For Others with Others, Arrupe Challenges Indian Jesuits

Introduction

November 14, 2007 marks the centenary of Pedro Arrupe’s birth. His contributions to the Society of Jesus and to the Catholic Church are remarkable and tremendous. He led the Society of Jesus in a crucial period full of imagination and enthusiasm.

Arrupe’s leadership of the Society is marked by the priority he gave to the Society’s option for the poor. According to him the service of faith and the promotion of justice are the two sides of one coin. His closeness to reality made him to read the ‘signs of the times’.

Through his innumerable letters and writings he encouraged his men around the world. He was a free person who was ready for new ventures and open to modern perspectives. Even after 18 years of his death he continues to be an inspiration to the Jesuits and the Church. His writings and thoughts have still meaning and relevance.

This charismatic influence of Arrupe made me to choose the book ‘For Others with Others, Arrupe Challenges Indian Jesuits’ as my Ignatian Assignment. This is a book edited and crafted by the leadership of Fr. Michael Amaladoss, SJ. The articles in this book focus on the various issues and themes based on Indian context. These articles really challenge any Indian Jesuit who is serious in his mission and life. The contributors of these articles truly draw their inspiration from Arrupe and his life.

This book helps me to understand the various issues of India as a young Jesuit. It helps me to ‘read the sign of times’ by reflecting over my own religious life and the challenges I have to face as a Jesuit.

Sch. Sooraj Dominic, SJ


Fr. Jerry Rosario in his article ‘Arrupe the Man: His Moments and His Messages’, gives a clear picture of the life and works of Arrupe. He begins his article by explaining three kinds of people in the world. The first type passed through this world without doing anything to humanity and the second type do something. He calls the third type of people as Arrupean category. People who belong to Arrupean category are innovative, creative and proactive. They bring forth breakthroughs. He then examines the life of Arrupe under three broad phrases. In the first phrase, named the ‘Phrase of Growth’ he narrates the birth and early life of Arrupe. In the ‘Second Phrase’ he speaks about Arrupe’s vocation to the Society of Jesus and his mission in Japan. The end phrase, named the “Phrase of magis’, he explains the various decisions taken by Arrupe as the general of the Society. The most important part of the essay is the advice of Arrupe to today’s Jesuits. He classifies the expected graces that should be acquired by Jesuits in three aspects: dynamism, optimism and enthusiasm. Arrupe calls his fellow Jesuits to be dynamic in their ministries. He specially focuses on the parish ministry and its importance. Arrupe expects his companions to be optimistic and enthuastics.

In his article ‘Incarnating Christ in India: Arrupe and Inculturation’, Fr. Rudolf C. Heredia, recognizes Arrupe as a world citizen. He lived in many continents and witnessed some of the most crucial events of the 20th century. According to the writer Arrupe embraced inculturation by his very life in Japan. He lived a very meaningful life there by respecting and inculcating the Japanese culture. This proves the claim that Arrupe is a man of inculturation. The writer also analyses the various aspects of inculturation like inculturation and catechesis, inculturation and the Society of Jesus, Vatican II and the like.

In his article ‘Globalization and Marginalization: An Arrupe- Ambedkar Reading’, Fr. Prakash Louis analyses how globalization marginalizes the poor. He evaluates the contributions of Arrupe and Ambedkar to the poor and the marginalized. Fr. Louis presents and evaluates globalization in the perspectives of these two men. According to him these two men contributed to the thinking, analyzing and acting the lives and struggles of the marginalized communities. The author analyses in detail globalization and its impact on the marginalized especially the Dalits and the tribals. The yardsticks presented as response by Arrupe and Ambedkar give the pointers for our response.

Fr. Joseph Marianus Kujur begins his essay ‘Tribal Consciousness and the Society’s Response: Relevance of Arrupe’, with an analysis of the situation in which Arrupe led the Society. He gives a clear picture of the situation of tribals in India. According to him the Arrupean legacy has contributed a lot to the tribal development. His identity as a humane and compassionate Jesuit strikes the right chord for the tribals in India. Arrupe gave the Indian tribals Jesuits a new identity. He was a true friend of the tribals, who never had dissociated themselves from their actual histories, social, cultural and political situation.

For the last five centuries Jesuits have been doing pioneering works as interventionists for the upliftment of Dalits. It began with the socio-pastoral involvement of the ‘Pandaraswamis’ exclusively for the ‘parayas’. The ministry of empowering the Dalits was encouraged by GC 34. In his article ‘Jesuit Contributions to Dalit Empowerment: The Indian Context’, Fr. Maria Arul Raja gives a clear picture about the Jesuit actions in the field of dalit empowerment. He divides the Jesuit activism on Dalit empowerment into three brand categories: educate, agitate and organize.

One of the important characteristics of Pedro Arrupe was his ability to read the signs of times. Fr. Cedric Prakash analyses the various Jesuit interventions in the history through different General Congregations. He exposes the present context of India and the impact of liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG) in the poor and marginalized. His article is centered on the Gujarat context. He believes that Jesuits have an important role to respond to these situations. Drawing inspirations from Arrupe Fr. Prakash concludes his article by encouraging his fellowmen to respond in a manner befitting Jesuits.

