Caritas Internationalis head says, ‘All can bring hope to the world’

Every person can bring hope to the world, says Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD, the head of Caritas Internationalis, the charitable organization of the Catholic Church, in his Easter message. 

When Catholics join for the Easter vigil celebration in parishes or church communities, the priest presider lights a small fire on the Easter candle in the darkness and then distributes the same flame to each person who holds a small candle.

“What one finds is that amid the darkness, a small flame on the candle can create brightness in the chapel or church. There is no electricity in the darkness, but everybody is holding a small light, which can create a beautiful and bright color, and that is what we want to do,” said Archbishop Kikuchi, a member of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Drawing a parallel from the above as an analogy, he said, “Each person has a small ability to do charity. We cannot do big things, but if we come together and bring our small abilities together, we can create some hope. Then, the entire community can create the real brightness of the light, the hope, and the life. That is what we need to do,” said the president of Caritas Internationalis.

Caritas Internationalis is the confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations that work in over 200 countries and territories.

Caritas Internationalis is known for its relief and rehabilitation work. “We want to distribute food, provide financial assistance, and build things, but the most important thing is to bring hope together with the community, and that is what we can do,” he said. 

“Each of us can hold a small candle of light, but when everybody can come together, then darkness will disappear,” said Kikuchi, Archbishop of Tōkyō, Japan.

“So once again, happy Easter, and I wish you all that you will have the ability to carry the small candle and the light to bring hope to all people,” he added.

He also currently serves as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan and secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).