Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi

{{Short description|Japanese Catholic prelate (born 1958)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific_prefix = His Eminence | name = Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi | honorific_suffix = SVD | title = Cardinal, Archbishop of Tokyo<br/>President of Caritas Internationalis | image = Archbishop_Tarcisio_Isao_Kikuchi_2024.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Kikuchi in 2024 | native_name = {{Lang|ja|菊地功}} | native_name_lang = | church = Catholic Church | archdiocese = Tokyo | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = Tokyo | elected = | appointed = 25 October 2017 | enthroned = 16 December 2017 | term = | term_start = | term_end = | quashed = | retired = | predecessor = Peter Takeo Okada | successor = | opposed = | other_post = Cardinal-Priest of San Giovanni Leonardi (2024–present) | ordination = 15 March 1986 | ordained_by = Aloysius Nobuo Soma | consecration = 20 September 2004 | consecrated_by = Peter Takeo Okada | cardinal = 7 December 2024 | created_cardinal_by = Pope Francis | rank = Cardinal-Priest | birth_name = Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|11|01}} | birth_place = Miyako, Iwate, Japan | death_date =  | death_place =  | buried = | tomb = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality =  | religion = | residence = | parents = | spouse =  | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = {{unbulleted list | Bishop of Niigata (2004–17) | Apostolic Administrator of Sapporo (2009–13) }} | education = | alma_mater = | motto = {{unbulleted list | {{Lang|la|Varietate unitas}} | (Unity in diversity) | ({{Lang|ja|多様性の中の統一}}){{citation needed|date=July 2022}} | (Tayō-sei no naka no tōitsu)}}{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = | coat_of_arms_alt = | other = }} {{infobox cardinalstyles | name=Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi | dipstyle=His Eminence | offstyle=Your Eminence | relstyle=Cardinal | deathstyle= | see=Tokyo | image = Coat of arms of Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi (cardinal).svg | image_size = 200px }} {{Ordination | ordained deacon by = | date of diaconal ordination = | place of diaconal ordination = | ordained priest by = Aloysius Nobuo Soma (Nagoya) | date of priestly ordination = 27 February 1982 | place of priestly ordination = Nagoya | consecrated by = Peter Takeo Okada | co-consecrators = {{ubl | Rafael Masahiro Umemura (Yokohama) | Marcellino Taiji Tani }}(Saitama) | date of consecration = 12 December 2001 | date of elevation = 8 December 2024 | bishop 1 = Mario Michiaki Yamanouchi, S.D.B. | consecration date 1 = 24 September 2018 | bishop 2 = Paul Daisuke Narui, S.V.D. | consecration date 2 = 22 September 2020 | bishop 3 = Edgar Gacutan, C.I.C.M. | consecration date 3 = 19 March 2022 }}

'''Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi''', S.V.D. ({{langx|ja|菊地功|Kikuchi Isao}};<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirishin.com/2024/10/07/68528/|title=菊地功大司教日本から７人目の枢機卿に 2024年10月7日 - キリスト新聞社ホームページ|date=7 October 2024|website=キリスト新聞社ホームページ - 「キリスト新聞」1946年創刊。キリスト教界の最新ニュースをお届けするキリスト教メディアサイト。教会・牧師・信仰・カウンセリングについての情報満載。キリスト新聞のご購読申し込み受付中！「キリスト新聞社の本」好評発売中！}}</ref> born 1 November 1958) is a Japanese Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Tokyo since 2017 and president of Caritas Internationalis since May 2023. He was Bishop of Niigata from 2004 to 2017. He previously worked as a missionary in Ghana. He is a member of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Kikuchi has served as president of Caritas Japan and Caritas Asia, as well as a member of the Representative Council of Caritas Internationalis. He was made a cardinal in 2024 by Pope Francis.

