Tablet World
The Jesuits are meeting in Rome and preparing to elect a new leader. The 215 delegates have come from all over the world in only their 36th gathering in nearly 500 years.
They have spent the first week looking at the state of the Society of Jesus and how best it can meet the needs of the world today.
Some 60 per cent of the Jesuits now come from the global south, with the largest number from Asia, while the number of vocations in Europe is shrinking. The number of members in the Americas is relatively stable.
The Tablet has been talking to some of the delegates about their ministry and the issues they consider most urgent:
FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND BACK AGAIN |
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The Society of Jesus gathers in Rome tomorrow, for only its thirty-sixth general meeting in nearly 500 years, to elect a new leader and to rethink its global mission. Fr Francisco de Roux, 70, is being spoken of – at least by some of his fellow Colombian Jesuits – as a possible successor to the Spaniard Fr Adolfo Nicolás, writes Austen Ivereigh |
THE THIRTY-SIXTH GENERAL CONGREGATION
AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM
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‘AUDACITY AND HUMILITY’
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MANTLE OF ST IGNATIUS: HOW TO PICK A LEADER FOR THE JESUITS |
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Representatives meeting in the Aula of the Jesuit Curia, just steps from the Vatican, to elect a new Superior General will participate in a process akin to a papal conclave, complete with singing “Veni Creator Spiritus”. A former participant explains the method of voting.. |
MEET THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION - part one
STRATEGY OVER NUMBERS
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SOCIAL JUSTICE
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COLUMNISTS AND LEADERS
EDUCATION IS STILL THE JESUIT CHARISM
The Tablet leader
Teaching still dominates the work of the Society of Jesus with 70 per cent of the worldwide society involved in education of some sort.
MEET THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION - part two
SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTH ASIA
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A CHURCH IN CHINA
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OTHER NEWS AND FEATURES
£100M HEYTHROP COLLEGE PUT UP FOR SALE BY JESUITS
Property experts believe that any developer who buys the prime site in Kensington, south-west London could make up to £300m from private homes, reports Sean Smith.
WE WOULD NOW DIAGNOSE THE 1522 IGNATIUS AS BEING AN AT-RISK SELF-HARMER
Nowadays we would diagnose the founder of the Society of Jesus as suffering from an acute depressive disorder exhibiting suicidal behaviour, writes Richard Leonard.
SPEECH BY POPE FRANCIS TO MEMBERS OF THE 36TH GENERAL CONGREGATION
Pope Francis addressed his Jesuit brothers telling them what the Church needs
FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THE JESUITS |
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Rome has a special place in the hearts of the members of the Society of Jesus who are meeting there to elect a new leader and consider the state of the order and its work. They are praying, pondering and debating in a city full of the tangible fabric of their history, writes Elena Curti |