Collaboration in the Society of Jesus can be understood in different ways. Often it refers to collaboration with others, with companions, with collaborators or—in general—with those with whom the Jesuits share their responsibility in mission. But in other instances, the Jesuits speak of the necessary collaboration between their own organisations and governance structures in order to respond to global issues that cannot be addressed at the local level. In this latter case, the reference is to interprovincial cooperation (GC 31, D.48) and international collaboration (GC 33, D.1). What these mean has been progressively articulated in the documents of the Society in the past 50 years. Such considerations affect both the governance structures as well as the apostolic structures of the Society and they continue to be the object of intense reflection.
Already in 1965, Fr Pedro Arrupe SJ encouraged provincials of neighbouring provinces to hold meetings in order to coordinate responses in common. This is the origin of the current Conferences of Provincials, essential platforms to understand the structures which allow Father General to have the necessary tools for the international governance of the Society. As mentioned, this dynamic not only refers to governance structures, but also to networks and new apostolic structures which permit the institutions of the Society to cooperate in order to face global challenges.
It was General Congregation 34 which put forth in detail the need to network in order to carry out the Society’s common mission and take advantage of their potential as a universal body: “To exploit more fully the possibilities given us by being an international body, additional global and regional networks must be created. […] Initiative and support for these various forms of networks should come from all levels of the Society (GC 34 D.21, n.14).”
In 2008, General Congregation 35 emphasised this focus: “We encourage the Society’s government at all levels to explore means by which more effective networking might take place among all apostolic works associated with the Society of Jesus (GC 35 d. 6, n. 29a).” This Congregation labelled as undeniable the necessity of collaboration (CG 35 d.5, n.17), while at the same time recognising the concerted and generous effort that had been made in order to increase interprovincial cooperation (GC 35 d.3, n.38). In an interview during General Congregation 36, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific President Fr Mark Raper SJ said that the organisation of neighbouring provinces into conferences has given them a platform for international collaboration. “We come together with Father General and he has a tool there for him to reach into each and every part of the Society to get a really horizontal cooperation across the Society.” [gc36.org]
Watch the full interview of Fr Raper.
