News Service - Archive 2003

 

South African Jesuit Wins Award for Iraq War Article

London, 16 December 2003 (Jesuit Communications Office) -- A South African Jesuit has won a major award for an article he wrote about the justness of the Iraq war. Father Anthony Egan SJ, who is a lecturer at St Augustine College in Johannesburg, was given the Christian Network Media’s prestigious 2003 Media Award for Christian Journalism at a dinner in Cape Town.

Egan’s article, entitled "Iraq: Why the war is still wrong", was based on a talk he gave when the debate about the rights and wrongs of the Coalition’s offensive on Iraq was at its height. It was subsequently published in Trefoil, South Africa’s Catholic magazine, whose editor, Else Strivens, submitted it to the Christian Network Media (CNW).

South African-born Egan entered the British Jesuit noviciate in Birmingham in 1990 at the age of 24, and studied Philosophy at Heythrop College in London from 1992-95. [The South Africa Region has formed part of the British Province of the Society of Jesus since 1875]. He gained a PhD in Political Studies from the University of Witswatersrand in South Africa in 2000, and after two years of Theology in Boston (USA), he was ordained to the priesthood in August 2002. Fr Egan has been lecturing in applied ethics at St Augustine College since January of this year.

“I was busy in my office cleaning out my out-tray when Else Strivens telephoned me to tell me I had won, which was a pleasant surprise,” says Fr Egan, adding that news of the award was "completely unexpected”.

CNW is coordinated by the Dutch Reformed Church and comprises representatives from all major Christian churches in South Africa. It awards two annual prizes for the best articles to appear in a Christian newspaper or magazine – one in English, and one in Afrikaans.

 

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor gives thanks for ‘unique’ Jesuits

London, 4 November 2003 -- Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor has praised the ‘unique’ role played by the British Jesuits since the days of the Counter Reformation. He was speaking at the end of a Mass held at Farm Street Church in London, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Restoration of the British Province of the Society of Jesus. He told the congregation that the Jesuits had been part of the history of this country “in quite a unique way”. He continued: “The whole Catholic community of England and Wales, our bishops, priests and people, are grateful for the particular contribution the Jesuit community has made to evangelisation in our countries. "These are difficult times and the Church has to be innovative and brave and confident when it looks to the future in spite of all the challenges it faces. Together we must evangelise our country.”

"The contribution that the Catholic Church makes to our country, to this nation, is crucial,” Cardinal Cormac continued. “Within the Church, the particular charism of the Society of Jesus is valued. For that I give thanks today."

In his homily, the British Provincial, Fr David Smolira SJ, looked back over the past 200 years since Pope Pius VII had restored the Society of Jesus in this country. He reflected on the work done “in the service of the Church in Britain”, in schools, colleges, parishes, in spiritual guidance and among the poor – “work which, I am delighted to say, continues with vigour today!”

 

Jesuits fully support African Bishops' action on HIV/AIDS

Brussels, 1 December 2003 – The Message launched by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on World Aids Day 2003 has been fully supported by the Jesuits. First on the continent itself. Staff members of the African Jesuit Aids Network were closely involved in editing the press releases and in spreading the Message. In Europe the office of the "Jesuits in Europe News Service" was asked to provide with logistics for the distribution of the press release and the document itself.

The Message underlines the seriousness of the threat posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the two-page Action Plan outlines over 20 carefully-prepared objectives and strategies of the Church in its struggle against the HIV/AIDS. The Bishops commit the Church's resources to combating HIV/AIDS and declare their resolve to educate appropriately “in affective and sexual education for life.” They decry both the poverty and the violence that go hand in hand with HIV and AIDS. Offering solidarity with those who “who have been moved to join in the fight against the scourge of AIDS,” the Bishops express warm affection for “our dear brothers and sisters who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS” and particular concern for children and women on whom the impact of HIV/AIDS is most severe. With regard to preventing the spread of HIV, the bishops reaffirm that “abstinence for those who are single and fidelity for those who are married are the best ways to avoid becoming infected by HIV or infecting others.” They invite people living with HIV to contribute to Church-sponsored programmes.

You may download the full text of the Message
in MS Word format: [English]   [Français]   [Português]   [Swahili]
in Acrobat PDF format: [English]   [Français]   [Português]   [Swahili]


 

French Jesuit Missionary Pierre Ceyrac honoured by French President


Paris, 28 November 2003 -- French Jesuit Pierre Ceyrac has been honoured with "le grand prix de l'Académie universelle des cultures". He got this high award from President Jacques Chirac himself.

Fr Ceyrac (born 1914) left France in 1936 and for more than sixty year Fr Ceyrac has been devoted to India on behalf of children and of the excluded of Indian society. By fighting "not for the human rights but for the right to be human", he contributed to the evolution of Indian society during the last decades and set himself up as a real peacemaker. In 1980 he was solicited to take charge of a team of volunteers to work with Cambodian refugees at the Thai border. For thirteen years he has shared the life of thousands of people in the refugee camps in Thailand, Cambodia, and Zambia. Since 1993, back in India, this "man for others" built a centre for the surgery of the Poliomyelitis children, unique in South India. He also built a study centre for the children of prisoners (SEED) and set up a training centre for Dalit people (DACA) to give them graduation and to teach them a craft. And lastly, he created a huge foster net, as big loving hands or "OPEN HANDS" to more than 30,000 children in the streets.

...More: www.ceyrac.com and www.jesuites.com/compagnons/ceyrac/index.html 

 

Irish Jesuit Decorated by Japanese Emperor

Dublin, 16 November 2003 - The Government of Japan announced today that Fr. Donal Doyle, S.J.,  an Irish citizen and Professor Emeritus of Sophia University, Tokyo, will be conferred the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon on the occasion of the "2003 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals" by His Majesty The Emperor of Japan.

Fr. Donal Doyle, born in Dublin in 1931, has been actively engaged in English education at several schools in Japan for more than forty years. In addition, he initiated a series of lectures on Irish Studies at Sophia University, Tokyo in 1985. He has made a significant contribution to strengthening ties between Japan and Ireland, in particular by playing a vital role in numerous youth exchange programmes. He retired from Sophia University in 2002 and currently lives in Tokyo, Japan.

After attending the decoration conferment ceremony in Tokyo hosted on His Majesty The Emperor's behalf by H.E. Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Fr. Donal Doyle will have an audience with The Emperor on Monday 10 November 2003 with other decoration recipients nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: Press Release, Embassy of Japan, 3 November 2003 - LayJay Newsletter

 

Jesuits in Zambia protest Vatican approval for GMOs (update)

Lusaka, 13 November 2003 (CWNews.com) - Two Jesuit priests have sharply criticized the results of a Vatican seminar that gave cautious approval for the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a source of food.

Fathers Roland Lesseps and Peter Henriot, both Jesuits working in Lusaka, Zambia, said that the Vatican seminar had been designed deliberately to approve GMO use. They argued that their own "deep concerns based on practical experiences" were not reflected by the international panel of 67 scientists who had discussed the issue in Rome.

The two Jesuits repeated arguments that they had introduced in the past, saying that GMOs could make Third World countries overly dependent on products from the industrialized world. They also suggested that the use of GMOs might produce environmental damage.

The Vatican seminar was convened largely as a response to these arguments. The GMO debate came to a head when Zambia-- under the influence of the Jesuits' arguments-- refused to accept food aid that included GMOs. The Vatican seminar concluded that the potential for GMOs to ease problems of world hunger should weigh heavily in favor of their use.
 

Download the intervention in Word format (51Kb):
Church’s Social Teaching and the Ethics of GMOs

The paper was presented by Fr Roland Lesseps SJ at the International Symposium on "Genetically Modified Organisms, Threat or Hope?", held in Rome 10-11 November 2003. It was organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and presided by Council Prefect Cardinal Renato Martino.

Fr Roland Lesseps SJ is Instructor at the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre and Fr Peter Henriot SJ is Director of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, both in Luska, Zambia.

 

First Provincial for united German Province appointed

München, 11 November 2003 – The Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Dutch Jesuit Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, has appointed Fr Stefan Dartmann as the first Provincial of the united German Jesuit Province. On 31 July 2004 both German Provinces will be unified in one “Deutschen Jesuiten” Province. At that same day the new Provincial will take office.

The new German Province will comprise 450 Jesuits and include Germany, Denmark and Sweden. At present Stefan Dartmann (46) is parish priest of St Eugenia in Stockholm.

