Pope commends Jesuits for being
in tune with Church priorities
 |
| Jesuit Superior General, Fr. Arturo Sosa. |
The promotion of discernment and spiritual exercises,
walking with the excluded, accompanying the young in their journey and caring
for our common home. These are the universal apostolic preferences set by the
Society of Jesus for the next decade, 2019-2029.
By Amedeo Lomonaco
The universal apostolic preferences of the Jesuits "are
in harmony with the current apostolic priorities of the Church expressed
through the ordinary magisterium of the Pope, the synods, the episcopal
conferences, especially in the Apostolic Exhortation ‘Evangelii Gaudium’".
This is what Pope Francis emphasized in a letter addressed to the Jesuit
General, Father Arturo Sosa.
What has been undertaken, the Pontiff said, is a
"dynamic discernment", not a "library or labour” process.
According to the Pope, the first preference is fundamental because it
presupposes as a "primary condition the relationship of the Jesuit with
the Lord, the personal and community life of prayer and discernment".
Apostolic preferences
The apostolic preferences are the result of a process of
discernment that lasted almost two years. They represent "four vital
areas" for today's world. Father Sosa recently said they inspire
Jesuits "in their discernment and in apostolic planning".
They are the points of reference, horizons and orientations
for the entire Society of Jesus. They emphasize how Jesuits can "make
better use of the means at their disposal to serve Christ's reconciling mission
in the world.” They are the Jesuits’ response to the needs of the Church.
In a society marked by profound change, preferences are established
"through socio-political analysis, theological and pastoral reflection and
discernment". For the next 10 years, the 4 preferences set by the Jesuits,
have been confirmed by Pope Francis.
Promoting discernment, spiritual exercises
Illustrating the 4 apostolic preferences, Fr. Sosa told
Vatican News that discernment is a necessity for the Church. The spiritual exercises,
he added, are a preferential path for the Jesuits. It is also fundamental, as
far as the exercises are concerned, to take the path of creativity.
According to the Jesuit General, new forms must be found so that the
exercises adapt to different groups, realities and contexts.
Walking with the excluded
Walking with those who are discarded, said Father Sosa,
means approaching the world of the poor and going to the suburbs to meet the
people. "We want to take a path, he added, to promote social justice.
"We want to promote a change in the economic, political and social
structures that cause injustice. "We want to eliminate the scourge of
abuse from the life of the Church and society,” a drama that the Jesuit
General said is manifest out in various forms, including in sexual abuse and
abuse of power.
Accompanying young people
According to Fr. Sosa, walking with young people also means
looking at the world from their perspective. Young people, he explained,
can help understand the changes in society, to grasp the sense of a new
culture. We must therefore "open up spaces for young people, for their
creativity", he said, adding they must also learn from the young.
Caring for the common home
The fourth preference concerns our common home – the created
world. Father Sosa said we must try to participate in urgent actions that
can help curb and stem the deterioration of the environment. Alternative
formulas must also be sought. To respond to these preferences, said the head of
the Jesuits, a great challenge is that of collaboration which he considered a
strong point of their action.
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