Cardinal-elect Kikuchi: A surprising and confusing Sunday

By Cardinal-elect Isao Kikuchi*

The first week of the second term of the Synod has ended, and we are now closed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. So, this Sunday, starting at 10 am, I would be officiating at a Mass for the Japanese Catholic Community living in Rome.

A little after 9:00 in the morning, Sister Hirota and Father Toyoda of the Osaka Diocese and Father Lopez of the Xavierian Society, who had come to pick us up, took a taxi to the headquarters of the Society of the Divine Word, where the Mass was being held. Mr. Nishimura was acting as the chairman again this week and had a meeting to discuss the preparations, so he was unable to come with us.

This time, the number of priests living in Rome has increased, and I was able to celebrate Mass with many priests, as shown in the photo. After the Mass, there was a tea party, and after a while, I decided to go home by taxi with Sister Hirota and Father Lopez. Sister Hirota’s accommodation is right in front of St. Peter’s, so we headed there together.

As we were walking along the side of the cloister of St. Peter’s Square, someone called out to me in English, “Congratulations, Archbishop Kikuchi.” He is a young man who always stands around the gate in front of the Synod Hall, carrying many portraits of bishops, and he collects them by asking them for their autographs. “Just now, at the Angelus, the cardinals were announced, and they said it was Kikuchi from Tokyo,” he said.

I had never heard anything like that, so I wondered what kind of joke he was making, and headed to my accommodation through the large crowd of people returning from Angelus.

When I entered the lobby of my accommodation, I was stopped by Cardinal Rueda of Bogota. “Congratulations on your appointment as a cardinal.” I was skeptical, but then Cardinal Rueda took out his smartphone and showed me a video recording from Vatican News. We listened to it together, and sure enough, the Pope called my name. Just then, Cardinal Filippo Neri of Goa, India, who is the next president of the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences), appeared and congratulated me. It seemed that I had really been appointed a cardinal.

I was surprised. It had been a long time since I was so shocked from the bottom of my heart. And I was confused. When I think about the fact that being a cardinal is not just an honorary position, but that there are many roles to play as an advisor to the Pope, I can only see my own shortcomings. To begin with, my Italian is at the very basics, and I can barely understand everyday conversation. To communicate with the Pope, I need at least an English interpreter.

When I entered the Synod meeting room on Friday, there was no one around the Pope, so I went to greet him. The Pope remembered my name, but he picked up my ID card and looked at it carefully. I wondered what he was looking at, even though we had met many times.

Momoko Nishimura, who was there, took a photo of us, and the Pope pointed to her and said, “She’s a strange person who drinks mate tea even though she’s Japanese,” and laughed. There was no mention of the Cardinal at all. So today’s sudden announcement really surprised me.

The Consistory of the College of Cardinals to finalize the appointment will be held on December 8. I have no idea what preparations need to be made until then. Even though I am in Rome now, there has been no official notice, so I am only hearing about it through the news.

Another member of the Society of the Divine Word has also been appointed a cardinal. He is Archbishop Nemet of Belgrade, Serbia. He is a brother member whom I have known for a long time.

Next year, the Society of the Divine Word will celebrate its 150th anniversary. In its 150-year history, there has only been one cardinal, Cardinal Thomas Tian, ​​who was the Archbishop of Beijing and passed away in 1967. I believe that the appointment of a second and third cardinal this time is an honor for the Society of the Divine Word.

At the same time, this appointment is not just a personal honor for me, but a great honor for the Church in Japan, and especially for the Tokyo Archdiocese, and also for Caritas Internationalis, of which I am currently serving as President.

Furthermore, the appointment of Cardinal-elect Pablo David of the Philippines, who will be the next Vice-President of FABC, as a Cardinal has also been made, which I believe makes this an honorable appointment that will have great significance for FABC.

I have received many congratulatory messages and emails from all of you. I would like to express my sincere gratitude. I would like to reiterate that I believe I have been entrusted with a role that is beyond my capabilities. I feel humbled by my own inadequacies. I sincerely ask that you all continue to support me with your prayers.

With gratitude.

* Cardinal-elect Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD, serves as the Archbishop of Tokyo and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan. He also holds the position of President of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican’s humanitarian organization.

On October 6, Pope Francis announced a Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals, scheduled for December 8, 2024. Archbishop Kikuchi was among the 21 bishops selected to become Cardinals.

This article was originally published on Cardinal-elect Kikuchi's personal blog. All rights reserved. Unauthorized republication by third parties is not permitted.