SHOWING THE WAY TO GOD
After months of preparation, the Meeting of Major Superiors (MMS) began with greetings exchanged in many languages, as Jesuits arrived from every corner of the world. The gathering brought together 100 participants, including Provincials, Regional Superiors and Conference Presidents, along with the General Council and Major Officials from the Curia. The oldest participant was 83-year-old Fr Miguel Garaizábal, Regional Superior of Thailand, while the youngest was Fr Sebastian Sujevic, 47, from Croatia.
The gathering focused on dialogue, discernment and shared vision in pursuit of fulfilling the dream of Saint Ignatius that the Society of Jesus, however much it is dispersed around the world, is united in body and soul to bring the good news of the Gospel to every part of the world.
All photographs by Vivian Richard SJ (Jesuit.Media | General Curia Communications Office)
Organising a meeting of this scale took careful planning. A member of the steering committee, Fr Claudio Paul, Regional Assistant of Father General for Southern Latin America, said: “It has been an intense time and there is a lot of energy around this meeting.”
Fr General officially opened the gathering in the chapel of St Francis Borgia at the General Curia. “I warmly welcome all those arriving”, he said. “I appreciate so much what they do back in their home Provinces and Regions. In complex circumstances, they are tackling difficult issues and bringing forward the vision of reconciliation and justice. This is a chance for me to thank them personally. Having all these voices together is a unique opportunity to grow in union of minds and hearts.”
The Jesuits discussed the challenges faced by their respective parts of the Church. From conflict and extreme poverty, to education and health services, to spiritual support for those who feel lost or alone, to planning for the impacts of AI, to simple accompaniment, they shared perspectives from their ministries and experiences while crafting a way forward for the Society of Jesus to best serve the Church and the faithful.
For two days, the delegates prayed, reflected, and shared faith with one another. Fr General guided the retreat, giving the retreatants points for prayer and delivering the daily exhortation. The retreat prepared the Major Superiors to address the needs of the world, while staying focused on Christ and the charism of the Society of Jesus.
The Jubilee of Hope was marked with a pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica. Having gathered as pilgrims as the sun dipped towards the horizon, they recited psalms and sang in unison.
Entrusted with the care of Provinces and Regions within the Society of Jesus, they paused from deliberations and reflections to embody the very theme that the late Pope Francis had called the Church to rediscover throughout this year: Christian hope that does not disappoint.
Led by the Jubilee cross, the procession moved slowly and prayerfully from Rome’s Piazza Pia through the street leading to St Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Door of the Basilica, opened only in Jubilee Years, was both a literal and spiritual threshold – a path to renewal, reconciliation, and recommitment to mission. The procession itself echoed the ancient tradition of pilgrimage that has long marked the Catholic journey of faith.
At the threshold of the Basilica, each Superior crossed individually, stepping through the Holy Door with reverence. Inside, they assembled before the main altar where they recited the Creed together. They then concluded the pilgrimage in front of the Basilica by jointly reciting the official Jubilee Year prayer.
The pilgrimage brought the global character of the Society of Jesus to the fore. These Superiors, hailing from every continent, represented a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and experiences. Yet, in that experience, they were united – not by geography or governance, but by a shared vocation and a common hope.
On Monday 20 October, the global impact of the Universal Apostolic Preferences, introduced in 2019 after a worldwide discernment process, was the main topic for the day. Two key inputs set the tone for the session: one from Fr John Dardis, Counsellor for Discernment and Apostolic Planning at the Jesuit Curia in Rome, and another from Australian Provincial Fr Quyen Vu. Both offered a blend of analysis and lived testimony which later served as material for personal prayer and group discussions.
Fr Dardis based his reflection on the reports submitted by the Jesuit Procurators two years ago, which provided an overview of how the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) were received and implemented across the world. “The Preferences have had a huge impact on apostolic planning and almost every Province plan now is structured around the Preferences”, he said. “They have really served as orientations and signposts while giving great flexibility.”
