On 4 August 2018, two days before Fr Adolfo Nicolás SJ left Manila for Tokyo, a testimonial dinner was held to honour and thank him. When I first asked Nico (as we fondly call him in our Conference) his thoughts about having a testimonial dinner and launching of the Adolfo Nicolás East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) endowment fund, his reply was quite revealing: “Although it goes against my principles and my personal standing, because of my affection for EAPI, I agree to both…. Regarding the name, I accept it with the condition that if, in the process, another name is found more suitable, the name be changed without any consideration for my feelings.” I knew he was not eager to have these two events for himself. But for the love of EAPI, he consented to the proposals albeit conditionally. Nico was not known to promote himself. He was not self-referential. He detested and clericalism in whatever form. He corrected people who referred to him as “Superior General Emeritus.” He wanted to be known as he was without titles.
During his testimonial dinner, Nico remarked that pastoral institutes, like EAPI, have a special role to play in the Church. If he had his way, he would have wanted to have more pastoral institutes that provide ongoing training and reflection for church ministers, whether ordained or not. These church leaders and workers who are at the forefront of the mission need to have continuous formation to be effective in their mission.
I recall his decision to have the 70th Congregation of Procurators in Nairobi in 2012. It was the first time that a very important gathering in the Society happened outside of Europe and particularly in an impoverished and struggling continent. It was a remarkable way of putting on the radar screen Africa, where there is so much promise for the universal Church. I do remember being part of the steering committee of that congregation and having meetings at night to prepare for the sessions the following day. During our evening meetings, he was still full of energy and continued to be insightful while I sometimes struggled with exhaustion.
Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, speaking on behalf of the delegates of the 36th General Congregation, gave a beautiful tribute to Nico following his resignation as Superior General. “Thank you for your personal style. All who have known and encountered you speak of your cordiality, spontaneity and simplicity, of your accessibility, of your friendly relationship with all, whether with simple persons or with those of high rank. Those who have lived with you in the Curia for years have been struck by your always smiling expression and your good humour….” Many people still remember his jokes. He had this infectious laughter when he cracked jokes. At times, we could not figure out what the joke was because he would just laugh before telling us the punch line of the joke. But we laughed with him anyway.
Lombardi continued: “You have been a Superior regarded with fondness, perceived to be close and fraternal – in a word, loved.” This best describes who Nico was to us in EAPI and Arrupe International Residence where he continued to be active in ministries before going back to Tokyo. He loved people and loved engaging in conversations with them. At times, his meals in Arrupe and EAPI took longer than usual because he loved conversations. In turn, he was well-loved. People had so much affection for him. Truly he was inspiring and his happy presence continues to be missed in these two communities.
Nico reminded us about the universal character of our vocation, that is, we join the universal Society of Jesus and not the Provinces and Regions. He embodied this universal character of our vocation. He left Spain to be a missionary in Japan. His availability for the universal mission led him to unfamiliar areas of responsibilities: Director of East Asia Pastoral Institute in Manila (1978 – 1984); Provincial Superior of Japan Province (1993 – 1999); President of Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania (2004 – 2008), which was later renamed as Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific; and Superior General (2008 – 2016). He encouraged us to think Society and think Church, rather than think simply of our Provinces and Regions.
He challenged us to shun superficiality and mediocrity. He kept on insisting that we pursue spiritual depth. He cautioned us against being attached to work and works, against being overextended because of too many ministries, good as they are. All these excesses make us less discerning. He persistently asked us to be more creative while remaining faithful to our charism. He encouraged us to seek the will of God and not rest content with success stories or maintenance mode. In convoking the 70th Congregation of Procurators, he wrote on 12 March 2011: “I invite Jesuits today to engage in a deeper reflection on the signs of new life and apostolic creativity in both traditional and new ministries of the Society.” Although he felt that there were new energies and creative ventures in the Society, a lot more can still be done.
Many of us have been greatly inspired by the way he handled his illness from his resignation as Superior General to his departure for the infirmary in Tokyo where he continued his mission – this time to pray for the Church and the Society. He did not wait for his Superiors to tell him to go to the infirmary. Nico discerned and prayed over his illness and manifested God’s will for him to his Superiors. He was not attached to his work. He willingly let go of his ministries and embraced his ultimate mission of simply serving the Lord and the Church in prayer. He did not complain about his diminishment nor was he irritable. One time when he hit his head on the floor after losing his balance, we asked him how he was. He tried to ease our anxiety by saying that he did more harm to the floor than it did to his head.
Nico’s leadership was informed by profound faith, joy, wisdom and depth. He lived his vocation to the fullest. He loved the Church and the Society unreservedly while remaining engaged in the crucial challenges of our world – en todo amar y servir.
Tony Moreno SJ
President, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific
20 May 2020