Ein „Schwede“ wird Provinzial der deutschen Jesuiten

Jesuits in Sweden

 

86 New Jesuit Novices – 8 more than last year – for the whole of Europe

Brussels, 30 October 003 - For the whole of the 30 Jesuits Provinces in Europe 86 new novices, 8 more than last year, enter the Society of Jesus in 2003. Although less explicitly than last year, the front runner remains Poland: both provinces together take 19 per cent of all new European novices, 9 in the Greater Poland Province and 7 in the South Poland Province. Italy follows with 11 new novices. For the six Spanish provinces together 9 new novices enter the new common noviciate for Spain in Zaragoza. Really striking is the high number of new entries in the Independent Russian Region: 8 new novices join the 5 novices of the second year at the noviciate in Novosibirsk. In addition, the Near East Province (Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey), also belonging to the CEP, has 4 new novices.
Besides the 86 new novices, there are for the whole of Europe 61 novices who start the second year. 51 novices took their first vows.

Table of Novices in Europe 2003
Download it in .pdf format

 

European Jesuits to foster unity in diversity
Looking for new understanding of faith and culture and of relationship between them  

Czestochowa, 26 October 2003 - In his opening speech at the 9th General Assembly of the Conference of European Provincials (CEP) on Sunday, the President, Belgian Jesuit Mark Rotsaert, looked forward at the "historical event" of 1 May 2004, when eight new member states of Central and Eastern Europe, together with two states of Southern Europe, will join the European Union.

"We can be proud as Jesuits that from the very beginning of the CEP there was no division between Provinces who belonged to the European Union and others who did not. This does not mean that there are no differences between us, but we will continue to foster in our midst a unity in diversity", he said to the 45 participants.

Redefining the CEP's mission in Europe, Rotsaert stressed that "One of our most important concerns has to be the future of Christian belief in the Europe of today and tomorrow. It is a challenge to look for a new understanding of faith and culture and of the relationship between them."

Consequently, the CEP President added, "Christian faith leads to a world where justice is a high priority. More and more countries in Europe are confronted with the problem of migration. It is one of the preferential apostolic concerns in the Society of Jesus." Recently he sent a letter to the chairs of different workgroups asking them to prepare a common statement or a common proposal for the Provincials on what our attitude towards Islam in Europe should be in the future.

Important items on the agenda are the International Jesuit presence in Brussels, the situation of the formation centres in Europe, the new task force on the Movement of Peoples, the presentation of a new education project for Kosovo and the Jesuit participation at the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne.

 

Spanish Jesuit Estrada: "Exchange Cardinalate for More Evangelical Church"

Madrid (Spain), 24 October (VID) – “There is a need to change the cardinalate into something more credible in a Church based on the Gospel, to something simpler and closer to the poor instead of some aristocratic and prince-like as the history of the office indicates”, writes Jesuit Fr. Juan Antonio Estrada, Professor of Philosophy of Religions at the University of Granada in Spain.

In an article published in “Diario de Cadiz” and entitled “Do Cardinals Have a Future?”, Fr. Estrada underlines that for all the history of first Christian millennium “there were no papal appointments” and “there were no cardinals who chose neither the Pope nor a Bishop of Rome who appointed other bishops” and thus “each Church had its own procedure for elections”.

“The golden era” of Cardinals “is the Renaissance”, in which the idea of “centralization” got the upper hand and the authority of the Bishops and Archbishops is “penalized” with “the majority of Italian Cardinals who become great patrons, great representative of princely families” according “a model which has remained until today, with some reforms like internationalization which took place after the Second Vatican Council”.

“The Church of the future”, underlines Fr. Estrada, “will seek greater autonomy at the national and local level of the Churches, a profound reform of the Roman Curia and for a Papal Primate centred more on the issues of unity of the Church and less on the ordinary government of all the Churches”.

Original text: ¿Tienen futuro los cardenales?

 

European Jesuit Provincials start their annual meeting at Czestochowa

Czestochowa, 23 October 2003 – Provincials, Vice-Provincials and Regional Superiors of the thirty provinces and regions of the Conference of European Provincials (CEP) start this evening their seven day annual meeting in Czestochowa, Poland. Father General, Dutch Jesuit Peter-Hans Kolvenbach will attend the meeting.

On Friday 24 and Saturday 25 the members of the European Conference will first gather in regional "assistancy" groups. On Sunday 26 the General Assembly starts with an opening address by the CEP's President, Mark Rotsaert, former Provincial of the North Belgian Jesuits. Important items on the agenda are the International Jesuit presence in Brussels, the situation of the formation centres in Europe, the new task force on the Movement of Peoples, the presentation of a new education project for Kosovo and the Jesuit participation at the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne.

 

First Lay President for European Jesuit Secondary Education

Brussels, 22 October 2003 – Fr Mark Rotsaert, President of the Conference of European Provincials, has appointed Paul Yperman as the President of JECSE, the Jesuit European Committee for Secondary Education. His name was submitted at the Annual Meeting of JECSE in Vilnius, Lithuania, 8-12 October. Yperman succeeds French Jesuit Pierre Salembier and becomes the first lay person on this important position. Since last year he is the Delegate for Jesuit High Schools in the North Belgian Province. Before he was the Director of the Jesuit run high school Sint-Jozefscollege in Aalst. Yperman (44) is married and has three children.

JECSE brings together the nineteen Delegates for Secondary Education of the Jesuit Provinces of Austria, North Belgium, South Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Near East, the Netherlands, North Poland, South Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Three of these delegates are laymen.

 

Popoli highlights special relations between Mother Teresa and the Jesuits

Milan, 6 October 2003 – In its October issue the international mission magazine "Popoli", run by the Jesuits in Milan, presents a special dossier on "Madre Teresa e i gesuiti: un rapporto speciale". In her religious life and in her charity activities Jesuits were often an example and a reference for Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Jesuits Fathers became her daily companions on her long way of dedication to the poorest. In 1990 Mother Teresa wrote a letter saying the her "Missionaries of Charity must be very grateful towards the Society of Jesus, because Jesuits were allowed to take care of their spiritual formation''.

More in Italian
Website Popoli: www.gesuiti.it/popoli

 

Fifty participants for JRS Europe's Training Seminar on Islam

Aix-en-Provence (France), 3 October 2003 - This year's training seminar organised by the Jesuit Refugee Service Europe takes place at La Baume, Aix-en-Provence in France, 3rd-5th October 2003. It focuses on Islam. Dan Madigan SJ, head of the Gregorian University’s Institute for the Study of Religions and Cultures, will be a key speaker along with Missionary of Africa Jean-Marie Gaudeul, and Tom Michel SJ who is the Jesuit Secretary for Interreligious Dialogue. About fifty Jesuits and their religious or lay collaborators, all concerned with refugee work, will attend the Seminar.

"Islam is such a vital issue now in Europe", said John Dardis, Director of JRS Europe. "Most of the refugees we work with are from an Islamic background. This seminar will give all who work in JRS a better understanding and make our work more effective".

Detailed information: AGM 2003 Info at http://home2.pi.be/jrs4eu/agm.htm. The seminar will be followed by the Annual General Meeting of JRS Europe. 

 

Czech Jesuit among the newly appointed Cardinals

Rome, 28 September 2003 -- Today Pope John Paul II announced the names of 30 new Cardinals. They will get their red hats at a consistory on 21 October. Among the four priests who have been "outstanding in their service to the Church", there is one Jesuit, Father Tomáš Špidlik of the Czech Republic. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1940 and was ordained priest in 1949. He was professor of eastern spirituality at the Pontifical Oriental Institute and is now a member of the "Centro Enzo Aletti" in Rome. In 1995 he preached the Spiritual Exercises for the Pope and Roman Curia, encouraging the Pope to write the encyclical "Ut Unum Sint" on ecumenism.

Extended biography of the new Cardinal

 

69th Congregation of Procurators of the Society of Jesus

Rome, 15 September 2003 -- With the celebration of the Eucharist presided by the Superior General, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, on the morning of September 18, the 69th Congregation of Procurators of the Society of Jesus will begin its deliberations. It is not the case of a General Congregation (the highest organ of the Society) but a meeting that the Superior General has to call every three years after the last General Congregation.

The Congregation is composed of 85 representatives (procurators) elected by each Province and 13 members of the central government of the Society in Rome for a total of 96 participants. The majority of the elected members are engaged in the field of education or in the formation of young Jesuits.

