Cardinals-elect Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD; Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM; and Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo answer questions during a Synod on Synodality press briefing on Oct. 8, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
He also mentioned the great grace of many priestly vocations in the Church in Africa.
Kikuchi of Tokyo also pointed out the large number of vocations to the priesthood coming from countries in Asia, though he remarked that Japan is unfortunately not included in this.
“There is a point in [the synodal assembly] in which we discussed the exchange of gifts from one Church to the other — those who have and those who don’t have. Formerly it was understood as rich Churches, those who have money and resources, who support the poor countries like in Asia and Africa,” Kikuchi said.
With more priestly vocations coming from Asian and African countries, however, “the exchange of gifts is changing … from the developing countries to the developed countries,” he said.
Spengler, president of the Brazilian bishops’ conference and president of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) since 2023, said Brazil and other Latin American countries are celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of immigrants from Germany, Italy, and other countries to the continent.
“Somehow [these immigrants] promoted a process of evangelization in Latin America in a historical context other than our own, and they did this so well,” he said. “Today, if we have a Christian tradition that is strong and lively [in Latin America] we owe it to immigrants.”
The archbishop said the immigrants were brave to leave their own countries and cross the ocean, in some cases more than 200 years ago, to a continent where there was little at the time. But most importantly, he added, they brought the Catholic faith with them.
He said today’s challenge for the Church in traditionally Christian countries is understanding how to present the faith to the next generation.
Source link : https://www.ncregister.com/cna/new-cardinals-say-europe-is-becoming-the-catholic-church-s-new-peripheries
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Publish date : 2024-10-08 19:29:03
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