Fr Quyen’s presentation focused on specific instances of how the UAPs had been taken up and had given energy in the province of Australia. Under ‘Showing the way to God’, he mentioned how Fr Michael Hansen’s project on the Exercises has breathed new life into that ministry, especially through the online Ignatian Murmuration (IM), whose theme this year is IM25: Ignatian Earthing. Jesuit Social Services is a fine example of the Society’s care for the poor and those on the margins. He also mentioned The Cardoner Network, the Province’s young adult ministry. The Care for our Common Home UAP is at the heart of the Province’s “10,000 for 10” initiative marking the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, aiming to plant or preserve 10,000 trees across Catholic religious communities in Australia.
“As Provincial, this has been both a learning journey and a pilgrimage of faith for me,” he said. “When we received the Preferences from Father General, we had to discern how they might apply in our own context. The easy temptation was to adopt a “tick-the-boxes” approach – saying, for example, “We already work in spirituality, so the first Preference is covered”, or “We already engage with the poor through Jesuit Social Services, so the second Preference is addressed”. That would have been a missed opportunity, and we would have overlooked much grace. But through prayer, meetings, and a range of discernment processes, we’ve been able to go deeper. I feel we have truly listened to the call to change. Of course, we are not finished – the journey continues. We remain pilgrims.”
On Tuesday 21 October, the focus shifted to a theme that characterises Jesuit life today: collaboration and mission partnership. Jesuits across the world share their work with lay colleagues, religious and partners who each bring their own gifts, talents, and convictions to the service of the mission.
Manuel Martínez (Associate for Mission Partnership) and Fr Seán Michaelson (US West Province), led the reflection on the day’s theme, giving a presentation on their experience of the current state of mission partnership, the challenges, and where the Spirit might be leading the Society of Jesus today. They drew from the results of a questionnaire sent to Jesuits and lay collaborators around the world, as well as the fruit of meetings with experts working in the field of mission partner development.
The presenters stressed that collaboration must rest on Ignatian spirituality as a shared foundation for meaning, identity, and commitment. Also, continuous lay formation is essential, as well as a deepening of commitment to Christ’s mission.
On Wednesday 22 October, discussions centred on responsibility. On the one hand, Jesuits must care for apostolates – the stewardship of apostolic works and the broader mission of the Society. On the other side is cura personalis – the care of the whole person, a profound commitment to the individual care of each Jesuit, attending to his personal, spiritual, and vocational journey across all stages of formation and life. Holding both in equilibrium is not an easy feat. It asks for balance, presence, and a kind of listening that goes beyond just administration and management.
Fr Mark Ravizza, the General Counsellor for Formation, and Fr Miguel Almeida, the Provincial of the Portuguese Province, spearheaded the reflections on the day’s theme with presentations in the morning. The Major Superiors were later split into groups to further deliberate and provide feedback on the intertwined concepts, which, beyond theoretical ideals, are lived realities, particularly for those entrusted with the care of men and Provinces in the Society of Jesus.
On Thursday 23 October, the seventh day of the meeting, the focus turned to a difficult but vital theme: building a culture of safeguarding. In both the Church and wider society, safeguarding has become a test of credibility and trust. The shared view was that words are not enough anymore and that people expect transparency, concrete action, and a deep change in culture.
It was the theme of the entire day and came up again in smaller, in-depth group discussions. The Major Superiors got a chance to talk together about the challenges, the hopes, the consolations, and the struggles in this area and about further actions needed in promoting a consistent culture of protection in their cultures and contexts.
“The Society of Jesus has long been present where humanity’s needs meet God’s saving love.” Pope Leo XIV affirmed this during his audience on Friday 24 October with the global Jesuit leaders. The Holy Father said, “Today, I repeat: the Church needs you at the frontiers – whether they be geographical, cultural, intellectual, or spiritual.” He encouraged Jesuits to continue their service to the Church and the world, despite rapid cultural, economic, and political changes.
In his address to the Jesuits, Pope Leo identified some frontier areas today. He noted that the path of synodality within the Church “calls all of us to listen more deeply to the Holy Spirit and to one another”, so that our ministries and structures “may be more agile, more transparent and more responsive to the Gospel. The Society’s Universal Apostolic Preferences… are certainly frontiers calling for discernment and courage.”