The main purpose of the Congregation is to decide whether a General Congregation should be called. Another important task of the procurators is to examine and discuss the situation of the Society in the world. The Congregation of Procurators has no legislative powers, but it can temporarily suspend decrees issued previously, until the convocation of a General Congregation.

In 2003 the Jesuits number 20,400, work in 112 countries and belong to 10 Assistancies and 85 Provinces. At the beginning of the year there were 929 novices.

More:  English / Français / Español / Italiano

 

European Jesuits in Science meet in Rome

Rome, 10 September 2003 – Jesuits working in the field of science are gathering in Rome today for their biennial meeting. This time the theme is "Our Engagement with Science, the Church and the Society of Jesus". Three questions will make up the structure of the program: 1. How does the Society of Jesus and the Catholic Church engage a technically-oriented world? 2. How has my science influenced the way I understand and practice my faith? 3. How do I express this to my fellow scientists and to my fellow Jesuits? Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has accepted the invitation to the meeting. On 11 September he will speak somewhat informally, mostly sharing with the participants the experience he has on the topic of religion and science.

Jesuits in Science

 

Jesuits Celebrate Restoration of the Society of Jesus in Scotland

London, 6 September 2003 -- Senior representatives of Scotland’s Catholic hierarchy will be joining the Provincial of the British Jesuits at St Aloysius’ Church in Glasgow on Sunday 7 September, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Restoration of the Society of Jesus in Britain. The event will be marking Pope Pius VII’s decision, in 1803, to allow the Jesuits of Britain to be affiliated to the Russian Province, which led the way for the full restoration of the Society in 1814. Pope Clement XIV had suppressed the Society of Jesus in 1773 in response to concerns about its influence expressed by several European Heads of State. The English Province (which included Jesuits working in Wales and Scotland) was the first to be restored, with former Jesuits retaking their vows at Stonyhurst College in May 1803.

 

European Jesuits try to overcome past and present divisions

Brussels, 1 September 2003 – Forty-five Jesuits from twenty-two different European Jesuit provinces and living in 15 different countries met together in Dobogokoe, Hungary, 23-29 August 2003, to deal with the topic "Toward a united Europe: going beyond past and present divisions". Some twenty of them were under the age of forty, either young priests or scholastics, and the proportion between East and West Jesuits was of about one third. Speakers were from ten different nationalities.

Lectures, workshops and excursions have allowed us to get a variety of visions about such topics as historical foundations for a united but not yet unified Europe; importance of minorities; stereotypes influence; perspectives of integration offered by the EU prospective Constitution as a whole, and as seen from Eastern, Western and Southern points of views; the role of values and religion in a pluralistic Europe; etc. To build a European Union of twenty-five will not be easy, but it is worth, and it deserves that the European Jesuits make an effort to syntonize with it and to promote it.

 

Vatican Radio Latvian Programme celebrates 55 years of broadcasting

Rome, 31 August 2003 -- On 2 September 2003 it will be 55 years since the first Latvian broadcast programme at Vatican Radio was aired. It happened on 2 September 1948 and the first broadcast was made and directed by Fr Pavils Becs SJ, who worked in Rome at that time. Especially during the Soviet occupation the Latvian Programme was a very important source of information for Latvian Christians about what was going on in free countries and in the Catholic Church. Fr Stanislavs Kucinskis SJ directed the programme for 50 years. Head of Vatican Radio Latvian Programme is now Sister Silvija Krivteza. The broadcasts can be listened "on demand" on the internet at www.radiovaticana.org/demand.htm (lettone).
...Contact at latvia@vatiradio.va 

 

European Jesuit Formation Delegates meet in Loyola

Loyola, Spain, 20 August 2003 - A meeting of European Jesuit Formation Delegates is being held in Loyola, from 20th to 24th of August 2003. About 20 delegates from European Jesuit provinces will discuss the topic Sentire cum Ecclesia. Among speakers and guests are Fr. Jose Morales Orozco, General Counsellor for Formation, Fr. Chris Dyckhoff, Assistant to the President of the European Provincials' Conference, and Fr. John Armstrong (Secretary for Formation for the USA Assistancy). Fr. Santiago Madrigal, professor of theology at Comillas in Madrid, will speak about the Church in the time of St Ignatius, and the "Rules for Thinking with the Church", and Fr. Jose Maria Lera, professor of theology at Deusto University in Bilbao, will speak about the Second Vatican Council and new models of the Church.

 

Prayer site "Sacred Space" now available in German

Munich, Germany, 11 August 2003 -- On Sunday, 10 August 2003, the "Online-Redaktion" of the Jesuits in Munich launched the long-awaited German version of "Sacred Space", the daily prayer site of the Irish Jesuits.

"For years we try to integrate the possibilities of the Internet into the pallet of our pastoral activities. With this new offer we hope once again to demonstrate cleary the international character of our commitment. It may create an opportunity to reach people who are searching in a new way for answers in questions of faith and religion", says Bernd Franke, Superior of the South German Jesuit Province.

The internet address is: www.jesuiten.org/sacred-space or www.jesuit.ie/german.

[Deutsch]

 

Young European Jesuits to discuss obedience and responsibility

Hostyn (Czech Republic), 2 August 2003 – Twenty-eight young Jesuits from twenty-three different European provinces are together for a four day meeting on "Living out our obedience today". This "Forum" is organized by the Coordination Committee of the "European Jesuits in Formation" (EJIF). Fr Johan Verschueren from the North Belgian Province has been asked to facilitate the topic, which was chosen by last year’s EJIF group.

Two important topics were discussed on the opening day: the tension between obedience and responsibility, and be the link between counter-culture and the salvation of others.

This "Forum" is the first part of the EJIF Summer Meeting 2003. After the Forum in Hostyn, the participants will have an eight day retreat and a final three day Symposium.

More...

 

Spain: Jesuit New Secretary General of Bishops’ Conference

Madrid (Spain), 28 July (VID) – A Jesuit has been appointed new Secretary General and spokesperson for the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE).

Fr. Juan Antonio Martínez Camino is only the second priest not bishop to be elected to this position since the creation of the CEE in 1966.

Fr. Martínez Camino, 50, is a teacher of Dogmatic Theology at St. Damasus Faculty where Chancellor is the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Rouco Varela. The Jesuit is described by his fellow Spanish Jesuits as a theologian of proven orthodoxy and author of various books on Theology and Bioethics.
[Español]

 

Exhibition on Matteo Ricci opens in his birthplace Macerata

Macerata (Italy), 18 July (VID) ­ an exhibition on the Jesuit Matteo Ricci opens tomorrow at Macerata in central Italy where he was born. Entitled “Father Matteo Ricci: Europe at the Court of Ming”, the exhibition reconstructs the life of the missionary, who was born in 1552 and died in Beijing, China, in 1610. Organized by the Matteo Ricci Institute of Macerata, the display presents the Jesuit to the public at large recalling that he is the first westerner to learn and live Chinese culture. He both wrote and spoke the language perfectly and even though his teachings and works suffered a blow from the condemnation by the Inquisition in 1704 because of theological questions, he was reinstated by Pope Pius XII in 1939.

The exposition is set up in three different locations: the Ricci Palace, the City Art Museum, San Paolo Auditorium and will end October 5, 2003 when it will be brought to Rome. In six sections the exhibition presents the western sciences of mathematics, astronomy, geography, cartography, and clocks introduced into China, underlining the fact that it was Fr. Ricci that revealed to the Chinese that the earth is not rectangular but round.

Chinese musical instruments and western instruments introduced into China are on display, among which is one of the first examples of a harpsichord and a portable organ. Another rare document is the first edition of the Catechism ­ the True Explanation of the Lord of Heaven, which the Jesuit published in very few editions. Of particular importance is the “Bencao pinhui jingyao”, Chinese for “Encyclopedia di Natural History Considered in its Relationship with the Art of Healing”, a manuscript of 16 volumes of the Ming Period with pages painted with water colours. There is also an interesting translation of the geometry of Euclid in Chinese, with the initials painted in oils in seventeenth century style which was unknown in China before the time of Fr. Matteo Ricci. A rare portray of the Jesuit, done by Andrea Sacchi during the first half of the 1600’s, is also part of the collection.

 

Flemish Jesuit Jan Kerkhofs appointed as new Director for OCIPE

Brussels, 7 July 2003 – The Flemish Jesuit Jan Kerkhofs has been appointed as the new director for OCIPE, the Catholic European Study and Information Centre, run by Jesuits in Brussels. He will take office next September.

