To Restore all things in Christ' ;The Society of St. Pius X. as a Transnational Movement in Japan

The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) in the 1960s saw numerous reforms in Roman Catholic liturgy, doctrines and as well as church relations vis-a-vis secular societies.Consequently, various types of traditionalist Catholic movements emerged to resist the Vatican II reforms so as to adhere to pre-Vatican II customs, devotions and beliefs, within and beyond the Roman Catholic Church.In this thesis, I explore the transnational nature of traditionalist Catholicism in order to understand how traditionalist Catholics function in global and local contexts.Thus I analyze the case study of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) as an international traditionalist Catholic group with its headquarters in Switzerland and operating in Tokyo, Japan in order to elucidate the links between the global and the local.I investigate why churchgoers choose to participate in SSPX activities and also how the SSPX navigates its way in the Tokyo context to inform and engage with churchgoers.The main argument ofthis thesis is that SSPX in Japan operates as a transnational arena for Catholics to air various grievances pertaining to the post-Vatican II reforms in mainstream Catholic churches in Japan as well as practise traditionalist Catholic devotions and worship.Additionally, my findings shed light on the vestiges of traditional Catholicism in Japan and manifest the key issues regarding the transnational chasm between traditionalist pre-Vatican II Catholicism and post-Vatican II developments in the mainstream churches in Japan and worldwide.The priests, religious and faithfu1 of the Society of St. Pius X, especially: the late Arehbishop Marcet Lefebvre, for your courage in standing up to preserve the Tridentine Mass and Catholic tradition, Fr.Laisney, my spiritual director and confessor, for urging me to place al1joys and trials at the foot of the Cross and in the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr.Thomas Marie Onoda, for al1 you have done for the SSPX in Japan, Sister Columba and Sister imelda,foryourunendingprayers, as well as all the SSPX faithfu1 in Japan who have kindly cooperated with me for the completion of this thesis.My loving family, for your unconditional love, patience, and sufferings for me.Thank you for accepting me unreservedly and for always supporting me materially, and emotionally.Thank you also and for being prayer waniors through the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy Rosary, novenas to countless Saints, penances and mortifications.