Dear Friends in the Lord, 

Christ’s Peace! 

I am happy to be back in the Province after participating in the Meeting of the Major Superiors (MMS), in General Curia, Rome from 17 to 26 of October 2025, followed by JCSA Meeting from 28 to 30 October 2025. The experience of participating in MMS in Rome as one among the 100 participants, including Provincials, Regional Superiors, Conference Presidents, and members of the General Council as companions of Jesus, was similar to the Pentecostal experience of the Apostles (Acts 2:1- 11), wherein the Apostles were empowered and anointed by the Descent of the Spirit to carry on with the mission of the Crucified and Risen Jesus with full vigour, enthusiasm and audacity. The participants of the MMS too had the experience of the Descent of the Spirit in the form of renewed La Storta experience of being placed with the poor and humble Christ carrying the Cross. We felt rejuvenated in the charism of the Mother Society and strengthened by the togetherness of ‘Friends in the Lord’ from various continents, cultures and contexts yet sharing in the Life-Mission of the Society. One Major Superior named it as the Tabor experience. As it was such a precious and enriching event, I deem it imperative to present the summary of the proceedings of the MMS for the information and edification of the Province members.

A Report on the Third Meeting of Major Superiors (2025)

Over the course of ten days from 17 to 26 of October 2025, the General Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome became a crucible of prayer, discernment, and global dialogue as Jesuit leaders from around the world gathered for the third Meeting of Major Superiors (MMS). With nearly 100 participants, the gathering brought together Jesuits from every continent, ranging in age from 47 to 83, of each bringing along the weight of leadership and the richness of diverse apostolic experiences. The MMS served as a vital moment of collective reflection on the Society’s mission in a world marked by complexity, crisis, and hope.

Fr. Antoine Kerhuel, the Secretary of the Society, in his introductory note said, “We have been called together because we share the responsibility for the life and mission of the universal body of the Society of Jesus.”

A Global Gathering Rooted in Prayer

The meeting opened by invoking the Blessings of the Holy Spirit through an Eucharistic celebration in St. Francis Borgia Chapel in the evening of 17 October, with Father General Arturo Sosa as the main celebrant and the rest of the participants as concelebrants. The first two days were dedicated to a retreat led by Father General himself based on the Autobiography of St. Ignatius on the theme “Pilgrims on Christ’s Mission.” In a spirit of silence and shared prayer, we reflected on our personal and collective call to serve Christ in today’s world. This spiritual grounding set the tone for the days that followed, reminding us that discernment begins in prayer and is sustained by the community.

Pilgrimage and Papal Encouragement

On 19 October, we, the delegates of MMS undertook a Jubilee pilgrimage entering through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica. In a moving procession, we walked together in prayer and song. The pilgrimage was a powerful symbol of reconciliation and renewal, echoing Pope Francis’s call for a Church rooted in hope. On 24 October, the Superiors were received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV. “Today,” he said, “I repeat, the Church needs you at the frontiers, whether they be geographical, cultural, intellectual or spiritual. These are places of risk, where familiar maps are no longer sufficient.” He invited us to remain with Jesus through private prayer, the celebration of the Sacraments, devotion to his Sacred Heart and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament… and by recognizing His presence in community life. “No frontier will be beyond your reach if you walk with Christ”, he said. He reaffirmed the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) as privileged paths of mission, urging Jesuits to walk with the excluded, accompany young people, care for our common home, and show the way to God through discernment and the Spiritual Exercises which is primordial of all Preferences. His words challenged the Society to remain agile, creative, and courageous in responding to the signs of the times. Universal Apostolic Preferences – A Living Framework: A major focus of the MMS was the ongoing implementation of the UAPs, introduced in 2019 after a worldwide discernment process. Frs John Dardis (Curia) and Quyen Vu (ASL)offered reflections on how these preferences have shaped apostolic planning across the globe. From ecological initiatives to renewed spiritual ministries, the UAPs have proven both adaptable and unifying. Father General reminded the assembly that the Preferences are not isolated goals but interconnected dimensions of a single mission. Their strength lies in their flexibility, allowing each Province to respond to local realities while remaining united in purpose. The discussions revealed how the UAPs have energised apostolic works, encouraged subsidiarity, and strengthened the Society’s sense of universality.

Collaboration and Cura

The Heart of Jesuit Leadership: The meeting also explored the evolving nature of collaboration in Jesuit ministry. Presenters Frs. Manuel Martínez (Curia) and Seán Michaelson (UWE) highlighted the importance of genuine relationship, trust, and shared spirituality in mission partnership. Collaboration, they emphasised, is not merely a method but a manifestation of the mission itself. In a fragmented world, collaboration is both a spiritual necessity and a strategic opportunity.

On 22 October, the focus turned to the dual responsibility of Jesuit leadership: Cura Apostolica (care for mission) and Cura Personalis (care for individuals). Frs. Mark Ravizza (Curia) and Miguel Almeida (POR) emphasised that these two dimensions must be held in a creative tension. Effective governance, they noted, requires both strategic discernment and deep personal accompaniment. The integration of these responsibilities ensures that apostolic vitality is sustained by the well-being of individual Jesuits. Emphasising the key role of Formation it was said, “A good Cura Personalis in today’s formation is good Cura Apostolica for tomorrow’s mission”.

Safeguarding

From Policy to Culture: A full day was devoted to the critical issue of safeguarding. Frs. Thierry Dobbelstein (EOF) and Juan Cristóbal Beytía (CHL) led a candid discussion on the challenges of moving from written policies to a lived culture of protection. The Promotion of a Consistent Culture of Protection (PCCP), launched in 2018, has helped Provinces implement protocols, training, and formation. While progress has been made, the speakers acknowledged that much work remains.

Fr. Beytía called on Superiors to persist in building environments of trust and accountability: “We’re not there yet, but we’ve made a good start.” The safeguarding discussions underscored that credibility and trust are now central to the Society’s mission. Prevention, transparency, and cultural change are essential if Jesuit ministries are to embody the Gospel authentically.

Re-imagining our structures – Renewed Governance for Renewed Mission (GC 36, Dec. 2)

The conversations we had in groups and in common on 24 October were on the question “Are there ideas or new sparks emerging about how to reimagine our structures?” Frs. Benedictus Hari Juliawan (IDO) and Claudio Paul (Curia) through their presentation led us to reflect on the question of adapting the governance structures to better serve the mission, as mission is fundamental for the Society of Jesus since governance evolves as mission evolves. To guide our consideration on governance the following principles were highlighted: a) governance structures and ways of proceeding to flow from the perspective of universality; b) governance structures to be streamlined, modernised and made more flexible where it is necessary and possible; and c) better articulation of Ignatian values and ways of proceeding in our contemporary life and work. Networking, collaboration and discernment in common were considered very important in this process.

Vocations – Sowing Seeds of Hope

On the penultimate day, the conversation turned to the future of Jesuit life. Frs. Enric Puiggros (ESP) and Karl Kiser (UMI) shared insights into vocation promotion, noting the decline in numbers. Young people today, they reiterated, are drawn by authenticity, community, and the example of Jesuit saints. Many novices spoke of wanting to live like the saints they admired and of the attraction of Jesuit community life. The presenters stressed that every Jesuit is a vocation promoter by the way he lives. The task is not merely strategic but spiritual. It is an invitation to accompany young people in their search for meaning and mission.

Closing Reflections

The MMS concluded with a Eucharist at the Chiesa del Gesù, presided over by Father General. In his homily, he drew relevant lessons from the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and the Meditation on the Two Standards. He reminded the Superiors that Jesuit identity begins with humility: “We are forgiven sinners, called to be companions of Jesus.” He reaffirmed the Society’s mission of reconciliation and justice, calling for ongoing personal, communal, and institutional conversion. “The Society was not instituted by human means,” he said, quoting the Constitutions, “and it is not through them that it can be preserved and increased, but through the grace of the omnipotent hand of Christ our God and Lord.”

A Pilgrimage of Discernment

The real significance of MMS lies in the deepening of shared discernment and the strengthening of global communion. As Fr. Antoine Kerhuel pointed out, “True discernment happens when we speak freely and listen humbly.” The interactions at the meeting were overwhelmingly marked by humility, honesty, and a shared courage to face challenges together. In a world of uncertainty, the 3rd Meeting of Major Superiors stands tall, as a sign of hope, reaffirming the enduring vitality of the Jesuit mission. Rooted in Christ and open to the Spirit, the Society of Jesus continues its pilgrimage, walking with the poor, accompanying the young, caring for creation and showing the way to God.

Courtesy:

1. jesuits.global/2025/10/17/major-superiors-of-the-society-of-jesus-gather-in-rome
2. vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-10/pope-leo-jesuit-major-superiors-audience-ai poverty- margins.html 

Britto Vincent

Provincial – Chennai Jesuits