Jan Kerkhofs was born in 1924 in Belgium. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1942 and is now Emeritus Professor of Theology and Sociology at the Catholic University of Leuven. He initiated the Foundation for the Study of European Values (University of Tilburg). He has written 35 books and numerous articles and is also visiting professor at various universities in Europe and the United States.

Kerkhofs succeeds French Jesuit Pierre de Charentenay who directed OCIPE for the past six years. The Jesuit run institution was founded in 1956 in Strasbourg. It depends on the Conference of European Jesuit Provincials. Today, in addition to the main representation in Brussels, there are offices in Strasbourg, Warsaw and Budapest. OCIPE analyses the political, economical and social process within the institutions of the European Union and the Council of Europe and studies the ethical, cultural and spiritual challenges of emerging Europe.

 

Polish Jesuit Adam Zak appointed new Assistant for East Europe

Rome, 1 July 2003 -- Today Father General has appointed Father Adam Zak , 52, Assistant for East Europe and General Counsellor. Father Zak, the former Provincial of the South Poland Province, substitutes Father Boguslaw Steczek who has been Assistant for 13 difficult years. The appointment of Father Zak will become effective in September, after the Congregation of Procurators.

 

Indian Jesuits to rebuild education system in Afghanistan

New Delhi (Fides), 27 June 2003 – Indian Jesuits hope to work soon in Afghanistan and they will focus on education and plan to work in collaboration with local associations and NGOs present in the country. "All being well, we hope to start in October", Fr Lisbert D'Souza, Jesuit Provincial for India, told Fides Service.

After a fact finding mission in February the Jesuits approached the Afghan government, Father D'Souza explained: "We were welcomed warmly. We had feared some diffidence in this Muslim country in which our desire to serve might be seen as proselytism, but it was not. The highly appreciated work of Catholics in Afghanistan, such as Caritas for example, has paved the way for our mission. The Afghan minister of education welcomed the idea of a Jesuit presence to contribute to the cultural and human development of the people".

In July a delegation of four Fathers, led by Fr Lawrence Fonseca (69), will visit Afghanistan to see how the Jesuit community can be established. The delegation will stay long enough to examine all the problems and difficulties to be discussed and settled including personnel and funds.
...By courtesy of Fides Service, Rome, 25/06/2003

 

OCIPE: European Constitution recognises public role and specific contribution of religion

Brussels, 23 June 2003 - "In article 51 of the new draft of European Constitution religion is not limited to private life, but recognised as an element of public life. Two years ago, no one should have thought that such recognition could be possible", says Pierre de Charentenay, Director of the Jesuit-run Catholic European Study and Information Centre (Ocipe) in Brussels.

The relation of the Constitution to churches and religion was much discussed in the media. Finally, the Preamble mentions the "cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe". "That is a very open formula, which does not mention Christianity, as desired by Germans, Polish and Italians. But the opponents to that mention being so strong, the consensus could be reached only in the middle of the road", de Charentenay said.

Beyond that discussion on the Preamble, article 51 gives a important place to "churches and religious associations and communities" which has never been recognised so clearly in the past, and which some countries of Europe do not recognise at all. The Treaty even asks that the Union "shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with these churches and organisations" because of their "identity and their specific contribution". "This article 51 is an extraordinary recognition of the contribution of churches and religion to the collective life in a political entity, the European Union", the Ocipe Director concluded.

More

 

Jesuit-run Vatican Observatory helds its 9th Summer School

Vatican City, 14 June 2003 (VIS) -- The Ninth Vatican Observatory Summer School in Observational Astronomy and Astrophysics takes place at the headquarters of the Specola Vaticana in the summer papal residence at Castelgandolfo from June 15 to July 11 on "Observations and Theoretical Understanding of Galaxy Evolution: From the Local Universe to the Distant Universe."

According to a communique from the observatory, 26 young scholars from 20 different countries will be in Rome for the 2003 summer session. The selection for this biennial event was made by the principal faculty of the school and the observatory director, Fr. George V. Coyne, S.J., from more than 200 applications.

The Vatican provides the fifteen students from developing countries with scholarships that cover at least 75 percent of the total costs of the school, including travel and room and board. The purpose of the school is to help young people at the beginning of their program of higher studies to develop quality research careers which will be nourished by interchange on an international scale.

 

Pope thanks Jesuits, Vatican Radio for 100th Trip

Vatican City, 13 June (VID) – Vatican Radio and the Jesuits who staff it were thanked by Pope John Paul II during the audience yesterday on the occasion of the Pope’s 100th apostolic journey. The Pope received about 200 person, involved in the various phases of preparation for his visits and he singled out Vatican Radio who not only has the task, among other things, to inform but also to organize the visits. The greeting of the Pope was given by Cardinal Roberto Tucci, S.J. who organized the trips from the 1980’s until 2001.

“I greet Cardinal Roberto Tucci”, said Pope John Paul II, “above all for the help that in the past years he gave me in preparing and carrying out a great part of the 100 trips. With him I also thank his collaborators, as well as those who did this work before him and those who continue it today.”

“From the day of my election as Bishop of Rome, October 16, 1978”, explained the Pope, “I have heard with special intensity and urgency the command of Jesus, ‘Go to all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mk 16:15)” and “especially through these apostolic trips, the special ministry of the Successor of Peter as the first, perpetual and visible foundation of the unity of the faith and of communion has become manifest (Lumen gentium, 18)”.

In his words, Cardinal Tucci underlined that the journeys have been and are “extraordinary events that have characterized the modern and ‘globalized’ way that the Pope exercises his ministry”. The Jesuit Cardinal said that he hopes that “doors would open to the successor of Peter even in those countries that have been up to now inaccessible”.

 

JRS Europe: Proposals to change asylum system flawed

Brussels, 12 June 2003 -- New proposals to create an EU wide asylum system are unworkable. That is the conclusion of a recent meeting of JRS policy officers from around Europe. The proposals feature the setting up of processing centres on transit routes to the EU as well as regional processing centres close to the countries of origin.

To read the statement, visit the JRS web site http://www.jrs.net/statement/stat.php?lang=en&statId=eu030612en

 

Fr Kolvenbach Promotes Renewal of Prayer Apostolate

Rome (Italy), 11 June (VID) – Prayer as a journey of holiness is what Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, is proposing in a letter sent to all the Major Superiors of the Order on Pentecost. In the letter he presents the “Basic Principles for the Apostolate of Prayer”.

The document of the Jesuit Superior General is entitled “The Apostolate of Prayer. A Journey of Holiness for the Christian of the Third Millennium” and it is the result of a number of meeting held during 2002 at the continental and regional level and dedicated to this theme.

In the text, Fr Kolvenbach underlines that in the everyday cadence of life, prayer creates a strong bond with the “mission of the universal Church”. From such a simple act, comes forth “a new way of living” and life “is not simply one step” but “above all a project”. “We are here to contribute to the edification of the Kingdom of God by positive action”.

 

Jesuit run Parish of San Roberto Bellarmino returns to diocese of Rome

Rome, 7 June 2003 (Italian Jesuit Province, VID) -- In a press release the Jesuit Province of Italy announced that the management and the pastoral care of the Parish of San Roberto Bellarmino which is situated in the Parioli section of Rome, a well-know residential area of the city, will return again to the diocese of Rome next autumn. In 1933 this diocese asked the Jesuits in 1933 to run the parish. Due to shortage of vocations and personnel the Jesuits now decided to finish of this work. They ask the parishioners to continue their collaboration with the new diocesan parish priests.