==Biography== Kikuchi Isao was born in Iwate on 1 November 1958.<ref name=VR/> He studied for the priesthood in Japan and took his vows as a member of the Divine Word Missionaries (the "Verbiti" or "Verbites") in March 1985<ref name=vatbio/> and he was ordained a priest on 15 March 1986.<ref name=VR>{{cite web|url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/10/25/pope_appoints_a_new_bishop_to_archdiocese_of_tokyo,_japan/1345070|title=Pope appoints a new bishop to Archdiocese of Tokyo, Japan|publisher=Vatican Radio|date=25 October 2017|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref> He did additional studies at the Spiritual Institute of Sacred Heart in Melbourne.<ref name=vatbio/>

From 1986 to 1992 he worked as a missionary in Ghana in the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua,<ref name=vatbio/> working as a parish priest in rural areas.<ref>{{cite news | access-date= 7 October 2024 | date= 7 October 2024 | url= https://international.la-croix.com/world/who-are-the-21-new-cardinals-chosen-by-pope-francis | work= La Croix International | title= Who are the 21 new cardinals chosen by Pope Francis? | first= Malo | last= Tresca | archive-date= 10 October 2024 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20241010070243/https://international.la-croix.com/world/who-are-the-21-new-cardinals-chosen-by-pope-francis | url-status= dead }}</ref> He returned to Japan and served his order as formator, vice prefect of novices, and vocations director for a year and then as its provincial councilor from 1994 to 1999, taking on several additional roles. Beginning in 1994 he also began teaching at Nanzan University and became a member of the International Aid Committee of the Japanese Bishops Conference. He became coordinator of his order's Office of Justice and Peace for Asia in 1996. He became a member of Caritas Japan in 1998 and began representing the Japanese bishops at international conferences in 1998.<ref name=vatbio/>

He served as executive director of Caritas Japan from 1999 to 2004, after first gaining experience with that organization as a volunteer in the refugee camp in Bukavu (then in Zaire, now in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the 1990s.<ref name=UC/> Kikuchi was elected provincial of his order's Japanese province in 1999 and elected to a second three-year term in 2002. He became a member of the Diocese of Nagoya's committee for permanent clerical formation that same year.<ref name=vatbio/>

Pope John Paul II appointed him the Bishop of Niigata on 29 April 2004.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 16 May 2023 | date = 14 May 2005 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2004/05/14/0233/00754.html | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 14.05.2004 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office }}</ref> He received his episcopal consecration on 20 September<ref name=VR/> at the Salle de Seishin Girls' High School in Niigata from Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada of Tokyo, with Bishops Rafael Masahiro Umemura of Yokohama and Marcellino Taiji Tani of Saitama as co-consecrators.{{cn|date=May 2023}} He took as his motto {{Lang|la|Varietate Unitas}} (Unity in Diversity).<ref name=UC>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/former-missionary-to-africa-named-new-tokyo-archbishop/80624|title=Former missionary to Africa named new Tokyo archbishop|date=26 October 2017|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>

On 13 September 2014, Pope Francis named him a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 16 May 2023 | date = 13 September 2014 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2014/09/13/0632/01406.html | title = Rinunce e nomine, 13.09.2014 }}</ref>

He attended the beatification for Takayama Ukon in Osaka in 2017 and proposed the late samurai as "a model for all" since he had "renounced privileges and wealth for the faith".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.osv.com/TheChurch/SaintsandAngels/Canonization/Article/TabId/1309/ArtMID/15199/ArticleID/21564/Beatification-awaits-%E2%80%98samurai-of-Christ%E2%80%99.aspx|title=Beatification awaits 'samurai of Christ'|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor|author=Desmond O'Grady|date=25 January 2017|accessdate=27 October 2017|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030010/https://www.osv.com/TheChurch/SaintsandAngels/Canonization/Article/TabId/1309/ArtMID/15199/ArticleID/21564/Beatification-awaits-%E2%80%98samurai-of-Christ%E2%80%99.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Pope Francis appointed Kikuchi Archbishop of Tokyo on 25 October 2017.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 16 May 2023 | date = 25 October 2017 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/10/25/0737/01610.html | title = Rinunce e nomine, 25.10.2017 | publisher = Holy See Press Office }}</ref> Kikuchi was installed there on 16 December 2017.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

