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In the film The Agony and the Ecstasy Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison) repeatedly asks Michelangelo (Charlton Heston), "When will you make an end of it?" to which the constant reply is, "When I am finished." The resident staff here in the communities where we stay, Jesuits back home, even the delegates themselves, are asking, "When will the Congregation end?" And we could well … [Read more...]
"There's a time for sowing and a time for reaping", so says the preacher. But between the sowing and the reaping there's a time for gestation, for the seed to sprout, for the shoot to grow, for the plant to bear fruit. So where in this metaphor does a General Congregation fit? We have, over this last month, been listening to experiences of fellow Jesuits from around the … [Read more...]
We are now at the business end of the Congregation. As the highest legislative body of the Society of Jesus, there are matters to be considered, some of which will take the form of law. Other matters, like renewing our understanding of our Jesuit identity, our life and mission, for our present times, could take the form of a more inspirational text. But getting 215 Jesuits … [Read more...]
At this time of the year in Rome they talk of the Sirocco, the warm southerly winds that originate in the Sahara Desert and blow across the Mediterranean. These interchange quite freely with the cold winds from the north coming over the Alps and the Apennines. So one day is warm and sunny with clear skies and the next is cloudy, wet and cold. Every morning, before I leave the … [Read more...]
We are back, after the weekend off. We now have a new Superior General, and we now are faced with the task of choosing a team of Assistants and Consultors to Assist him in the task of governing the Society of Jesus. But before we got into the business of naming the men, we decided to take a look at the possible need of revamping some of our governance structures. Governance … [Read more...]
By now you've probably read a lot about the process of "murmuratio", that we Jesuits go through in preparation for the election of a new General Superior. Much of what you've read till now I'm sure will have inspired you, even filled you with a sense of awe at the working of the Spirit. So what I'm about to write is going to be a little different. I don't deny, not for even … [Read more...]
This week started with Fr. Adolfo Nicholas, S.J. nominating Fr. James Grummer, S.J. as Vicar General of the Society of Jesus, and entrusted the General Congregation to his care, till the election of the new General. He then placed his resignation on the floor of the house, which you already know, was accepted. Fr. Nicholas' term as General would rank amongst some of the … [Read more...]
