Fr Charles Sim SJ made his Final Vows in the Society of Jesus on 15 August, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, in the Chapel of St Francis Xavier within Kingsmead Hall Jesuit community in Singapore. Fr Francis Lim SJ, the Regional Superior of Malaysia-Singapore, representing Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ, received his solemn vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and a fourth vow of obedience to the pope especially in regard to worldwide mission.
In this piece, Fr Charles reflects on his Final Vows.
There are three books that sit on my desk, providing me with much food for thought these days. One is on Matteo Ricci SJ, titled “A Jesuit in the Forbidden City”, written by esteemed scholar-historian, Ronnie Hsia Po-Chia. The second is by Teilhard de Chardin SJ, named “Letters from the Traveller”, a compilation of his personal letters to close friends, written mainly in China from 1923 to 1945, where he worked as palaeontologist and geologist. I find myself reading these two books for the second time, as my memory tends to grow rusty with age. Nevertheless, there is much spiritual wisdom and insight, as well as great lessons to be learned in those books!
The last book is by Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ, called “Walking with Ignatius,” comprised of an interview he gave to a journalist, Sario Menor, in Rome shortly after he was elected Father General in 2016, and in which he focuses on the Jesuit mission in today’s world.
Could it be that these three books were placed before me for my spiritual reading as I make my Final Vows on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary? The answer could be “maybe”, “yes”, or “no”.
It seems to be an affirmative response because these books are related to the Jesuit missionary endeavours of the past, present, and the path forward. Matteo Ricci, the late 16th century Italian Jesuit, lived as a missionary in various parts of China, first in Macau, then Guangzhou, Nanchong, Nanking, and finally at the Imperial Ming Court in Beijing, where he remained until his death in 1610. The French Jesuit, Teilhard de Chardin in the 20th century, travelled first to Tianjin and then Beijing, making many paleontological expeditions in the desert of Inner Mongolia and elsewhere in the western region of China, in search of the origins of man. And the Venezuela Jesuit, Fr General Arturo Sosa, speaks directly to 21st-century readers on his contemporary understanding of the Society of Jesus, and the works of the Jesuits and lay collaborators in this challenging and troubled world.
Conversely, the answer could also be “no” to this being a coincidence, owing to my personal interest in history, especially the works of the Jesuits in China, given my work there, as well as my hope to see how I can better contribute to the ministries here in Singapore and around the region.
As I reflect on my Final Vows, these three books speak to me in distinct ways. To some extent, they reflect my own missionary endeavours as a Jesuit over the years. The trials and challenges Ricci met on his missionary journey to the Forbidden City–Beijing–took him almost 18 years, accompanied by much suffering and joy, as well as a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment towards the end of his life. Although my personal journey has been much less trying and challenging than Ricci’s, the joy and hope of doing something meaningful in China, God willing, have made every waiting moment worthwhile.
The works of Teilhard de Chardin, a renowned palaeontologist, geologist, philosopher, and theologian, continue to give me hope and inspiration for the scholarly endeavours needed for the mission. His research efforts and expeditions into inner Mongolia and around the hills of Beijing eventually led to the discovery of the skull of the “Peking Man”. Interestingly, Teilhard did his initial research work at the Natural Museum first established in Tianjin by another French Jesuit and fellow geologist, Fr Emil Licent SJ. It is the same city where I will be teaching in China.
On the day of my Vow Mass attended by members of the community, including my biological sister, Sr Elizabeth Sim FdCC, Fr Francis Lim, our Regional Superior, reiterated the importance of Jesuits as “men on a mission”. Thus, our fourth vow is an expression of our availability to be sent anywhere and wherever the need is greatest, for the greater glory of God! Bearing in mind the words of Fr Arturo Sosa SJ: “The most important thing for a Jesuit is to stay united to God and to be an instrument of his mission.”
At this point in my Jesuit life, I have learned two interesting lessons. First, if you pray “hard enough”, things may happen, and sometimes they happen in ways that you do not expect! Second, “God does write straight with crooked lines.” So, I see my present Jesuit journey as one directed at the professional formation of more good therapists and clinical supervisors. As I continue to draw from what God has generously given me–my intellect and will–to better serve the greater good of the mission in this least Society of Jesus.