A conversation with Father General Adolfo Nicolás SJ

I wouldn’t put it like that, saying "my task is to bring together East and West." But I think that what changes us in any line is encounters. You meet people with a certain depth, people who are different; then you begin to change. So, my hope is that I can help--and this starts with the Jesuits at the General Congregation—in meeting each other without barriers, without prejudice, to get to know each other. Then it will be possible to appreciate what the others have to offer.

And that's the way East and West can best meet. Academic things can help to get the words; but it is personal encounters that make the difference in everything: in social apostolate, in inter-cultural encounters, in spirituality.

I think Francis Xavier showed me his greatness when I looked at who he became in Japan. In India he still was the son of his theology and of a particular school. But when he went to Japan, he met people. That is something I see as extremely important. He met people and in these meetings he realized that he was not totally right. He began to listen, and to respect, and to admire. As a missionary he changed; he opened a style that was later taken by Matteo Ricci and others. But Francis Xavier was the one who could make the change; and I think that he showed a greatness that continues to inspire me. So, it's not so much the man on fire, but the man who had the ability to change his presuppositions. You have to learn.

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