Posts Tagged ‘Jesuit Father General Adolfo Nicolás’

Jesuit Father General Adolfo Nicolás, superior general of the Society of Jesus, recently spoke about the new evangelization, or missionary outreach, to the 25th Synod of Bishops. The synod brought together over 250 top church leaders for a three-week summit at the Vatican.

Father General Nicolás told the synod that the Ignatian spirituality he was formed in encourages finding God in all things.

“I am afraid that we missionaries have not done it with sufficient depth,” he said.  Father General Nicolas also spoke about the need to enrich the universal church with the signs and seeds of God’s presence in other cultures and religions.

Father General Nicolás, who spent most of his priesthood in Japan and in other parts of Asia, said too many church members have “looked for Western signs of faith and sanctity and have not discovered how God has been at work in other peoples. This impoverishes all. We miss important clues, insights and discoveries,” he said.

“The fullness of Christ needs the contribution of all peoples and all cultures,” Father General Nicolás said. He said some of the keys to effective evangelization include:

• The simplicity of the message.
• Generosity in acknowledging the work of God in the life and history of people.
• Being aware of one’s own life as a factor of credibility.
• Forgiveness and reconciliation are the most helpful shortcuts to the heart of the Gospel.

Read the full text of Father General Nicolás’s remarks and learn more about the synod from this Catholic News Service report.

Pope Benedict XVI and Father General Adolfo Nicolás

Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Nicolás announced last month a major restructuring in the Society of Jesus’ governance structure at the General Curia in Rome.

In a letter sent to the whole Society, Father General explained that the changes will occur in three ways; a restructuring of the secretariats at the General Curia, instituting a commission on the Society’s Mission, and creating a reflection group for continued discernment of mission.

“With the help of the General Counselors, we are restructuring the Secretariats. The structure that has been in force till now has primarily been organized according to apostolic sectors.”

The reorganization of the secretariats will break the focus on apostolic sectors and instead focus on the important dimensions of the Society’s mission, which should be present in all apostolic sectors. The General Curia will now have Secretaries for the Service of Faith, the Promotion of Justice and Collaboration with Others.

Father General explained that much of the ordinary governance such as admission to final vows and appointment of superiors will stay the same. The changes being made were in fact prompted by the 35^th General Congregation and meetings with major superiors in the Society.

“The changes we are introducing concern primarily our capacity to address issues related to our mission, with the flexibility, depth and creativity required at this moment of history and the life of the Church,” wrote Fr. Nicolas.

To read the full letter from Father General, and specifics on the restructuring, visit the [Jesuit Curia]

Pope Benedict XVI and Father General Adolfo Nicolás

Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Nicolás announced last month a major restructuring in the Society of Jesus’ governance structure at the General Curia in Rome.

In a letter sent to the whole Society, Father General explained that the changes will occur in three ways; a restructuring of the secretariats at the General Curia, instituting a commission on the Society’s Mission, and creating a reflection group for continued discernment of mission.

“With the help of the General Counselors, we are restructuring the Secretariats. The structure that has been in force till now has primarily been organized according to apostolic sectors.”

The reorganization of the secretariats will break the focus on apostolic sectors and instead focus on the important dimensions of the Society’s mission, which should be present in all apostolic sectors. The General Curia will now have Secretaries for the Service of Faith, the Promotion of Justice and Collaboration with Others.

Father General explained that much of the ordinary governance such as admission to final vows and appointment of superiors will stay the same. The changes being made were in fact prompted by the 35^th General Congregation and meetings with major superiors in the Society.

“The changes we are introducing concern primarily our capacity to address issues related to our mission, with the flexibility, depth and creativity required at this moment of history and the life of the Church,” wrote Fr. Nicolas.

To read the full letter from Father General, and specifics on the restructuring, visit the [Jesuit Curia]

At the final mass during the Russian Regional meeting with Jesuit Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, he was presented with an original icon by the regional superior, Jesuit Fr. Tony Corcoran, (New Orleans Province; left) , Jesuit Clemens Werth (right), in the novitiate chapel in Novosibirsk. Deacon Bredelyev Oleksiy, in the background. (Photo Courtesy Jesuit Fr. Don Doll)

Jesuit Father General Adolfo Nicolás visited the Russian region from July 4 – 10. The visit began in Novosibirsk where he  participated in a meeting of Jesuits working in the region. The theme of the meeting was “Apostolic and Communal Life in the Russian Region: a Challenge/Call to Live in Unity of Minds and Hearts.” The gathering was scheduled for three days and was an occasion for Fr. Nicolás to  learn first-hand the opportunities and challenges facing the region, and to offer reflections regarding the future. From Novosibirsk,  Father General traveled to Moscow where, on the morning of July 9, he met with representatives of the Department of External Relations of the Orthodox Russian Church.  That afternoon, he attended a reception at the St. Thomas Institute, the theology, philosophy and history faculty run by the Jesuits in the Russian capital, and visited with the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini. The next day, Father General “played tourist” visiting Red Square and other places of interest in Moscow; he also paid a visit to Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of Moscow.