Catholic charity Caritas Internationalis is in celebration after its President, Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo was appointed as a Cardinal by Pope Francis.
Archbishop Kikuchi has worked with Caritas for over 30 years and has been dedicated to helping those in life-threatening situations brought about by disasters and war.
For the international organisation, the milestone reflects the Archbishop’s dedication to service to the church and to the people in need across the world.
“Archbishop Kikuchi’s appointment is great recognition of his service of the church in Japan and Africa, his leadership of the Asian Bishops’ Conference, and his commitment to, and leadership of, the Caritas Confederation,” said Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis.
“He has a deep passion for serving the poorest and most marginalised people in society, and for building a world of compassion and justice, in which everyone can flourish and enjoy the goods of the earth.
“We celebrate and congratulate Archbishop Kikuchi on this significant achievement.”
Pope Francis announced Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi’s appointment, along with 20 other bishops, at the end of his weekly Sunday Angelus from the Apostolic Palace in St Peter’s Square on 6 October.
In his message, Pope Francis emphasized the global nature of the church, noting that the Cardinal-elects hail from many different parts of the world.
“Their origins expresses the universality of the church, which continues to proclaim God’s merciful love to all people on earth,” said Pope Francis.
The Consistory for the creation of 21 new Cardinals will be held at the Vatican on 8 December 2024, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and will precede the opening of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope while following the conclusion of the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality.