One of the new cardinals named by Pope Francis on Saturday, December 7, was Cardinal Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo.

Japan has over 120 million people, but only 1.26 million of these are Christians, and the Catholic population is estimated to be just over 400,000.

“Our life is always full of surprises. Whenever we encounter such surprises in our life, surprises which we have no control over them, we are reminded that we are not the master of our life but God who granted us precious gift of life,” Kikuchi told Crux.

“He must have His own plan and allowed such surprises to happen. So, whenever we encounter surprises in our life, we are humbled,” the new cardinal said.

He said he was “truly humbled” when Pope Francis named him on Oct. 6, while he was attending the Synod on Synodality in Rome. The Japanese archbishop said that being a cardinal is something “for which I never imagined nor planned as a part of my life.”

He said he was “still contemplating to find out what God want me to do now.”

“Truly it is a great honor to the Church of Tokyo and the Church of Japan to have yet another cardinal. At the same time, this appointment calls us to fulfill our responsibility in the Mission of the Church. As Holy Father in 2019 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki called for complete peace by abolishing nuclear weapons, it is the responsibility of Church in Japan to be a front runner for peace building,” Kikuchi said.

He explained to Crux that Christians are still an “absolute minority in most parts of Asia.”

“Therefore, it is the must for Asian Church to commit ourselves in inter-religious dialogue. It is not a compromise of our conviction but to synergies our potential to create better world where will of God would be realized through peace building, protection of human dignity, protection of environment, eradication of poverty and assisting people in difficult life situation,” the newly appointed cardinal said.

“Especially at this moment of the time, movement of people over national boundary has been major cause of creating challenging environment to many in Asia. Asian Church is expected to be a champion of protecting people on move their dignity,” he explained.

Kikuchi said having a number of cardinals among Asian bishops – especially among leaders the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), which represents the Catholic Church in Asia. – symbolizes Church’s expectation for Asian Church to be “a front runner for protection of human dignity.”

The new Japanese also serves as President of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican’s international aid agency. He said he had nothing to add on this issue, except that Francis has been calling for a Synodal Church, “walking and working together, assisting each other and listening to each other.”

“Being Synodal Church is what Caritas has been doing for many years in all over the world. Therefore, creating a President of Caritas as a Cardinal, the Holy Father is showing his expectation for Caritas to be a front runner of the Synodal Church,” he told Crux.

Kikuchi also mentioned the theme of the Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope.

“What we need at this moment when violence against human lives are increasing all over the world and majority of people are driven to despair, is hope,” he said.

“So, I wish my presence as a new cardinal would be a part of source of creating hope among people through my words and deeds which should represent love and mercy of God,” the new Japanese cardinal said.

“I know I am not capable enough to fulfill these requirements being a cardinal, I humbly ask your continuous prayer and support,” Kikuchi told Crux.