TO ALL MAJOR SUPERIORS

Reverend and dear Father,

P.C.

In this year which marks the 4OOth Anniversary of the first Ratio Studio¬rum, I am happy to present the work of the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education and to publish The Characteristics of Jesuit Education. The document is for all Jesuits, and also for all lay people and members of other religious congregations collaborating with us in our apos¬tolates, especially in our educational institutions.

A document listing the characteristics of Jesuit education is not a new Ratio Studiorum. However, like the Ratio produced at the end of the 16th century and as a continuation of the tradition begun then, it can give us a common vision and a common sense of purpose; it can be a standard against which we measure ourselves.

The Jesuit educational apostolate has been seriously examined in recent years; in some countries it is in a state of crisis. Many factors, including government restrictions, economic pressures and a severe shortage of person¬nel, make the future uncertain in these countries. At the same time, in many parts of the world, there is clear evidence of renewal.

I am grateful to everyone involved in Jesuit education, both Jesuits and the thousands of other Religious and lay women and men who have worked with us in this apostolate. They have given dedicated service as teachers, administra¬tors, governors or staff, and they have shown added dedication in contributing to the work of renewal. We have moved forward; it is now possible to synthe¬size our efforts into a new statement of our objectives in education, and to use this statement as an instrument for further renewal: for deeper study of our educational work and for its evaluation. The publication of these Charac¬teristics is at once an expression of great confidence in the importance of this apostolate, and an expression of my prayerful hope that it can be ever more effective in achieving its objectives.

Parents make great sacrifices to provide a good education for their chil¬dren, and it is given high priority by the Church and by civil governments; the Society must continue to respond to this vital need in today’s world. Therefore, in spite of difficulties and uncertainty, education remains a preferential apostolate of the Society of Jesus. The teacher in the classroom and the administrator in the office, Jesuit and lay, exercise a ministry of service to Church and to society which can still have great apostolic effec¬tiveness.

A month ago, in writing to the whole Society on “Apostolic Discernment in Common,” I said that this apostolic discernment “is exercised. . . with re¬gard to the experience of the apostolate and how best to manage it… always looking for more suitable ‘means’ to accomplish faithfully and effectively the mission received, taking into account continually changing circumstances.”

The Characteristics can assist all those working in Jesuit education to “exercise” this essential task of apostolic discernment. It can be the basis for renewed reflection on the experience of the educational apostolate and, in light of that reflection, for evaluation of school policies and practices: not only negatively (“What are we doing wrong?”), but especially positively (“How can we do better?”).

This must take account of “continually changing” local circumstances: individual countries or regions should reflect on the meaning and implications of the characteristics for their own local situa¬tions, and should then develop supplementary documents that apply this present universal document to their own concrete and specific needs.

Apostolic discernment “in common” is the work of the entire educational “community”. Jesuits contribute their knowledge and experience of Ignatian spirituality, while lay people contribute their own experiences of family, social and political life. Our common mission will be the more effective to the extent that we can all continue to learn from one another.

The Commission, established in 198O to help further renewal in Jesuit secondary education, has naturally made secondary education the direct focus of their work. But much of this document is applicable to all areas of Jesuit education, while the principles can be applied to all Jesuit apostolates. Those working in other Jesuit educational institutions, especially in univer¬sities and university colleges, should make the adaptations that are needed, or develop from this present document a new one which will fit their situation more appropriately. Those in other Jesuit apostolates, whether in parishes or retreat work or the social apostolate, can use the document as a basis for their own apostolic discernment.

In order to make this discernment possible, the Characteristics must have a wide distribution, according to the needs and customs of each Province, and must be read and known by all concerned. I would suggest, therefore, that a personal copy be made available to all teachers, administrators and members of governing boards – both Jesuit and lay – in the Jesuit secondary schools of your Province. A summary of the document could be distributed to the parents of the students. Similarly, copies should be made available to Jesuits and lay people working in other apostolates. In many cases this will require translation; in all cases it will require the printing of multiple copies in an attractive form suitable for convenient reading. To accomplish this task, you may wish to call on the help of your Province Delegate for Education, and you may wish to work together with other Major Superiors in your country or Assistancy.

I want to thank the members of the International Commission on the Apos¬tolate of Jesuit Education for their work during the past four years to pro¬duce the Characteristics. This document, like the Ratio Studiorum of 1586, has gone through numerous drafts, taking advantage of worldwide consultations. But only experience will reveal a possible lack of

clarity, an omission or a misplaced emphasis. Therefore I am presenting The Characteristics of Jesuit Education as Father General Claudio Aquaviva presented the first Ratio in ¬1586: “not as definitive or final, for that would be very difficult and per¬haps impossible; rather as an instrument which will help us meet whatever difficulties we may encounter, because it gives the whole Society one single perspective.”

