2022.05.17 Messages from Sr.MarJo

Last week, I spoke of the 3 qualities/pillars of Assumption Kokusai as a Catholic School.

Today I would like to begin to share HOW to live-out or make these 3 qualities alive.
This year, we chose a THEME – ONENESS ~ WALKING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD…
Let us take this THEME part by part.

ONENESS – What does ONENESS mean?
For us at Assumption Kokusai, as a Catholic School, it means a common GOAL and DIRECTION, and a shared WAY of getting there.
It does NOT mean all are the same or being the same. In fact, each one’s uniqueness is important and necessary to get to the goal. Therefore, it is not about being the same, but about “looking at or towards the same direction”.
It is not about being UNIFORM but about being UNITED – walking together towards the same direction.
What is our GOAL? Our common direction – we want A BETTER WORLD for all – that is more just, more honest, more thoughtful of others, more joyful and more peaceful; where no one is oppressed by another; where there is less and less selfishness and where there is more and more caring for each other
What is our shared WAY? — our shared way is walking and working together as brothers and sisters.

At Assumption Kokusai, we have 5 departments – Kindergarten, Primary School (Grades 1-6), Middle School (Grades 7 – 9), Senior High School (Grades 10-12), and the Central Corporate Business Office (Houjin) that does all the support work so that the school is able to run every day.

ONENESS for us here at Assumption Kokusai means, that we are ONE FAMILY with 5 members. If in your home you have a father, a mother, a brother, a sister… at Assumption Kokusai we have these 5 departments. As one family, we need to get to know and be interested in each other. We need to help each other become better. We need to take care of each other. We must love each other. There must be no room for competition and division. Therefore, we must eliminate all that threatens to divide us and show the world that at Assumption Kokusai ONENESS is possible.

This is our contribution to WORLD PEACE.