The spokesperson for the Italian Province of the Jesuits, Fr. Giuseppe Bellucci, explains that there are 800 Jesuits in all of Italy and 540 in Rome. There are still two Jesuit staffed parishes in Rome – St. Saba and St. Ignatius. “We must increase our present at Collegio Massimo”, explains Fr. Bellucci and thus it is necessary to return the Parish to the Vicariate which at the present moment is experiencing a great many vocations because of the strong Neocatecumenal Movement. The Collegio Massimo is one of the Jesuits’ most well-known schools in Rome and has students from grade school through high school.
[Italiano]

 

German Jesuits participate in the first Ecumenical Church Gathering in Berlin

München/Berlin, 27 May 2003 – German Jesuits will be present at the first "Ökumenisches Kirchentag" from 28 May to 1 June 2003 in Berlin. They will have their own stand at the Agora (in Halle 2.2, F41) and welcome visitors for information and discussion about " Einheit suchen – in Vielfalt einander begegnen" (Searching for unity – meet each other in variety). Specific theme for these days will be: "Jesuits want to share the experience of the living God in the dialogue with others". Besides, Jesuits will also be present with other organizations.
More: www.jesuiten.org 

 

Jesuit archaeologist Ferrua died at the age of 102

Rome, 25 May 2003 -- Italian Jesuit Antonio Ferrua died this morning in Rome at the age of 102. Ferrua was known as the archaeologist who identified the tomb and the relics of the apostle Peter under the Vatican Basilica. He guided the diggings from 1944 to 1949 by order of Pope Pius XII. Besides he was also active in the field of epigraphy. He published a critical edition of the Epigrammata Damasiana, inscriptions from early Christianity in Roma. The funeral will take place next Tuesday near the house of the Civiltà Cattolica.
[Italiano]

 

New Provincial appointed for Northern Belgium

Brussels, 19 May 2003 -- Fr General has appointed Jan Koenot as new Provincial for Northern Belgium. He succeeds Mark Rotsaert, who remains President of the Conference of European Provincials. Koenot (48) is the general editor of the cultural review "Streven" and teaches philosophy at the Centre Sèvres in Paris. He will take office on 27 September 2003.

 

JRS-car hit by rocket in North Uganda – Three people killed

 Lobone, South-Sudan, 14 May 2003 – On its way back from Kitgum in North Uganda to the local office of the Jesuit Refugee Service  in Lobone in South Sudan, a JRS land-cruiser pick-up was ambushed and hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Three people including the driver were killed in the incident. The vehicle was set on fire. The incident took place around 4.30 pm on Monday, 12th May, 2003.

It is suspected the rebels from Lords Resistance Army would have carried out the attack. The "Jesuit Refugee Service" is making arrangements to collect the bodies from the site of the incident for return to the families for the last rites and burial. It is reported that the driver is JRS staff; the other two dead are local people. JRS grieves with the families of the three people killed in this attack. Such attacks of terrorism cause untold suffering and hamper development in the area.

 

Westminster Cathedral to host Spiritual Exercises series

London, 7 May 2003 -- Westminster Cathedral Hall is to be the venue for a prestigious series of talks entitled Kingdom Come, running from 8th May to 11th June, whose theme is ‘the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in the Varieties of Human Experience.’

An opera singer, an athlete and an MP will be among eleven speakers who will be reflecting upon the Spiritual Exercises and relating aspects of them to their own lives. The six talks, entitled Kingdom Come, have been organised jointly by the Westminster Cathedral Centre for Spirituality and Christian Life Community, with a view to helping people develop their prayer and spiritual lives.

The themes over the six weeks will range from caring for creation to coping with terminal illness. The talks by the professionals in the world of politics, sport, the hospice movement, and the arts, will be followed by reflections by some of the most distinguished practitioners in the field of Ignatian spirituality, includeing Andrew Walker, director of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction, retreat-giver Sister Diane Reynolds, and Bob Costello SJ, who is a psychologist and national chaplain to CLC.

 

Spanish Jesuit Rubio to be canonized in Madrid

Madrid, 3 May 2003 – Spanish Jesuit José M. Rubio will be canonized during the visit of Pope John Paul II to Madrid on Sunday 4 May. The Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, will participate in the ceremony of the canonization. Afterwards he will also have a meeting with the Provincials of Spain.

Father Rubio, the apostle of Madrid, was born in Dalias, province of Almería (Spain), in 1864, and died in Aranjuez (near Madrid) in 1929. He was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1887 and in spite of his desire of long standing to enter the Society of Jesus, he could not do so until 1906. A man of profound life of prayer and tireless apostolic activity, he touched the lives of an extraordinary number of people, especially the sick and the poor. The reputation of being a living saint was widely diffused. It was rumoured that he had received mystical gifts and extraordinary graces.

More: Canonisation of P. José Maria Rubio SJ

 

Jesuit-run Institute in Moscow gets official Certificate from Government

Moscow, 25 April 2003 – The former "Saint Thomas Aquinas College" in Moscow has obtained a new Certificate from the City Government of Moscow. This official recognition, under the new name of "St. Thomas Institute of Philosophy, Theology and History", marks the further accreditation of the existing college and means a new step in the normalisation of religious life in the Russian Federation. The certificate allows the Institute to organise courses on fundamental religious studies and Catholic theology.

Founded by Polish priest Tadeusz Pikus in 1991, the College was initially run by the Archdiocese of Moscow. In 1999, the reigns of the College was handed over to the Society of Jesus. Since then it has been run by the Jesuits. The present Rector is Mexican Jesuit Octavio Vilches-Landin.

The Institute will continue and even increase the teachings and services of the former College. The 2002-2003 academic year started with 76 students, belonging to different Christian denominations and almost all lay people. The staff numbers 43 professors. The academic program of studies is broken up into six main units: philosophy, theology, Holy Scripture, history of the Church and Church art, social sciences and ancient and modern languages.

More about the St. Thomas Institute in Moscow

Jesuits in Russia

 


JRS expresses concern on political and humanitarian situation in South-Kivu

Rome, 23 April 2003 -- Despite peace agreements, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, sinks into war and human rights violations. JRS Grands Lacs wants to express its concern on the present political and humanitarian situation in this area. Human rights violations and fighting have lasted too long for peace to arrive without some strong help from the international community.

A spiral of violence and a culture of anarchy has taken root in the region at the expense of the local population of the South Kivu and the East of the DR Congo. During the last weeks, several NGOs have denounced the return of Rwandan troops to South Kivu. JRS Grands Lacs joins in this denouncement. Parallel to the unceasing rise of destructive political antagonism, violations of human rights in South Kivu have reached an unacceptable level.

Facing such circumstances, and following the opinion already expressed by other humanitarian and international actors, JRS Grands Lacs appeals to a reinforcement of the mission of the United Nations in the DR Congo (MONUC). The reinforcement of the MONUC inevitably asks for a change of mandate, under chapter VII, in order to become a force of interposition as well. The change of mandate is a vital measure in order to bring a lasting peace to an area devastated by war. It would also require an additional number of troops.

Full text of JRS Grands Lacs Statement:
http://www.jrs.net/inf/statemen/cd030422en.htm 

 

New Provincial appointed for Loyola

Rome, 15 April 2003 -- Fr Juan Miguel Arregui, 48, is appointed by Fr General as new Provincial of Loyola, Spain. At present he is the superior of the Santuario de Loyola and teaches psychology at Salamanca and Vitoria. He succeeds Fr Ignacio Echarte and will take office on 31 July 2003, feast of Saint Ignatius.

 

Latin American Jesuits give apostolic preference to all migrants

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 14 April (VID) – The Society of Jesus in Brazil has decided to give a greater priority, an “apostolic preference” to immigrants, not unlike the great commitment the whole Order has been giving since 1979 as a commitment in favor of refugees through the “Jesuit Refugee Service”.

Fr. Francisco Ivem, President of the Conference of Latin American Provincials (CPAL) points out that on the theme of immigrants in the various countries of Latin America, there have been diverse meetings and encounters organized in the last two years and this theme “will be part of the joint meeting between the CPAL and the Conference of United States Jesuits, at Miami in May of 2004”.

“Our interest and apostolic preference for the cause of emigrants” is “not only for those who leave their country because of war or for political reason, nor only those who are in illegal or irregular situations, but all who emigrate simply for economic reasons, to be able to survive and who today number at least 100 million persons. According to others the number of emigrants is closer to 150 million.”

 

Presentation of Dutch Encyclopedia on Mysticism in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, 13 April 2003 – A new "Encyclopedia on Mysticism", an original Dutch publication by editor Kok of Kampen (The Netherlands) in collaboration with Lannoo of Tielt (Belgium), will be presented at the Jesuit church "De Krijtberg" in Amsterdam tomorrow. More than thousand copies of this volume of 1000 pages have been sold already. The first two copies will be presented to Mr. Mimoun Ouariachi, president of the Amsterdam Council of Religions, a Muslim, and to Rev. Philippe Bär, retired bishop of Rotterdam, a convert from Protestantism. One of the keynote speakers will be Fr. Paul Begheyn SJ, director of the Netherlands Institute for Jesuit Studies and of the spirituality center Ignatiushuis, both in Amsterdam. Title of his talk will be: "Finding God in all things. Mysticism and Jesuits". He is also the author of an essay on Jesuit mysticism and of biographical articles on Jesuits in this encyclopedia.