Fraternally in Christ,

Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J.
Superior General

Rome, December 8, 1986
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Appointments

Father General has appointed:

• – Fr George Cela Carvajal President of the Conference of Latin America Provincials. He was born in Cuba in 1941, entered the Society in 1959, was ordained a priest in 1970 and was Superior of the Cuba Region since 2010. He has worked for several years in the Dominican Republic, and was Director of the International Federation Fe y Alegria.

From the Provinces

ASIA-PACIFIC: Forming Jesuits for Asia-Pacific

The Jesuit Conference of Asia-Pacific has released a detailed document on the formation of Jesuits for its part of the world. It is entitled “Forming a Contemplative in Action: A Profile of a Formed Jesuit for Asia Pacific”. The document addresses three major questions – What does a formed Jesuit look like? What specific issues does initial formation need to address? What competencies does a formed Jesuit for Asia-Pacific need to have mastered? The Profile was prepared by a special Committee. The Committee stresses that the Profile is not intended as a one-size-fits-all approach to Jesuit formation, as the Society has always attracted a mix of personalities. Our formation process aims to help a scholastic or brother in formation to recognize and affirm his unique talents, and to develop them further in the service of apostolic mission. The Profile details the fundamentals for a contemplative in action – the Committee says that the Jesuit in formation finds himself at the centre of six interrelated dynamics. If he is open to these, they have the potential to form him as a contemplative in action. The six dynamics are interiority, psychosexual and affective integration, conversation, critical thinking, a universal perspective and discerned action. The Committee recognized that the Asia-Pacific Conference is more diverse than other Assistances, with significant differences in language, culture and experience. It acknowledged that the particularities of formation should appropriately be sorted out at the provincial or regional level. The document can be downloaded from the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific website at: http://sjapc.net/what-we-do/forming-contemplative-action-profile-formed-jesuit-asia-pacific.

AUSTRALIA: A Doorway to Indigenous Leadership

The name of the new Aboriginal Studies Centre opened in St. Ignatius’ College at Riverview is Yennibeu, which means “coming together to become one, respect and caring for each other, a unification of spirit.” The Centre wants to strengthen the college’s commitment to the education of young indigenous men and the promotion of indigenous culture. Yennibeu will serve as a research centre and classroom for year 11 and 12 aboriginal studies students. According to Kurt Bartelme, Riverview’s Aboriginal Studies teacher in charge of the centre, this year has seen the largest aboriginal studies class in the last 10 years with 18 boys in the program. Both the name and the location of the centre hold great significance. The name “indicates a need to understand the complexity of language and culture and our commitment with our indigenous brothers. The location is on the top floor, and this is very symbolic for the importance placed on Aboriginal Studies.” The opening of Yennibeu adds another marker in the timeline of Riverview’s Indigenous program. Starting with a generous bursary in the 1990s, the school began a bursary program which provides indigenous boys the advantage of a Jesuit education. Today, indigenous boarders make up 1.8% of the school’s total population – coincidentally the same proportion of indigenous people living in Australian society.

BANGLADESH: Great Success for “MAGIS Bangla Camp”

The 350 applicants for the 72 places at the Magis Bangla Camp (MAGIS means “Marching and Growing in Solidarity”), show that the movement is getting ever more popular. Magis Bangla Camp is the annual camp of a new Catholic youth movement run by Jesuits in Bangladesh. During the camp, which was held in Baromari (Mymensingh diocese) from November 8^th to 12^th, conventional classroom-type activities made way for practical learning experiences, such as bonding sessions, meditation, swimming, craftwork and sports. This alternative approach to youth formation focuses on the physical, mental and spiritual changes in young people. It helps them observe life more closely and learn from experiences so that they may be more successful in their future careers. Camp members were also expected to carry out daily domestic chores, including the cooking and cleaning. At the end of the camp participants said that it was a great experience and they learned many things there. Here is the comment of one of them: “I’ve participated in diocese and national level youth gatherings which were boring since we were stuck in a classroom most of the time. Here we’ve learned practical skills, to be real human beings and to respect one another.”

CHINA: Oratorio tribute to Matteo Ricci

The Guangqi Music School Choir of Shanghai diocese has just completed its first tour, performing an oratorio production that depicts the life of the revered Italian Jesuit, Father Matteo Ricci (1552-1610). From November 4 to 6, the 50-strong choir performed at Nanmen and Longgang churches in Wenzhou diocese, and the Assumption Cathedral in Ningbo diocese. Wu Jiagong, the school principal and a noted expert in Chinese sacred music, explained that the eight-part oratorio is still a work in progress. “The composition, in both classical and contemporary Chinese, was started last year and so far only four acts have been completed. It is a huge project involving many people,” he said. “Like many Italian and Chinese Catholics, I have prayed for the canonization of Father Ricci and his closest Chinese friend, Xu Guangqi, who was the first Catholic in Shanghai.” Wu added: “composing oratorios for the two sages has always been a wish of mine. I hope to promote the deeds of the two early Church figures through music, to encourage local Catholics to learn from them.”

