Since the time of St Ignatius, when people wrote letters, communication was already essential to the Society of Jesus. The founder and first Superior General was himself a prolific letter writer with around 7,000 letters on a variety of topics. Today, modes of communication have somewhat changed, but the purpose of bringing us closer to each other remains.
Last February, Fr General Arturo Sosa gave a webinar–probably the first Superior General of the Society of Jesus to do so–to mark the first anniversary of the announcement of the Universal Apostolic Preferences. In early April, Fr General again addressed the Jesuits and their partners in another webinar (also produced and streamed from the mini studio at the General Curia in Rome) to talk about the UAPs in a “time of uncertainty and Covid-19”. His message in this time of “change and challenge” keep us hopeful and yet ever on our feet. “This crisis will have a huge impact on how we relate to each other; on how we work; on how the world economy is run; on how we pray together; on how we carry out mission in the Society of Jesus and in the Church.” And yet, Fr General calls on “a Church on the move… going out to the frontiers…to where people are wounded and hurting.”
In a crisis that has put everything into focus, the preferences are more relevant than ever. Helping the poor and marginalised who suffer the most, learning from the courage and energy of young people, continuing to care for a depleted and diseased planet–we are guided by the UAPs as we struggle collectively through this. Fr General reminds us to be guided by audacity and not fear, to be more flexible, and like Abraham, “our vocation is to keep going” with God showing us the path.
It is certainly a huge consolation to hear Fr General’s address, to watch him on our little screens and take courage from his words. The webinar, which allowed several hundred people to participate, encouraged questions from all parts of the globe. From how to overcome fear to how living in quarantine affects community life, Fr General answered with characteristic candour, offering sound advice, consoling words, humour, compassion, and faith. Even in a time like this, it’s good to know some things stay essentially the same.
Read the address and watch the full webinar: