Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

The Hikari (Light) Project, initiated by Robert Gerzanick, a religion teacher at Annunciation Catholic Academy in Altamonte Springs, aims to foster cultural exchange and evangelization through friendships. The project involves a letter and video exchange with Shizuoka Futaba Gakuen, a 120-year-old Catholic school in Japan.

Gerzanick's interest in Japanese culture began four years ago when he started martial arts classes. He observed that many students are drawn to Japanese pop culture through manga and animé comics. As a doctoral student at St. Leo University in Applied Theology, he saw an opportunity to merge this interest with Catholic theology.

“When somebody is without food and shelter, sharing the light of Christ is easier,” Gerzanick said. “When someone is hungry and needs a full belly, there’s an opportunity to share Christ’s love with them."

The initiative aligns with the New Evangelization theology of St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, which encourages Catholics to be evangelized and then go forth to evangelize. Gerzanick reached out to Catholic schools in Japan for collaboration.

Tom Illingworth from Shizuoka Futaba Gakuen contacted Gerzanick before his planned trip to Japan. During his visit, Gerzanick presented students with a banner signed by his academy students that read “Hajimemashite,” meaning “Nice to meet you.” The banner was displayed in Mari Nagao’s English grammar classroom.

While the school is Catholic, most students and teachers are not Catholic themselves. Education there is viewed as a path to better opportunities rather than religious instruction.

Gerzanick expressed his “goal of sharing the light of Christ through friendship.” In return, Japanese teachers hope their students will improve their English conversation skills.

Annunciation students have written first drafts of letters introducing themselves and sharing interests about their faith while respecting cultural differences. They plan to send videos early next year.

“Remember, our friends in Japan... may not be themselves Catholic," Gerzanick advised his students on discussing faith respectfully.

Kate S., an eighth-grader at Annunciation Academy, expressed excitement about learning from peers in Japan: "someone who comes from such a different culture." Seventh-grader Maggie H. also looks forward to sharing her relationship with God despite differing traditions.

Pope Benedict XVI emphasized re-proposing the Gospel where Christianity faces challenges due to secularization—a situation present in Japan according to Gerzanick—providing an opportunity for re-evangelization efforts through projects like this one.

“I want (my students) to think bigger," said Gerzanick regarding understanding Catholicism as universal beyond local confines or Europe but globally inclusive everywhere providing chances for spreading Christ's light universally.”