COLOMBIA: 40 Years of Fe y Alegría

During 2011, Fe y Alegría Colombia held various religious, educational, sport and cultural events in different regions of the country. This was to mark the 40^thanniversary of its work in Colombia, providing primary and formal education, and promoting of social justice through its programs. Each event provided an opportunity for local personalities, teachers, students and families of the centers of Fe y Alegría to celebrate its activities. Father José María Vélaz, S.J. founded the movement and provided it with principles which have made possible a significant improvement in the quality of the education received by children and young people in the poorer areas of the country. Fe y Alegría helps them to work towards the construction of a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.

ITALY: More on Brother Pozzo

On the occasion of the 300^th anniversary of the death of Andrea Pozzo (30^thOctober 1642 – 31^st August 1709), two important initiatives have been held in recent years. One of them was organized by the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Austrian Historical Institute, in conjunction with the Bibliotheca Hertziana and Max-Planck Institute. It was an exhibition held from the 3^rd March to the 3^rdMay 2010, and a congress that took place from 18^th to 20^th November 2009. The documents of the congress were presented in a publication launched on November 23^rd 2011 at the Austrian Historical Institute. The volume collects the presentations of the speakers at the congress, all of whom were experts from renowned national and international academic institutions. They analyzed the complex artistic work of Pozzo under various headings, offering new insights and interesting reflections which will help future documentary research and criticism. Andrea Pozzo can surely be considered one of the most extraordinary artists of European baroque. His work ranges from painting, to architecture, and to “sacred scenography”. He was also a theoretician on perspective and color, and he wrote one of the most famous works in this field: the two large illustrated volumesPerspectiva pictorum et architectorum (Rome 1693/1700).

ROME: New Resources for JRS Service

To commemorate the thirty-first anniversary of the foundation of the organization, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) announced the launch of a new section of its website: Theology, spirituality and ethics, as a basis of the JRS mission. “Surrounded by mindless violence, war and displacement, it is hard to make sense of it all.  It seems so meaningless and can lead us to despair. That is why we have launched this new initiative, to give ethical and spiritual meaning to our work”, said JRS International Director, Peter Balleis S.J.. The new section explores the key issues facing JRS staff in their service and advocacy work with refugees and other forcibly displaced migrants. It focuses on serving faith, promoting justice and enhancing inter-religious understanding, while also placing emphasis on how best JRS can, in the words of the Superior General of the Jesuits, Adolfo Nicolás, foster reconciliation and Gospel hospitality. In addition to providing theological, spiritual and ethical resources to assist better those working in this challenging ministry, the papers seek to promote understanding of how JRS shapes its project and advocacy agenda as an Ignatian faith-based organization. For more information:www.jrs.net

ROME: Office for Development

The first year’s activity of the pilot project to establish development offices in four Provinces – Philippines (Asia-Pacific, JCAP), Madhya Pradesh (South Asia, JCSA), Malta (Europe, CEP) and East Africa (Africa and Madagascar, JESAM) – ended with a seminar on formation in planning, management, and the presentation of accounts. This was held at the end of November in Nairobi, Kenya. Its participants were the directors of apostolic works of the Provinces of East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Sudan). Given the differences in history, culture and current situation, each of the pilot projects travelled an individual path. But each of them centered on the collection of funds locally, on the support they receive from other Provinces, and on international cooperation. These new Offices for Development seem to strengthen the relationship between our benefactors (“companions in the mission”) and the sustainability of our apostolic mission in the different regions. In 2012, the Office of the Assistant Treasurer for Development Resources (ATDR its acronym in English) will help to establish a Development Office in the Indonesian Province, selected by the Provincials of Asia Pacific Assistancy. The Philippines Development Office will support this venture by offering what it has learnt in the past year.

SPAIN:  The Universidad Loyola Andalucía becomes a reality

On November 23^rd the Parliament of Andalusia approved the reform of the law for universities under which the Universidad Loyola Andalucía officially becomes the first private university of the region. The Universidad Loyola Andalucía is sponsored by the Society of Jesus, and academically part of ETEA, the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences of the University of Cordoba. In the 2013-2014 academic year, it will begin courses in Business, Economic, Law, Political and Social Sciences, Communication, Education and Engineering at its two bases in Cordoba and Seville. The president of Insa-ETEA and of the Universidad Loyola AndalucíaFoundation, Fr. Ildefonso Camacho, said: “This is very good news, because it confirms an andalusian project for the world . . . Loyola aims to be a university for everybody, open to anyone who wants to study and to be trained in it, in which no social or economic differences to be an obstacle.” One of the main features of the project is its support of the Society of Jesus. This was demonstrated, at the one hand, by its highest representative, the superior general Adolfo Nicolás. He was in Seville some weeks ago to visit the Province and to meet Felipe Benjumea, president of Abengoa, and other top representatives of the project. On the other hand, the rector of the Loyola University in Chicago, Fr. Michael Garanzini, who is responsible for Jesuit universities all over the world, was also in Seville less than a month ago to strongly support the project.

