Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi was born in Iwate on 1 November 1958.[1] 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[2] and he was ordained a priest on 15 March 1986.[1] He did additional studies at the Spiritual Institute of Sacred Heart in Melbourne.[2]
From 1986 to 1992 he worked as a missionary in Ghana in the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua. 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.[2]
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.[3] 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.[2]
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".[5]
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".[8]
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".[10]
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.[10]
EvangelizationEdit
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.[11]
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.[11]
The environmentEdit
Kikuchi is a strong advocate of environmental protection and wrote a piece for Asia News in support of the pope's encyclicalLaudato si'.[12] 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.[12]
LGBTEdit
"LGBT & Christianity" and Archbishop Kikuchi's recommendation
Kikuchi recommended and contributed to a column to the pro LGBT book "LGBT and Christianity", supervised by Aika Taira, gay pastor of the United Church of Christ in Japan and the member of the Catholic HIV/AIDS Desk.[13]
ReferencesEdit
^ abc"Pope appoints a new bishop to Archdiocese of Tokyo, Japan". Vatican Radio. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^ abcde"Rinunce e Nomine, 14.05.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 14 May 2005. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^ abc"Former missionary to Africa named new Tokyo archbishop". 26 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^"Rinunce e nomine, 13.09.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^Desmond O'Grady (25 January 2017). . Our Sunday Visitor. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^"Rinunce e nomine, 25.10.2017" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^Carvalho, Nirmala (15 May 2023). "New Caritas leader issues call to 'walk and work together'". Crux. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^"Tokyo archbishop bans Olympians from Catholic churches amid surge in COVID-19 cases". Religion News Service. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
^"Archbishop of Tokyo Msgr. Kikuchi president of Caritas Internationalis". Asia News. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^ abMarina Droujinina (25 October 2017). "Japan: Msgr. Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi New Archbishop, Tokyo". Zenit. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^ ab"Archbishop Kikuchi: In tune with the Pope and Card. Filoni for mission in Japan". 19 September 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^ abBishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi (20 June 2015). "For Niigata bishop, Laudado si' is for future generations, the poor and the marginalised". Asia News.
tarcisio, isao, kikuchi, 菊地, citation, needed, born, november, 1958, japanese, catholic, prelate, member, divine, word, missionaries, been, archbishop, tokyo, since, 2017, president, caritas, international, since, 2023, bishop, niigata, from, 2004, 2017, previ. Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi SVD 菊地 功 citation needed born 1 November 1958 is a Japanese Catholic prelate and a member of the Divine Word Missionaries who has been Archbishop of Tokyo since 2017 and president of Caritas International since May 2023 He was the Bishop of Niigata from 2004 to 2017 He previously worked as a missionary in Ghana The Most ReverendTarcisio Isao KikuchiS V D Archbishop of TokyoPresident of Caritas InternationalKikuchi in 2018Native name菊地 功 citation needed ChurchCatholic ChurchArchdioceseTokyoSeeTokyoAppointed25 October 2017Installed16 December 2017PredecessorPeter Takeo OkadaOrdersOrdination15 March 1986by Aloysius Nobuo SomaConsecration20 September 2004by Peter Takeo OkadaPersonal detailsBornTarcisio Isao Kikuchi 1958 11 01 1 November 1958 age 64 Miyako Iwate JapanPrevious post s Bishop of Niigata 2004 17 Apostolic Administrator of Sapporo 2009 13 MottoVarietate unitas Unity in Diversity 多様性の中の統一 citation needed Tayō sei no naka no tōitsu citation needed Coat of armsStyles of Tarcisio Isao KikuchiReference styleThe Most ReverendSpoken styleYour GraceReligious styleMonsignorPosthumous stylenot applicableOrdination history of Tarcisio Isao KikuchiHistoryPriestly ordinationOrdained byAloysius Nobuo Soma Nagoya DateFebruary 27 1982PlaceNagoyaEpiscopal consecrationPrincipal consecratorPeter Takeo OkadaCo consecratorsRafael Masahiro Umemura Yokohama Marcellino Taiji Tani Saitama DateDecember 12 2001CardinalateDateNovember 24 2012Episcopal successionBishops consecrated by Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi as principal consecratorMario Michiaki Yamanouchi S D B September 24 2018Paul Daisuke Narui S V D September 22 2020Edgar Gacutan C I C M March 19 2022Kikuchi has served as president of Caritas Japan and Caritas Asia as well a member of the Representative Council of Caritas International Contents 1 Life 2 Positions 2 1 North Korea 2 2 Evangelization 2 3 The environment 2 4 LGBT 3 References 4 External linksLife EditTarcisio Isao Kikuchi was born in Iwate on 1 November 1958 1 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 2 and he was ordained a priest on 15 March 1986 1 He did additional studies at the Spiritual Institute of Sacred Heart in Melbourne 2 From 1986 to 1992 he worked as a missionary in Ghana in the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua 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 2 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 3 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 2 Pope John Paul II appointed him the Bishop of Niigata on 29 April 2004 2 He received his episcopal consecration on 20 September 1 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 citation needed He took as his motto Vatietate Unitas Unity in Diversity 3 On 13 September 2014 Pope Francis named him a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples 4 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 5 Pope Francis appointed Kikuchi Archbishop of Tokyo on 25 October 2017 6 Kikuchi was installed there on 16 December 2017 citation needed He has been a member of the Representative Council of Caritas International citation needed and headed Caritas Asia from 2011 to 2019 3 On 15 May 2023 Kikuchi was elected to a four year term as president of Caritas International 7 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 8 Kikuchi is president of the Japanese Bishops Conference and secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences 9 Positions EditNorth Korea Edit 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 10 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 10 Evangelization Edit 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 11 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 11 The environment Edit Kikuchi is a strong advocate of environmental protection and wrote a piece for Asia News in support of the pope s encyclical Laudato si 12 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 12 LGBT Edit nbsp LGBT amp Christianity and Archbishop Kikuchi s recommendationKikuchi recommended and contributed to a column to the pro LGBT book LGBT and Christianity supervised by Aika Taira gay pastor of the United Church of Christ in Japan and the member of the Catholic HIV AIDS Desk 13 References Edit a b c Pope appoints a new bishop to Archdiocese of Tokyo Japan Vatican Radio 25 October 2017 Retrieved 27 October 2017 a b c d e Rinunce e Nomine 14 05 2004 Press release in Italian Holy See Press Office 14 May 2005 Retrieved 16 May 2023 a b c Former missionary to Africa named new Tokyo archbishop 26 October 2017 Retrieved 27 October 2017 Rinunce e nomine 13 09 2014 Press release in Italian Holy See Press Office 13 September 2014 Retrieved 16 May 2023 Desmond O Grady 25 January 2017 Beatification awaits samurai of Christ Our Sunday Visitor Archived from the original on 27 October 2017 Retrieved 27 October 2017 Rinunce e nomine 25 10 2017 Press release Holy See Press Office 25 October 2017 Retrieved 16 May 2023 Carvalho Nirmala 15 May 2023 New Caritas leader issues call to walk and work together Crux Retrieved 16 May 2023 Tokyo archbishop bans Olympians from Catholic churches amid surge in COVID 19 cases Religion News Service 16 July 2021 Retrieved 19 May 2023 Archbishop of Tokyo Msgr Kikuchi president of Caritas Internationalis Asia News 14 May 2023 Retrieved 16 May 2023 a b Marina Droujinina 25 October 2017 Japan Msgr Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi New Archbishop Tokyo Zenit Retrieved 27 October 2017 a b Archbishop Kikuchi In tune with the Pope and Card Filoni for mission in Japan 19 September 2017 Retrieved 27 October 2017 a b Bishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi 20 June 2015 For Niigata bishop Laudado si is for future generations the poor and the marginalised Asia News 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External links Edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi S V D on Catholic Hierarchy Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi S V D Archbishop of Tokyo Profile Archdiocese of TokyoCatholic Church titlesPreceded byFrancis Keiichi Sato Bishop of Niigata2004 2017 Succeeded byPaul Daisuke NaruiPreceded byPeter Takeo Okada Archbishop of Tokyo2017 present IncumbentPortals nbsp Biography nbsp Catholicism nbsp Japan nbsp Tokyo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi amp oldid 1176614537, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