He has been a member of the Representative Council of Caritas International{{cn|date=May 2023}} and headed Caritas Asia from 2011 to 2019.<ref name=UC/> On 15 May 2023, Kikuchi was elected to a four-year term as president of Caritas Internationalis.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 16 May 2023 | date = 15 May 2023 | work = Crux | url = https://cruxnow.com/church/2023/05/new-caritas-leader-issues-call-to-walk-and-work-together | title = New Caritas leader issues call to 'walk and work together' | first = Nirmala | last = Carvalho }}</ref>

In the summer of 2021, when Japan had declared its fourth state of emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kikuchi canceled plans for his parishes to provide services to participants and support staff of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. He announced that those visiting Tokyo for the games "will be requested to refrain from visiting churches".<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 19 May 2023 | url = https://religionnews.com/2021/07/16/tokyo-archbishop-bans-olympians-from-catholic-churches-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases/ | date = 16 July 2021 | title = Tokyo archbishop bans Olympians from Catholic churches amid surge in COVID-19 cases | publisher = Religion News Service }}</ref>

Kikuchi is president of the Japanese Bishops Conference and secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 16 May 2023 | url = https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Archbishop-of-Tokyo-Msgr.-Kikuchi-president-of-Caritas-Internationalis-58380.html | work = Asia News | title = Archbishop of Tokyo Msgr. Kikuchi president of Caritas Internationalis | date = 14 May 2023 }}</ref>

On 6 October 2024, Pope Francis announced that he planned to make Kikuchi a cardinal on 8 December,<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 6 October 2024 | date = 6 October 2024 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/10/06/0774/01532.html | title = Annuncio di Concistoro l'8 dicembre per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 06.10.2024 }}</ref> a date that was later changed to 7 December.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 12 October 2024 | url = https://www.ncregister.com/cna/vatican-shares-pope-francis-schedule-for-december-consistory-to-create-cardinals?amp | first = Hannah | last = Brockhaus | date = 12 October 2024 | title = Vatican Shares Pope Francis' Schedule for December Consistory to Create Cardinals | work = National Catholic Register }}</ref> Kikuchi praised Francis for "this symbolic gesture of appointing number of cardinals from the challenging mission areas in Asia".<ref>{{cite news | work = Crux | access-date = 10 October 2024 | date = 9 October 2024 | url =https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2024/10/newly-appointed-cardinal-from-japan-said-pope-highlighting-challenging-mission-areas-in-asia | first = Nirmala | last = Carvalho | title = Newly appointed cardinal from Japan said Pope highlighting 'challenging mission areas in Asia' }}</ref>

On 7 December 2024, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him as a member of the order of cardinal priests the title of San Giovanni Leonardi.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 8 December 2024 | date = 7 December 2024 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/12/07/0975/01948.html | title = Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico: Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali, 07.12.2024 }}</ref>

He participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html| title=Cardinal Electors|date=6 May 2025|publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|language=en|access-date=6 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html|archive-date=6 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Positions== ===North Korea=== Kikuchi has been a staunch advocate for dialogue in relation to North Korea's nuclear program and their diplomatic crisis with the United States of America. In August 2017 he expressed his hope that the Japanese government would undertake "an initiative of dialogue that involves all the sides concerned in this crisis to find a diplomatic solution".<ref name=ZN>{{cite web|publisher=Zenit|accessdate=27 October 2017|date=25 October 2017|author=Marina Droujinina|title=Japan: Msgr. Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi New Archbishop, Tokyo|url=https://zenit.org/articles/japan-msgr-tarcisius-isao-kikuchi-new-archbishop-tokyo/}}</ref>

