Originally published at National Catholic Register
The archbishop of Tokyo shared in an interview with CNA what qualities he is looking for in the next pope as he faces the possibility of participating in a future papal conclave after being named one of the Catholic Church’s new cardinals.
“If a conclave happens very soon, I think what we need is somebody to succeed the policy of Pope Francis,” Cardinal-elect Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi said.
“Because he started this synodal way to create the synodal Church, and if somebody comes in with … a different agenda, then what we have been doing is just in vain, just to disappear.”
Cardinal-elect Kikuchi, who is in Rome this month as a delegate in the Synod on Synodality, said one of the difficulties facing the newly appointed cardinals — who come from sees of Tehran, Iran; Turin, Italy; and Toronto, among others — is getting know the soon-to-be 140 voting members of the College of Cardinals.
“After the announcement was made, after a few days, I went through the website to look for all the names of the cardinals under 80 years old — so those who are eligible to vote in a conclave at this moment. And, I know some