Jesuitica

Starting Cities. In January 1554, Fathers Joseph de Anchieta (now Blessed) and de Nobrega established a mission and school at a small village in Brazil. They celebrated the first Mass there on the feast of the conversion of St Paul, so they called the place São Paulo. São Paulo is now the 7th largest city in the world, with a population of 18,850,000. In 1567 the same pair founded a settlement in what is now Rio de Janeiro, the world’s 22nd biggest city with 10,560,000 people. Two Brazilian cities carry his name. Joseph wrote the first dramas in Brazil in Latin, Portuguese and Tupi (an Indian language), so he is named Father of Brazilian literature. He wrote a famous poem to the Virgin Mary, allegedly writing it every morning on the wet sand of a beach and committing it to memory until he could much later transcribe its more than 4,000 verses to paper (AMDG Express). 

In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius Loyola often urges us to “pray for what you want.” Here’s a short talk from a TED conference about doing that. The speaker talks about praise, gratitude, and saying “thank you.” (Click here if you can’t see the video.) 

by Jim Manney

Larry Gillick, SJ is a special Jesuit. Blind since childhood, he has been a Jesuit for 50 years and has had a varied and fruitful career. Among other accomplishments, he is one of the authors of Retreat in the Real World, a popular adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises. He does retreat work all over the US, and lives in the Jesuit community at Creighton University.

In this video, he talks about how God called him to be a priest. (Click here to watch it on YouTube.)

When John Endres, S.J., and Julia Prinz, V.D.M.F., traveled to Asia in 2009 with a delegation from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, they were not sure to expect. Their trip gave them unique insights into the lives of their students, in particular women religious, who travel from the Pacific Rim to study theology in Berkeley. They witnessed women working closely with the poor and practicing a theology that grew from the culture. Sr. Prinz and Fr. Endres recently spoke about their journey at a “Theology in the City” lecture sponsored by JSTB. Pictured above: novices of the Daughters of St. Anne, in Ranchi, Jharkanland, India. Photograph courtesy of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity.

Kerry Weber considers what gifts we can offer to one another, and to Christ, this Advent season.

by Tom McGrath

One year during Advent, our parish priest invited us to write down on a slip of paper a word that named something that is keeping us from getting closer to God. He suggested it might be a fear, a resentment, or an attitude that shuts us off from the love God so wants to give. We were to fold the paper over a few times, grasp it tightly in one hand, and make a fist around it while he began to preach on the Scripture readings.

After a minute, my hand began to ache. At two minutes, my hand grew numb. At three minutes, the hand started shaking uncontrollably. He told us to open our hands. I found how hard it was to do that. After grasping the piece of paper so tightly, my hand had stiffened and seemed to have a mind of its own.

I can’t remember what else he said that day, but I have never forgotten that lesson. Hold on to a resentment, fear, or bad attitude long enough and you will become paralyzed.

As I begin Advent every year now, I start with the realization that I need to let go of any and all spiritual impediments I’m hanging onto. Advent is a time of receiving. It’s hard to receive if your hands are clasped shut. So I begin Advent once again with this prayer: Holy Spirit of God, open my hands, my eyes, my ears, all my senses, and all of my heart so I will be ready to receive your Advent blessings.

And then I sit there in the Advent darkness, my hands open before me, waiting on God.

 Jim Manney

“Magis” is an important concept in Ignatian spirituality. It is the Latin word for the greater or the best. It captures the thirst for excellence that Ignatius wanted to foster in those who seek to serve God.

What does “magis” really mean? That’s the question Paul Coutinho asks in this talk. Specifically, he asks whether it means doing more or being more.

Magis: Doing More or Being More? from SLU Mission & Ministry on Vimeo.

by Paul Brian Campbell, SJ 

“What is the highest act a person can perform?”

“Sitting in meditation.”

But the Master himself was rarely seen to sit in meditation. He was ceaselessly engaged in housework and fieldwork, in meeting people and writing books. He even took up the bookkeeping chores of the monastery.

“Why then, do you spend all your time in work”?

“When one works, one need not cease to sit in meditation.”

by Paul Brian Campbell, SJ 

For all his holiness, the Master seemed vaguely opposed to religion. This never ceased to puzzle the disciples who, unlike the Master, equated religion with spirituality.

“Religion as practiced today deals in punishments and rewards. In other words, it breeds fear and greed – the two things most destructive of spirituality.”

Later he added ruefully, “It is like tackling a flood with water; or a burning barn with fire.”