In the word of Fr General, “The Holy Father, Leo XIV, completed the confirmation of the mission, insisting on the centrality of Jesus in our life-mission and sending us to the frontiers of service to the faith and the struggle for justice, the new intellectual frontiers, and the digital world.”
(Read our earlier report on the Pope’s meeting with the Jesuits here: “The Church needs you at the frontiers”)
The next day, Saturday 25 October, in the Aula of the General Curia, the focus was on the future: “How do we invite others to this way of life today?”
Vocation numbers have seen a decline in many parts of the world. Fewer young people are choosing the priesthood and religious life. Beyond just numbers, the challenge extends also to maintaining the quality of the vocations approaching the Society and understanding what attracts and sustains a Jesuit vocation in the world today.
Frs Enric Puiggros from the Spanish Province and Karl Kiser from UMI Province (US Midwest) led the reflections with presentations on the day’s theme. They offered insights from their rich experience of journeying with young people who are in the process of discerning their vocations. They pointed to the kind of young people inquiring about entry into the Society, the reasons for their attraction to religious life, the role of spiritual practices and personal prayer among young people.
“The work of promoting vocations is an expression of trust that God is still calling young people, often in new ways”, said Fr Kiser. “Every Jesuit is a vocation promoter by the way he lives his life.”
After ten days of prayer, conversation, reflection, and discernment, the meeting came to a close on Sunday 26 October after deep reflections on the themes that shape the life-mission of the Society today: the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs); collaboration; cura apostolica and cura personalis; safeguarding; structures of governance; and promotion of vocations.
While the Meeting of Major Superiors does not have legislative authority and issues no decrees, its role remains vital. It offers a space for those directly involved in the governance of the Society to reflect on global progress, challenges, and future opportunities. These meetings are to be held approximately every six years beginning from the last General Congregation, as stipulated in decree 23 of the General Congregation 34. The final sessions focused on gathering the fruits of these reflections.
Father General noted that the Major Superiors, aware of the shared responsibility for the life and mission of the Society, set out during the Meeting “to grow as a group capable of discerning together the spiritual movements that are at work in the body of the Society, in the Church, and in the social and cultural contexts in which we live, in order to better carry out our mission of reconciliation and justice.”
He described the method used throughout the Meeting, which started with two days of retreat: listening to thoughtful presentations, spending time in personal prayer, sharing insights in small groups, and gathering in plenary sessions. The daily Eucharist, he added, “allowed us to strengthen the bond of a community of friends in the Lord who gather around his word and in the communion of his body and blood”.
“We have received confirmation that we have been sent on a mission of reconciliation and justice”, Fr Sosa said.
He noted that the Meeting deepened the understanding of the UAPs as key guidelines for orienting the life-mission of the Society. Discussions also examined the complexity of putting them into practice across Provinces and Regions, especially in formation and with those with whom we share our apostolates. Father Sosa also pointed out the importance of ongoing “personal, community, and institutional conversion that guarantees the identity of what we do”.
He went on to talk about the many themes discussed during the Meeting. A major part of the discussions, he said, centred on the culture of care. Caring for those engaged in the mission – Jesuits and collaborators alike – is a demanding but essential responsibility. Formation was identified as a key concern, with a call for capable formators and superiors who can animate communities with faith and discernment.
Fr Sosa also spoke about the need for care, including for those who care for others, adding that fostering safe environments is also a dimension of the culture of care. In addition, he noted that the new demands of the mission and the evolution of the Society call for reimagining our apostolates and governance structures.
He reminded the Major Superiors that true vocation promotion begins with hope in the Lord and called on everyone to pray earnestly in this regard. The consistency of our life-mission with the charism we have received, he said, is what attracts and sustains new vocations. He also underlined the importance of intergenerational dialogue, calling it a daily task “that allows for the authentic transmission of the charism we have received”.
“We have learned that true discernment happens when we speak freely and listen humbly”, said Fr Antoine Kerhuel, the Secretary General of the Society of Jesus. “This Meeting has helped us examine our mission in the world as Jesuits and will be instrumental as we chart our path into the future.”