Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, upon arrival in Manila, accompanied by Regional Assistant for Western Europe Fr Victor Assouad SJ and Regional Assistant for Asia Pacific Fr Daniel Huang SJ. Father General was welcomed by JCAP President Fr Antonio Moreno SJ, Philippine Provincial Superior Fr Primitivo Viray SJ and President of Loyola School of Theology Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ
Superior General of the Society of Jesus Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, along with Regional Assistant for Asia Pacific Fr Danny Huang SJ and Regional Assistant for Western Europe Fr Victor Assouad SJ, arrived in Manila on December 7 from Saigon.
Fr General Sosa is making his second trip to the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific since he was elected Superior General in 2016. In Vietnam, Fr General spent almost a week visiting Jesuit communities and getting to know the situation of the Church in the country and learning about opportunities and challenges from Jesuits and collaborators.
Philippine Jesuit Provincial Fr Primitivo Viray SJ, JCAP President Fr Tony Moreno SJ and Loyola School of Theology President Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ welcomed Fr General Sosa and his assistants at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The group went straight to the Loyola House of Studies at the Ateneo de Manila University where Fr General and his delegation will be staying while in Manila.
After meeting with Jesuits in Manila and Naga, Fr General Sosa will celebrate the Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. The next day, he is expected to visit Kalookan to meet with Bishop Pablo David as well as members of the Sacred Heart Mission, the newest mission station of the Philippine Province. The mission aims to foster more effective collaboration with the poor in building communities that safeguard human dignity and respect for life.
Fr General Sosa will also pay a courtesy call on Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia and Metro Manila Bishops at the Arzobispado de Manila.
On December 11, he will fly to Cebu City to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Jesuit Retreat House – Cebu Center for Ignatian Spirituality. The following day, he will bless the Cor Jesu Chapel of Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu and meet with the school community and benefactors.
Fr General Sosa’s next stop is Cagayan de Oro where he will visit Xavier Ecoville, a resettlement village for typhoon survivors organised by Xavier University. He will also meet with Jesuits, lay collaborators and civil society leaders to discuss the Mindanao situation.
He returns to Manila on December 14 to meet with Jesuit formands and Province consultors before flying back to Rome the next day.