Santa Clara University

Next Issue: Fall 2008

Jesuit General Congregation 35

In our next issue, we will explore three key decrees from the recent Society of Jesus General Congregation 35. We will examine the messages and their relevance to Jesuit higher education, as well as to all those who collaborate with Jesuits in their mission and ministry.

The decree on mission—“Challenges to Our Mission Today: Sent to the Frontiers”—“contains several key themes: reaffirmation of mission; its new context; right relationships and reconciliation; and [the Jesuits’] apostolic response to new challenges. It also confirmed the global apostolic preferences of Africa, China, the intellectual apostolate, inter-provincial institutions in Rome, and migrants and refugees.”¹

The decree on Jesuit identity—“A Fire That Kindles Other Fires: Rediscovering Our Charism”—“tells the Jesuit story particularly at its source, bringing back the experience that places a Jesuit, quite simply, with Christ at the heart of the world. Its central image is of Jesuits entering, with Christ who offers living water, into a world that is confused about why it is turning the wonders of life and the opportunities of technology into a dry and life-killing lifestyle that does not satisfy.”²

The decree on collaboration with others—“Collaboration at the Heart of Mission”—“presents [the] way of working with the many who have chosen both to work with [Jesuits] and to share [their] sense of mission. It calls for [Jesuits] to share leadership positions with these collaborators—whether lay, religious, or diocesan, Christians or those of other traditions—and to develop opportunities and structures for the formation of these [partners so they can better understand] the Jesuit spirit, history, and choice of mission.”³e