He also asserted that dialogue remains "the only solution to peaceful coexistence in this part of Asia". He also accused "new political leaders" of exploiting the confrontation for their own political purposes and called for renewed negotiations.<ref name=ZN/>

===Evangelization=== Kikuchi supports missionary and evangelization efforts. He affirms that it is vital to "sow and witness the Gospel in our society today" though ponders on "where and how to evangelize" in the community. Kikuchi continues that "it is up to us to proclaim and witness the joy of the Gospel to mankind today. The grace of Christ sustains us and guides us in this journey" to bring His message to others.<ref name=HM>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/archbishop-kikuchi-in-tune-with-the-pope-and-card-filoni-for-mission-in-japan/38382/1|title=Archbishop Kikuchi: In tune with the Pope and Card. Filoni for mission in Japan|date=19 September 2017|accessdate=27 October 2017}}</ref>

Kikuchi spoke on evangelization during the visit of Cardinal Fernando Filoni to Japan in September 2017 and expressed his hope that evangelization efforts on the part of the faithful would be "humble" but bold and direct.<ref name=HM/>

===The environment=== Kikuchi is a strong advocate of environmental protection and wrote a piece for ''Asia News'' in support of the pope's encyclical ''Laudato si'''.<ref name=AN>{{cite web|url=https://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Niigata-bishop,-Laudato-Si-is-for-future-generations,-the-poor-and-the-marginalized-34567.html|author=Bishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi|date=20 June 2015|publisher=Asia News|title=For Niigata bishop, Laudado si' is for future generations, the poor and the marginalised}}</ref> The bishop said that in the piece that it was the role of all Christians in the protection and development of the environment with the proper allocation of resources on an equal level. He further asserted that "we must act to protect the lives of future generations" if "environmental degradation" went unchecked and too far. He further elaborated that the encyclical provided a "solid foundation" to be built upon for committing oneself to environmental protection and activism.<ref name=AN/>

===LGBT rights=== thumb|An infographic in a store highlighting Kikuchi's recommendation of ''LGBT & Christianity''. Kikuchi recommended and contributed to ''LGBT and Christianity'', a volume supportive of LGBT rights, which was supervised by Aika Taira, a gay pastor of the United Church of Christ in Japan. The book was promoted by the Catholic HIV/AIDS Desk, an organization that, with the support of the Japanese Episcopal Conference, provides health information and fights anti-LGBT discrimination.<ref>[http://cath-aids-desk.jp/2023/03/24/924/ 書籍のご紹介「LGBTとキリスト教 20人のストーリー]カトリック HIV/AIDSデスク 2023年3月24日</ref><ref>{{cite web | access-date = 11 November 2024 | website = New Ways Ministry | url = https://www.newwaysministry.org/2024/10/07/popes-next-consistory-will-have-a-number-of-lgbtq-positive-new-cardinals/ | date = 7 October 2024 | title= Pope's Next Consistory Will Have a Number of LGBTQ-Positive New Cardinals }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat}} * [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkiku.html Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, S.V.D.] on Catholic Hierarchy * [https://tokyo.catholic.jp/en/archbishop/34029/ Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, S.V.D., Archbishop of Tokyo, Profile], Archdiocese of Tokyo

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=Francis Keiichi Sato}} {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Niigata|years=2004 – 2017}} {{s-aft|after=Paul Daisuke Narui}} {{s-bef|before=Peter Takeo Okada}} {{s-ttl|title=Archbishop of Tokyo|years=2017 – present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|Japan|Tokyo}} {{Cardinals of the Catholic Church}} {{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kikuchi, Tarcisio Isao}} Category:1958 births Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Japan Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II Category:Divine Word Missionaries Order Category:Japanese Roman Catholic missionaries Category:Living people Category:People from Iwate Prefecture Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in Ghana Category:Japanese Roman Catholic archbishops Category:Nanzan University alumni Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis Category:Japanese cardinals