We are living in a multi cultural world. Europe and America are becoming multi cultural by the mass migration from the East. Fr. Lancy Lobo in his article ‘Multiculturalism, Religion and Social Change in India’, examines the concepts of multiculturalism, manifestations of shrinking space of multiculturalism, resurgence of religion and the changing character of religion, political Hinduism, fascistic tendencies of religion; religion and social change, challenges for minorities especially the Christians in India and how Jesuits could possibly tackle the challenges of fundamentalism and fascism.

Education is one of the important ministries of the Jesuits. According to Fr. Thomas Kunnunkal education should be transformative. Jesuit education should make the students competent and dynamic. He advises his fellowmen to use the modern technology to improve the quality of education in India. He also writes about the aims and objectives of Jesuit education. According to him Jesuit education should sensitize the students.

One of the important crises of the 21st century is ecological crisis. We are living in a planet which needs healing. Fr. Robert Athickal in his article speaks about the present ecological crisis faced by the Earth and its inhabitances. He elaborately explains the various ecological crises like climate change, pollution, deforestation and the like. He shares that Christians need a new spirituality which respects the earth and environment.

Fr. Joe Anthony in his article ‘Educators, Youth and the Media’, analyses the world of media and its impact. His article mainly focuses on the role of media in the life of today’s youth. The concepts he explains in the article can be enumerated as: the new media, youth and media and the role of the Catholic educators in creating a socially responsible media world. He ends his article with the role of Jesuit educators in moulding a just and humane society.

.Dialogue with other cultures and religion is one of the important priorities of the Society of Jesus. In his essay Fr. Painadath analyses the Degree 5 of GC 34: ‘Our Mission and Inter- Religious Dialogue’. He mainly focuses on the five theological themes referred to in the degree: Diversity of religions is a grace and a responsibility, the history of humanity is God’s history with us, faith in Christ opens a way to the divine present in religions, Ignation discernment of the spirit in world religions, the liberative potential of world religions. He concludes his article by saying that all believers of different religions are like branches of one another on the one universal Cosmotheandric Tree. All are nourished by the one divine root.

The Magis, the more, is a dynamic Ignation ideal that is not simply one among others in a list of Jesuit characteristics. It permeates them all.Fr. Francis Gonsalves begins his article by quoting Arrupe’s definition on magis. According to Arrupe it is ‘a certain apostolic aggressivity’. This article reviews the Jesuit - lay collaboration from the vintage point of margins and in the vanguard of the magis. The article highlights views of committed Christians in the area of Clergy- laity relationship with a special focus on Jesuit involvement.

Is religious life in crisis today? Fr. Michael Amaladoss enquires the meaning of Jesuit religious life in today’s context. He analyses the decreasing number of vocations and the new role and works of the laity in the church. He tries to understand the identity and meaning of religious life in his article. He explains the new meaning of religious life in the context of our mission. He concludes his article by asking the question, “Whether the society has a future? He says in the post modern world of today we should not focus on structures, rules and regulations, but should be focused on forming mature individuals who are committed to their mission and open to collaboration with ‘companions’ and others. We should be ‘men for others’. That is Arrupe’s challenge for us today.

As one of the biggest religious congregations in the Catholic Church, Jesuits have an important role to lead the Church. Fr. Lisbert D’Souza analyses the role of Jesuit leadership in today’s world. He enumerates the two struts of Jesuits leadership as: deep spirituality and discernment. He emphasizes the main foundation of Jesuit leadership is intimacy with the Lord and doing His will. According to him Jesuit leadership is for the sake of the mission.

According to Fr. George Pattery, the birth centenary of Arrupe is a moment of kairos foe all Jesuits. In his article ‘Doing Things Differently: Challenging South Asian Jesuits’, Fr. Pattery requests us to see, hear and look at the world. He elaborately analyses the impact of globalization in South Asia. He tries to probe into the role and identity of the Catholic Church in this context.
Conclusion
Arrupe’s is a charismatic personality. He had been an inspiration to the Jesuits and the Catholic Church. His dynamic life influenced not only the Jesuits but also the whole world. He refounded the Society by reading the signs of the times. His thoughts and words were a challenge to the traditional world.

By celebrating his birth centenary, the Jesuits have done the right thing to remember and relive the legacy of this great man. ‘For Others With Others’ is an endeavour to appreciate this great man’s life and vision. The book gives an account of the challenges being faced by the Society in India today. The contributors of these articles draw their inspiration form Arrupe. The vision and ideals of Arrupe are reflected in these articles. The writers offer a solution to the present issues of India. Through their articles Arrupe relives and is reborn in the Society today. These articles deal with almost all the apostolates of the Jesuits in India. They give new guidelines and directions to those who are involved in various apostolates.

The book personally helps me to redefine and rediscover m y Jesuit vocation in the present Indian context. It gives me an in depth knowledge of the various apostolates of the Society and to read them from the point of view of Arrupe. Moreover, it gives me a deeper understanding of our mission and vision.


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