In a little more than six months the elected members of each Jesuit province, world-wide, will gather in Rome to participate in a General Congregation (GC) for the Society of Jesus. A GC is the supreme authoritative body within the Society. This particular Congregation will convene to elect a new Superior General for the Order. Father Peter Kolvenbach, SJ, is the first Superior General to petition the Holy Father to step down from the leadership position. Traditionally the Superior General will lead the Jesuits until his death. Fr. K's immediate successor, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, was relieved of his position due to health issues that made it impossible for him to fulfill his duties as the Superior General.Fr. Kolvenback came to Rome in 1981 from Lebanon where he had taught for many years to be the Rector of the Orientale, a Jesuit house of studies for eastern rite churches. Only in that position a few years, Fr. K was elected Superior General by the last GC of the Jesuits.
In January, as the world-wide representatives will gather in Curia Generalis on the Borgo Santo Spirito, just a few blocks from the Holy Father's residence, the Fathers will elect a successor.
While stationed in Rome in 1981, this blogger worked closely with Fr. K in setting up a fund raising operation for the Orientale. He is quite the man because he is truly infused with and lives out the Ignatian charism. A man of prayer, he has done much to bring a deeper sense of Ignatian spirituality to the Society in contemporary times.
In 1959, when this blogger left DC to join the Society of Jesus, there were some 36,000 Jesuits throughout the world. Today, in the Catholic World News, there is a report about the number of Jesuits serving the Church today. The posting follows:
Jesuit order diminishing in numbers
Rome, Jun. 14, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Jesuit order diminished in size by 364 men in 2006, the Fides news service reports.
In the last calendar year, 486 men joined the Society of Jesus. But 472 Jesuits died, and 378 men left the religious order, accounting for the drop in numbers.
There are 19,216 Jesuits in the world today, by the latest count. The average age among Jesuits worldwide is now over 57.
Rome, Jun. 14, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Jesuit order diminished in size by 364 men in 2006, the Fides news service reports.
In the last calendar year, 486 men joined the Society of Jesus. But 472 Jesuits died, and 378 men left the religious order, accounting for the drop in numbers.
There are 19,216 Jesuits in the world today, by the latest count. The average age among Jesuits worldwide is now over 57.
