Fr General Arturo Sosa has appointed Indonesian Jesuit Fr Riyo Mursanto as Rector of Arrupe International Residence in the Philippines. Fr Riyo takes over from Filipino Jesuit Fr Renato Repole who has been Rector since February 2011.
Fr Riyo is no stranger to Arrupe Residence where he lived for three years when he was Socius to Fr Adolfo Nicolás, who was then President of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. He was also responsible for the Juniorate programme during that time.
Now, a dozen years later, Fr Riyo will be together again with Fr Nicolás who, after stepping down as General of the Society, has come back to Manila and now lives at Arrupe International Residence.
Fr Riyo was for six years Provincial of the Indonesian Province. His first assignment after ordination was in Canisius College, Jakarta where he served in various roles for 12 years. Fr Riyo has remained an active member of various networks of the Jesuit Conference, having coordinated for a time the network on basic education.
Now, in addition to being Rector of Arrupe International Residence, which is an international work of the Jesuit Conference, Fr Riyo will assist the President of the Jesuit Conference as Delegate for Formation. He will move to Manila at the end of May.
Fr General’s appointment comes just shy of Fr Riyo’s 60th birthday. A keen marathon runner and mountain climber, turning 60 is not likely to slow him down.