By Fr. Ken Hezel, SJ, for the North Star
Bishop Robert Barron, of Word on Fire website, is now filming a video about St Ignatius of Loyola for his series on “Catholicism Pivotal Players” . Daily he posts excerpts on line from Ignatian sites: the church of the Gesu in Rome, the former offices of Ignatius during his time as Superior General of the Company of Jesus. He has also traveled to his birthplace and “places of conversion” at his home in Loyola, the Cave at Monserrat, and Manresa. These are the places Ignatius encountered Jesus in personal ways was awakened to a new way of living and mission.
When completed Bishop Barron will give you a wonderful experience of the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius and how the “Company” he founded influenced the establishment of schools of learning in many lands through the world. Today, we know of Loyola Marymount and Georgetown Universities in the United States; the Ateneo de Manila in Quezon City; the Gregorian and Biblicum in Rome where many clergy are formed.
But, likewise, the “Jesuits”, as they have come to be known, have always been missionaries or evangelizers, as we would call them today. One of the vows a Jesuit professes is to go wherever the Holy Father requests us. St Francis Xavier, one of co- founding fathers of the Jesuits, was sent, during the early era of exploration by the Spanish and Portuguese governments to India, Japan and finally died in China. Blessed Diego San Vitores came at a later time to our islands together with other Jesuits and planted the faith in the Marianas.
As Superior of the Jesuits in Micronesia in the 2000’s, I had the privilege of visiting growing Jesuits communities in Beijing, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Korea and elsewhere. Today these communities are sending young Jesuit evangelizers to other countries to plant the seed of faith. There are 16,000 Jesuits in 112 nations throughout the world, teaching, evangelizing, giving retreats and assisting in many social action programs such as Jesuit Refugee service.
The vision , spirituality of St Ignatius, is meant to train Jesuits and others to be Christ -like, to have an interior freedom, that is not to let anything — people, fame or goods— prevent them from going where they were called on by a local church to assist its growth. “Take and receive, O Lord…” has become a popular hymn expressing this readiness to go on mission.
As I reflect on my fifty some years of priestly ministry in the islands of Micronesia, (Chuuk and Yap), and the Marianas (Guam and CNMI), I experienced what last Sunday’s readings said of hospitality, as being “welcomed and nourished”. Our goal has been to build up and strengthen the local churches. In my own case, that was done through “equipping” lay people for ministry.
My new mission now is at a downtown parish in Buffalo NY—St Michael’s, itself a mission church when it was founded 150 years ago. Please, if ever you are in the vicinity (Niagara Falls) stop by for a visit.
Jesuits are always on Mission even when infirm and unable to preach or teach; our mission, as noted on our list of assignments is to “pray for the Church and the Society of Jesus” That I will continue to do with a special focus/bias toward the church of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. Biba Inigo Loyola. Biba!
For any young men interested in knowing more about the Society of Jesus, I recommend the following Website. beajesuit.org
For those who like to pray the scriptures daily, I suggest the following website from Australia: pray.com.au