Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ was inaugurated as President of Loyola School of Theology (LST) in the Philippines on July 5.  He takes over from Fr Jose Mario C Francisco SJ who was LST president for seven years.

In his congratulatory letter dated July 2, Fr General Adolfo Nicolás SJ shared some thoughts for the future of LST, expressing his hope that LST provides its students with a profound understanding of the rapidly changing context of the mission of the Church in Asia today, with a deep understanding and appropriation of the content of the faith of the Church; and with the pastoral competences and skills to communicate and incarnate the joy and the hope of the Gospel among the peoples of Asia, especially the many who are poor and suffering.

Fr General also urged Fr Jose to promote in LST the three words Pope Francis highlighted in his recent address to the writers of the Jesuit journal, La Civilta Cattolica.  “These three words – “Dialogue, Discernment and Frontier”- should characterize any Jesuit intellectual apostolic ministry, such as LST,” said Fr Nicholas.  

He quoted Pope Francis’ definition of the three words. “Dialogue” means “not to build walls but bridges, to establish a dialogue with all people, even those who do not share the Christian faith but who ‘respect outstanding human values’, and even, ‘those who oppose the Church and persecute her in various ways’ (Gaudium et Spes, n. 92).” “Discernment” means seeking “to read reality in the light of the Gospel”; it involves believing that “God is at work in the life of every person and in culture” and seeking “to find out what God has brought about and how to continue his action.” “Frontier” means “avoiding the spiritual illness of self-referentiality” and going out to the peripheries, where new questions, new challenges, new hopes call for a creative response from the Church.

To read the Inaugural Address of Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ as 9th LST President, click here.

To find out more about Loyola School of Theology, visit www.lst.edu.