In the last edition of the Electronic Information Service we reported on the first portion of Father General’s trip to India; we now present the second half. Father Nicolás went to Goa where he experienced a most moving celebration of Mass at the altar of St. Francis Xavier. In his homily, Father General said how deeply touched he was to “celebrate the Eucharist at the altar of Saint Francis Xavier, with his body behind me and today’s Jesuits in front of me.” The homily focused on the heart, “in Asia, people want to see, and if our preaching does not touch the heart and does not show itself in actions and in behaviors, words have no efficacy.” After a short stop in Mumbai visiting the Jesuits, Father General returned to Rome. When he was back, I asked him two short questions. We present his responses and offer our wholehearted thanks for his availability.
What are your impressions about the Society after this first trip to India?
India continues to challenge any simplistic effort at easy classification. The variety of peoples, cultures, traditions, styles, etc. is so great that one cannot but admire the ease and naturalness with which people live side by side. It is the kind of naturalness that one would expect from very mature and experienced communities.
The Jesuits share in this multi-cultural life, with the advantage that the underlying social or caste distinctions are practically invisible, even if realism encourages us to think that they are not totally and definitely absent. Christian or human maturity is never the fruit of good will alone.
My visit has not covered the whole territory of India. But the little I have seen makes me think that the Society of Jesus in India has made its own the Church’s option for the poor. I have been in touch with more Dalit and Adivasi people and communities in my visits than with any other groups. The Jesuits are quite committed to these communities with a very simple and deeply inserted presence; and working on creative and life-giving projects that contribute to education, access to energy and water, community building or human dignity and rights.
Another encouraging factor is the ease with which our men refer to deeper spiritual realities in the midst of life, apostolic work or social concerns. The Indian spiritual traditions have left in its people such a sense of the divine that it does not take much effort to detect it in conversations as well as in many other social expressions of their life.
Which are at the moment the most important problems and the challenges the Society has to face in India?
The challenges are many and complex. To name a few, I note:
– Leadership at a time of deep and drastic social and cultural change within India itself and in relationship to the rest of the world.
– The demographic change within our ranks, and the implications this has for the spiritual as well as academic training of our men, who come to us with different cultural tools and even differently trained brains and/or sensibilities.
– The development of a deeply Indian and Christian Philosophy and Theology, without weakening the ongoing communion and conversation with the rest of the Church.
– As the communication and cooperation among the different Regions and Provinces develops and grows, greater coordination will be needed to ensure that truly qualified and creative men are assigned to the training of Jesuits and the most influential apostolates of the Assistancy.
– The preparation of Jesuits in different areas of Spirituality, Theology and Other Sciences, who could become resource persons for the whole Society of Jesus and could be invited to other parts of the world to assist.
– And many other such challenges.
CURIA
Starting on the 16th of March, fourteen new Provincials from six Conferences are attending a two-week Colloquium being held at the General Curia in Rome. This is the first of the three gatherings scheduled for this year, two in the English language and one in the Spanish and Italian languages. The agenda is quite full; its purpose is to give to new Provincials an overview of the issues the Society is facing today and at the same time let them learn about the commitments and duties of a Provincial regarding cura personalis, community and apostolic life, from the legal, legislative, financial and organizational viewpoints. The Colloquium offers Father General the opportunity to come to a more personal understanding of his closest collaborators and bring them up to date on the governance of the Society as well as the progress of the projects he received from the 35th General Congregation. New Provincials have the chance to better understand the General Curia, with all its offices and secretariats, and visit the International Roman Houses.
The General Curia website (www.sjweb.info) has expanded the resources available to Jesuits. In the as usum nostrorum section, the letters of Fathers General are available to the whole Society in the three official languages (English, French, Spanish) and when available, Italian. The letters are listed by date of issue from the most recent to the more ancient. These can be viewed and downloaded. At the moment, only the more recent letters are posted; plans are underway to add the older letters a few at a time. For Jesuits who wish to but are not registered to enter the ad usum nostrorum section, are asked to follow the instructions on the home page of www.sjweb.info; in a few days a password will be sent via email. This area is restricted to current members of the Society of Jesus.