 

Revised Statutes of Poverty in the Society of Jesus to be promulgated worldwide

Brussels, 3 April 2003 -- In response to the petition addressed to him in the Loyola meeting of all Major Superiors in September 2000, the Jesuit Superior General, Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, has promulgated on March 25 a revision of the Statutes of Poverty in the Society. The Statutes had been promulgated by Father Arrupe in 1976, but they needed to be updated in view of new pontifical documents, the Complementary Norms and the Directives of the Jesuit General Congregation 34 (1995). The promulgation letter together with the Statutes will now be mailed to the Provinces by the Jesuit Curia in Rome.

On the same day, March 25, Father General signed a letter "To the Whole Society" regarding poverty. Quoting from Father Arrupe, Father Kolvenbach repeats that “the document risks remaining a dead issue without a true conversion of heart.”

 

Jesuits get 2002 Award from Spanish Geographic Society

Madrid, 31 March 2003 -- The Society of Jesus has received the International Prize 2002 of the Spanish Geographic Society (SGE). According to this society “it should be impossible to understand fully the history of the exploratory expeditions and discoveries of the Modern Age without the Society of Jesus”. This award recognises the labour of a lot of Jesuits as San Francisco Javier (who travelled to India and Japan), P. Páez (who discovered the sources of the Nile river), Luis Mariana, Bento de Goes.. and a lot of Jesuit geographers, scientists, cartographers...

[Español]

 

Jesuit Cardinal Martini asks that peace be honest, coherent

Jerusalem, 26 March (VID) – War, this war, is the “negation” of humanity, says Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., ex-Archbishop of Milan in an interview on Vatican Radio.

For the second time in six months Cardinal Martini has decided to break his silence. A few weeks ago he published an article against the war in the “L’Osservatore Romano” and now via a radio interview he again has expressed his thoughts on the conflict which is being fought in Iraq.

“Unfortunately the Pope had warned us many times in the weeks and months that have passed,” he pointed out, “about the disasters of a war and now we are experiencing day after day what could have been foreseen, that is disasters, dead, wounded, prisoners, bombings, cities on fire. Frightening things. We are aware that we are facing something that negates all that humanity should or wants to be.”

“For Christians, this is a moment of intensification of prayer, so that the Lord may grant the gift of peace. It is not enough, in fact, to be against the war – everyone is against the war – but it is necessary to be against the war in such a way that you desire that peace which makes those sacrifices, performs those acts of good will for all, that unfortunately were not done. ... Peace demands sacrifices, renouncement, the capacity to meet another half way, the ability to present things as they really are. We must work for a peace that is sincere, coherent and honest. For this type of peace, the politicians will certainly do all they can but each one of us is called to find inside ourselves that honesty, that coherence, which united with that of many others, can prepare for peace, because peace is always possible and we hope that it may be even close.”

 

New Provincial appointed for Slovakia

Rome, 26 March 2003 -- Father General has appointed Fr Ján Ďačok as new Provincial for Slovakia. At present Ján Ďačok is finishing his doctorate in moral theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He succeeds Fr Jozef Kyselic and will take office next September. The Slovakian Province numbers 139 Jesuits.

 

U.S. Jesuit Provincials release strong anti-abortion statement

Washington, 25 March 2003 -- The ten U.S. Provincials of the Society of Jesus today released an eight-page document stating their opposition to abortion and reaffirming the sanctity of all human life. The document was written to coincide with the 30th anniversary year of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion on demand legal throughout the United States.

We “fervently declare our opposition to abortion and our support for the unborn,” the U.S. Jesuit leadership, writes. “In treating this delicate and controversial topic, we hope to provide our Jesuit brothers, colleagues, parishioners and students with the spiritual leadership and ethical guidance they expect from us.”

In their statement, the Provincials survey Catholic faith tradition regarding the right to life; the distinctive Jesuit approach to issues around human life; reflections on the task of public dialogue about abortion in a pluralistic society.

Full text of statement "Standing for the Unborn" at  www.jesuit.org 

 

JRS gravely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the war in Iraq

Rome, 21 March 2003 – In a statement sent to Jesuits all over the world, Fr Lluis Magrina, International Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service expresses his concern about the humanitarian consequences of the war in Iraq. "Iraqi civilians are almost totally dependent on government food rations and this has made them extremely vulnerable to military action. Furthermore, the children of Iraq are much more vulnerable to war today than they were in 1991", he argues. He gives also his full support to the statement already issued by the Jesuit Social Secretariat in Rome which asked whether a war in Iraq is in fact justifiable.

Although JRS does not plan to participate directly in providing humanitarian relief in the proposed camps on the border between Iran and Iraq or in Iraq itself the JRS offices will obviously have to play their part, in the event of temporary or other forms of protection in Europe, either in direct assistance to refugees or in providing assistance to other NGOs involved in this work. The situation is also expected to impact on the accession and candidate countries to the EU.

JRS Europe and JRS international websites will carry regular updates.

Full text of Statement: English - Español

 

Jesuit Director of Vatican Radio severely criticizes Bush’s decision to go to war

Vatican City, 19 March (VID) – Do not pretend to act in the name of God, comments Fr. Pasquale Borgomeo, S.J., General Director of Vatican Radio, speaking of ultimatum given by President Bush to Iraq.

“If those responsible for the decision to start the war believe in conscience that they have to make such a decision, let them know that they will have to account for it before God, before the international community and one day, before the judgment of history. Let them therefore avoid thinking they are on a mission of salvation and not pretend to act in our name.”, Fr Borgomeo said. And he added: “’Not in my name’ we’ve read on the badges of many demonstrators against the war. Not in our name, not in the name of the values of western society and above all not in the Holy Name of God.”

 

Jesuit magazine "America" denounces Bush' decision for making war

Washington, 18 March 2003 -- As the U.S. prepares for war, America, the national Catholic weekly magazine, is publishing an editorial against the war along with an article in favour of the war by George Weigel in its March 31st issue.

In its editorial "God or Country", America, agreeing with Pope John Paul II, argues that "war against Iraq would be arrogant, unnecessary and foolish. Arrogant, because the administration has been disdainful of world opinion, discounted the effectiveness and potential of alternative approaches to containment and from the beginning proclaimed its intention to act unilaterally in world affairs. Unnecessary, because containment has worked and can be made to work more effectively. Foolish, because the government either ignores much greater threats from North Korea and Pakistan or, it would seem, has positioned itself for a succession of pre-emptive wars against 'the axis of evil'."

America applauds John Paul II "for the prophetic role he has taken in opposing this war. He is to be thanked for taking diplomatic initiatives to encourage Iraqi disarmament and to forestall the American government’s resort to war... War against Iraq will be a defeat for U.S. security. It will promote, rather than curb, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It has led already to the fraying of alliances. It will intensify anti-Americanism abroad and with it the terrorist threat. It will undermine U.S. leadership in the world for generations to come".

 

Statistics show a total of 20,408 Jesuits present in 122 countries

Rome, 15 March 2003 – According to "The Society in Numbers", the statistics prepared yearly by the General Secretariat of the Society, there were – as of 1 January 2003 – a total of 20,408 Jesuits (14,368 priests, 3,067 scholastics, 2,044 brothers, and 929 novices) representing a decrease of 333 over the previous year (255 priests, 52 scholastics, 68 Brothers). The 929 novices represent an increase of 42 novices. The regional "assistancy" with the highest number of novices continues to be South Asia (260) followed at a considerable distance by Africa (116), East Asia-Oceania (113), Northern Latin America (97), United States (91), Southern Latin America (85), East Europe (60), South Europe (45), West Europe (44), and Central Europe (18). The average age of all the Jesuits is 54.93 years: 61.47 for the priests, 26.45 for the scholastics, and 63.90 for the brothers. With approximately 1,758 communities, the Society is present in 122 countries.

 

Jesuit Cardinal Martini writes his reflections on peace from Jerusalem

Vatican City, 13 March (VID) – It is not enough to invoke peace, writes Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J. in an article sent from Jerusalem for the “Osservatore Romano”, “we must also be willing to sacrifice something of ourselves for this great good and not only at the personal level but even at the level of groups, peoples, nations.”

