The Second Vatican Council dealt with the Church primarily from the perspective of what unites all Christians. From this common point of view, it addressed the specifics of each vocation (lay, religious, priestly.) Inspired by the Council, the Church strives, in its comings and goings, in the task of giving birth historically to a Church that is th... Read more...

Our Jesuit vocation requires of all of us a TOTAL DETACHMENT from places, jobs, positions, privileges (such as seniority, stability, tenure). We must have, rather, an unconditional willingness to serve the Gospel, and the Church that bears the Good News and proclaims it throughout human history. Fr. Arrupe was a living example of this total freedom. Our vocation also demands TOTAL IMMERSION in the environment, work, and context of the mission. This is an essential condition for finding deep joy in the mission, and for contributing creatively to its needs. Inculturation is our normal way of going about mission. There is no opposition between universality and inculturation; on the contrary, both sustain, guarantee and give depth to each other, as we have repeatedly seen in our great missionaries, as well as in the life of Pedro Arrupe. Finally, our vocation requires full acceptance of the fact that our mission, that is, the mission of the Church, is far greater than what any single Jesuit can dream or do; greater than what any group, community or congregation can aim at. That is why we need a spirit of TOTAL COOPERATION with others, be they lay persons, diocesan clergy, other religious or even people from other faith traditions. Universality and inculturation invite us to a great community spirit: an ability, always fresh, to work with others, in teams, without any desire for position, recognition or privileges, because our source of joy is the call of the Lord to serve. No matter what we do, or what kind of success we attain, at the end of the day we can rightly and joyfully say: “We are no more than servants, we have only done what we had to do” (Luke 17:10) In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the death of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J. Superior General, Rome, 5 February 2011