors of our small chapel on weekends for Adoration, inviting the young to come and “drink from the well.” Because we believe that true transformation begins by being seen and loved by Jesus in the silence of prayer.
Transfiguration is not just a mountaintop moment—it’s a mission. Jesus was transfigured before His disciples not to remain in glory, but to prepare them for the journey to Jerusalem. In the same way, we do not form young adults just so they can shine, but so they can serve—to bring light into darkness and hope to hearts that thirst for God.
As the FABC 50 General Conference reminds us, “Young people today are not only the future but the present of the Church in Asia.” They are missionary disciples who, when formed well, become a leaven of hope in societies marked by isolation, fragmentation, and despair. In Japan, they may feel like a minority within a minority—but with Christ, a little yeast is all it takes to rise.
All for Jesus and for the extension of His Kingdom!
By Sr. Fatima Joy De Vera, RA
Assumption Nishinari Community, Osaka, Japan
May these communities of young people continue to be places of encounter, formation, and mission for a living and journeying Church.
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