“Every constructive will seeking peace comes up against unavoidable human aggression”. If conflict and use of force are “givens that we must take into consideration”, it is “inevitable” that to arrive at peace “we must continuously reweave the thread of getting along” so that “the task proposed is both more modest and at the same time more realistic, moderating to the point of preferring a compromise in which each person must concede something to which theoretically he would have a right to, in view of overcoming endless and violent litigation.”

Cardinal Martini points out that “in the end peace is a work of justice that participates as part of divine justice, a justice that pardons, is merciful, rehabilitating, and capable of forgetting wrongs right away.”

 

New Provincials appointed in France and Poland

Brussels, 12 March 2003 – Father General has appointed François-Xavier Dumortier as new Provincial for France. He will succeed Jean-Noël Audras. Antoine Kerhuel becomes the new Vice-Provincial for Southern France and replaces Bruno Régent. In Poland Dariusz Kowalczyk succeeds Andrzej Koprowski as Provincial for the Greater Poland Jesuits.

At present Dumortier (54) is the President of the Centre Sèvres in Paris and professor of philosophy. Kerhuel (45) is the Director of the Social Centre Ceras in Paris. Dariusz Kowalczyk (39) is now the Rector of the Jesuit Scholasticate Bobolanum in Warsaw. All three will take office next summer.

 

JRS-Europe offers prayer resources for Lent

Brussels, 3 March 2003 – For Lent 2003 the European Office of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is offering a daily prayer and suggestions for reflection and action on the Internet. It provides resources for teachers and parish leaders, ideas for personal prayer and a virtual 'pilgrimage' focussing on key refugee areas of the world

"This is something fairly simple" said Tobias Specker, the German Jesuit novice who prepared the material. "But we hope it will support people who work with refugees or who have an interest in the area". The theme of the series is "I am like you – a stranger of all times, under every sky. A man, a woman, like you" (René Philombe, Cameroon).

...Internet address: http://www.jrseurope.org/lent 

 

New Jesuit Master of Novices appointed for Spain

Brussels, 2 March 2003 -- On the proposal of Fr Isidro Gonzalez Modroño, the Provincial of Spain, Father General has approved the nomination of Fr Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves from the Toledo Province as the new Master of Novices at the Interprovincial Noviciate in Zaragoza. At present Fr Guerrero is the Superior of the Santa Maria del Pozo Residence in Madrid, Professor at the University of Comillas and Provincial Delegate for Social Action. He will take office at the noviciate next September.

 

Sacred Space launches 9 days of on-line prayer for world peace

Dublin, 22 February 2003 -- Sacred Space, the Irish Jesuit On-Line prayer site, launches 9 days of prayer for world peace on Sunday, the 23rd of February. This initiative is inspired by the 40th anniversary of Pope John 23rd's famous encyclical Pacem in Terris, written at the height of the cold war.

On each of the nine days the site will highlight a reflection on a theme from Pacem in Terris and will include a prayer from one of the major world religions. "Pope John's words struck a chord with all people of good will back in 1963," Site organiser Fr. McGuckian said; "It's worth our while to listen to them again today."

Sacred Space has had almost 6 million visits since 1999 and is now translated into 15 languages, including Japanese, Catalan and Latvian. "Many thousands of people pray at Sacred Space each day and the feedback from all over the world says that they want to be part of a world-wide prayer for peace", Alan McGuckian, SJ, says.

 

Meeting of Parishes from the Jesuit Provinces of Spain and Portugal

Madrid, 21 February 2003 – Sixty Jesuits and lay collaborators working in parishes run by Jesuits in Spain and Portugal are starting today a three-day meeting on "Solidarity Communities: Training and Formation of Pastoral Agents". This is the very first meeting of this kind and aims mainly to find out what to do and how to collaborate in the future. There will be a good time for prayer and common discernment. Fr Patxi Alvarez from Loyola Province will start with an inspiring talk about "Solidarity Communities": the daily practice of a common responsibility of Jesuits and lay collaborators working hand in hand.

 

Jesuits and lay collaborators to share the "Practice of Ignatian Spirituality"

Rome, 16 February 2003 – Ninety Jesuits and lay collaborators from all over the world are starting today in Rome a week long seminar on "The Practice of Ignatian Spirituality". This meeting grows from last year’s on “Spiritual Exercises and Partnership" and is organised by the Secretariat for Ignatian Spirituality (CIS). Fr General, Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, will keynote the meeting on practices in the text of Exercises. Fr Donald L. Gelpi SJ. from Berkeley will address the group each morning on the Christology and ongoing religious, moral, intellectual, esthetical, and social-political conversion of heart. Participants will discuss in groups and in plenum, and select workshops in their own fields in the afternoon.

 

Jesuit Regional Assistant Paul Tan Chee Ing appointed Bishop of Melaka-Johor

Rome, 13 February 2003 – Pope John Paul II has appointed Jesuit Father Paul Tan Chee Ing as bishop of Melaka-Johor, Malaysia. Paul Tan, born on 5 April 1940, entered the Society of Jesus on 2 January 1959 and was ordained priest on 21 June 1971. At present he is the Regional Assistant to the Jesuit Superior General for East Asia and Oceania.

More: [Italian]

 

28 U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities collaborating in a Witness for Peace Day

Washington, 12 February 2003 -- Students, faculty and staff at Jesuit universities across the nation will be gathering tomorrow to witness their opposition to a pre-emptive war against Iraq. Supported by the statements of Pope John Paul II, the U.S. Catholic bishops, the ten Jesuit Provincials in the U.S., and the Jesuit General in Rome, all the Jesuit universities in the U.S. are planning various activities. The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities headquartered in Washington, D.C. is coordinating the national media coverage of this event.

In addition to interfaith prayer services, Masses and lectures, Jesuit college and university campuses have found unique ways to call attention to their anti-war efforts. To demonstrate its solidarity with its sister institutions, the University of Scranton (PA) will hold an evening Candlelight Vigil with 28 luminary bags representing each of the Jesuit colleges and universities. The university will fill a half a bag of rice wrapped in the quote: “If your enemies are hungry, then feed them (Romans 12:20). Please do not attack Iraq.” The bag will be sent to the President of the United States.

"The threat of war in Iraq has brought our campuses together in genuine solidarity as they confront the grave issues of life and death, now and into the future,” said Fr. Charles Currie, S.J., president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU). “Concerned students, faculty and staff are grappling with these complex issues. As faith-based communities, we are praying for peace in Iraq and for wisdom among our leaders.”

 

Jesuits on Iraq: No Moral Justification for a Preventive War

According to the Secretary for Social Justice of the Society of Jesus war at this point would be a war without end

Rome (Italy), 8 February (VID) – War “is a defeat for humanity” and in fact there are no justifications for a preventive war in Iraq, underlines the Secretary for Social Justice of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Fernando Franco, relying on information principally from the Jesuit coordinators of this social apostolate in the various Provinces of the Order.

“In fidelity to our duty to be ‘Servants of the mission of Christ’, in the critical circumstances we are in, our determination for a peace strictly anchored in justice must be guided by reflection and much prayer, reflecting on the principal reasons for opposing a war against Iraq. With many others, we believe that the reasons for a preventive attack are not convincing, and the effects of a possible war would be so devastating to make it difficult, if not impossible, to justify an armed intervention.”

This conviction is based on the consideration that “the ‘doctrine’ of a preventive war is not either in accord with the doctrine and the right of the United Nations, nor is it morally defendable. The application of this doctrine would open the way to continuous war, a war without end.” Instead of bringing a stable peace to the Mid East, a war against Iraq would augment the tensions between Muslims and Christians. The “seed of dialog”, so patiently planted, “would be trampled in a spiral of violence and intolerance.”

In the declaration other reasons for opposing the war are also presented. “The will to confront massive military expenses to destroy life seems in strident contrast with the unwillingness to promote with the same determination a sustainable development for all.”

In a world of increasing inequalities, “many continue to ask themselves with increasing insistence if the true reasons for war against Iraq don’t have to do more with economics than with security”. Besides, the decisions that touch the life of people cannot be made in a “unilateral” manner and “against the obligation to seek out a vaster consensus through legitimate democratic processes.”

 

Jesuit theologian Dupuis calls for interreligious dialogue

Kolkata, 29 January 2003 (Hindustan Times) – At a gathering of priests, nuns and seminarians in Kolkata Belgian Jesuit Fr Jacques Dupuis, Professor Emeritus of Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, advocated interreligious dialogue to help Hindus and Christians better understand their own religions.

"In my 36 years of teaching and research in Theology, the one truth that I have learnt is that there is no monopoly of Truth", he said. While engaging in interreligious dialogue, Christians should be ready not only to "give out the good word", but also to receive it. "Such a dialogue is necessary for a greater conversion of both the sides to their respective religions... I can integrate certain aspects of other faiths into my faith to understand it better", he explained.

A couple of years ago his book "Towards a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism" was censured as 'erroneous' by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. "The Congregation also sent me a set of questions about the book which I replied to. But it took them nearly 10 months to take a decision. I think the reason I was targeted was because through me, the Congregation was targeting Oriental theologians and Asian Theology," he said.

 

JRS Malta: "Detention of asylum seekers is unacceptable"

Naxxar, Malta, 24 January 2003 -- The government should stop automatically resorting to detention of people caught entering Malta illegally, Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta) said.

Marking 10 years of service in Malta this week, JRS voiced grave concern at the “incalculable” human cost of indefinite detention of undocumented migrants, including asylum seekers. Speaking on Friday at the launch of an exhibition at St James Cavalier to commemorate the JRS anniversary, director Pierre Grech Marguerat SJ said detention should only be used as a last resort.

JRS Malta is deeply disturbed by harsh physical conditions facing close to 1000 detainees. Fr Grech Marguerat said: “Migrants in detention are held in conditions which are an affront to human dignity. Their situation is often worse than that of condemned prisoners in spite of the best efforts of the security forces to accommodate them. People have been sleeping for months in tents, in bitter cold and flooding when it rains. Most of those with a roof over their heads are severely overcrowded, like 35 people in one room. Some are not even allowed in the open air for one hour every day.”

 

Indian President pays tributes to the Jesuits for their valuebased education

Kolkata, India, 21 January 2003 -- Inaugurating the VIth World Congress of Jesuit Alumni at the auditorium of St. Xavier's Collegiate School, President A P J Abdul Kalam of India said Jesuits had greatly contributed to the development of education in India. "Being a Jesuit alumni myself, I am aware of the great contribution of Jesuit education not only in India, but around the world", he said.

The President paid tributes to two of his mentors at St. Joseph's College at Tiruchirapalli — Father Sequiera, who taught English and was his warden at the New Hostel, and Father Chinnat Rai, who taught him physics. The President said the country is "ruled by differences" today.

The inculcation of a proper value system through education is the only means to remove these differences, he said. "You must let flowers bloom, or else human minds will become wicked. Education is the best role model to remove differences," the President said.

Kalam paid glowing tributes to the Jesuits for their role in spreading valuebased education. "If India is to be a developed country by 2020, the role of the Jesuits will be crucial to create an appropriate system of value-based education," he said.

 

Indian President to open Jesuit Alumni/ae Sixth World Congress

 Brussels, 20 January 2003 – Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will officially inaugurate the Sixth World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae in Kolkata tomorrow. Kalam himself is a Jesuit Alumnus from Schwartz High School in Ramanathapuram and graduated from St Joseph's College in Tiruchi.

The Congress, from 21 to 24 January, is called a "Summit of Joy" and is co-hosted by the three alumni associations of Kolkata. The theme is "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high" (Rabindranath Tagore). There are sessions dedicated to discussions on opportunities for education, environment, corporate responsibility and empowerment of women. About 700 delegates from around India and abroad are expected to attend the Congress.

The last Congress was held in 1997 in Sydney, Austrilia, and the onus was on Asia to hold it this year.

World Union of Jesuit Alumni(ae)
VIth World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae in Kolkata

 

VIth World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae threatened with violence

Brussels, 17 January 2003 - The VIth World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae in the Indian city of Kolkata, 21-24 January, has been the target of violent attacks on the part of a fundamentalist Hindu organization (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS) which has advised the President of the country, H.E. Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, a former student of St. Joseph’s College, not to accept the invitation to open the Congress because his presence would legitimize the Society of Jesus, an organization known for her violent, aggressive and exclusive religious beliefs. RSS accuses the Jesuits of taking an oath of induction by which they commit themselves to use violent and barbaric means to decimate all those who don’t follow the Roman Catholic religion. RSS has provided the long text of a fabricated oath, a “detailed” description of the ceremony of the oath taking, and the testimony of a certain Alberto Rivera who escaped from the Jesuit order in 1967 after having taken the oath.

The Provincial of India, Father Lisbert D’Souza, has released a press statement on behalf of the Jesuits in India denying the existence of such an oath, and adding that a research in the Indian and Roman archives of the Society has failed to produce any reference to a Jesuit by the name of Alberto Rivera who left the Society in the 1960s.

 

Father General to visit Bangladesh and India

Rome, 15 January 2003 -- From January 16 to 23, Father General will visit Bangladesh and India. In India, he will address the International Congress of Alumni-ae to be held in Kolkata (Calcutta) from January 21 to 24. The theme of the Congress is taken from a text of Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Laureate poet and alumnus of a Jesuit institution: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.
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Jesuits: General Curia Studying How to Organize and Communicate Better

Plans are being made to make better use of new technologies

Rome (Italy), 14 January (VID) – The General Curia of the Jesuits hope to enter into the era of new computer technology in the best and most professional way they can. The Superior General, his Council Members and all the members of the Curia Staff are participating in a two-day seminar to study how the new organizational and communications technology might to applied to the better running of the Curia and the Company of Jesus.

Salesian, Fr. Carlos Garulo, the only non-Jesuit at the meeting, after taking account of the present situation of the Jesuit Curia is helping to guide the meeting which will discuss present problems, future directions and projects and the formation and training that will be necessary.

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More: Vidimus Dominum

 

JRS organises night shelter for asylum seekers during cold weather in Rome

Rome (JRS), 10 January 2003 --The Municipality of Rome's "Cold weather emergency" programme has been in operation since the 16th December. JRS Italy/Centro Astalli made continuous appeals to the local authorities to start this programme, which was initiated last winter. Of particular concern to Centro Astalli are the many Kurdish refugees and asylum seekers, men, women and children, living in the park of Colle Oppio near the Colosseum.

The programme consists of a shuttle bus service, which picks people up from Colle Oppio and the Caritas soup kitchen near Rome's Termini central railway station and takes them to a dormitory which has been set up on Via Casilina (north Rome).

"Every night we are able to provide shelter to around 120 people, " says Fr Francesco De Luccia, Director of JRS Italy, who most nights meets the local municipal police at Colle Oppio. "This doesn't solve the problem entirely but at least it gives some respite to those who suffer." Finding shelter for asylum seekers in the capital has become increasingly difficult during the past few months due to the increased number of asylum seekers arriving to the Sicilian shores from Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan and Eritrea. Usually after about a one-month stay in reception centres in the south of Italy asylum seekers are sent to Rome.

The Centro Astalli soup kitchen has also had to adapt to the increase in numbers where now some 400 people per day regularly come to eat.

 

Italian Jesuit Bartolomeo Sorge: "Preventive war is morally unacceptable"

Milano, 9 January 2003 – The idea of a "preventive war", as it is promoted by American President George W. Bush, means a hark-back to the past, Italian Jesuit Bartolomeo Sorge writes in the January issue of the monthly magazine "Popoli". It goes back to the Latin writer of the 4th century, Vegezio. But since, history has shown clearly that people can not gain peace by making war.

Furthermore Sorge states that such a war is the best thinkable present for Osama bin Laden. Never a preventive war can create a reconciled world and it is therefore "morally unacceptable, legally untenable and politically wrong", he says.

 

Peru: human rights prize awarded to Jesuit bishop
Bishop Bambaren defined as the "bishop of the poor"

Lima (Peru), January 4 (VID) – The national Coordinating Committee for Human Rights of Peru shortly before Christmas awarded Bishop Luis Bambaren, SJ, the Bishop of Chimbote and president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference a special recognition for his commitment to neediest of the poor and his battles in favour of the defence of human rights.

Defined by the jury as the “bishop of the poor”, the prelate during the official ceremony held in the Museum of Art of Lima, said: “I receive this prize with humility and with deep satisfaction, because the self-denial of the priests, religious and lay Peruvians who have fought for the defence of the dignity and respect of the weak and the helpless”.

“Christians – added Bishop Bambaren – have a demand, a moral imperative which springs from the faith and which goes beyond the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. “It is as a matter of fact the word of the Song of God – concluded the prelate – which reminds us that “every time that you do one of these things to only one of my little brothers of sisters, your have done this to me”.

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