The day began with announcement by Fr. General of his Assistants and Delegates. The new Assistant of Western Europe is Fr. Victor Assouad who was born and ordained in Aleppo, Syria and is a member of the Near East Province which includes Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan and is aligned to Western Europe for Jesuit Governance. A new post arising from the discussions in GC 36 is discernment and apostolic planning and Fr. John Dardis, Irish Province is the Delegate for this work. This new post pays attention to the fact that ongoing strategic planning is important, monitoring and evaluation of apostolic priorities is needed in a fast changing world. Leadership can become so preoccupied with day to day operations and fire fighting and emergencies so that planning ahead is postponed. Overall, there is a continuity with the old guard and a few new faces in the new guard in the General's appointments.
The first decree was passed this afternoon on changes in the circumstances of the resignation of a General. He is according to law elected for life but if he is deemed unable to carry out the mission he is elected for it now easier for him to move on. It is amazing how the issue of age has become an issue in the recent past in the Church. The prolonged illness of JP11 and the resignation of Pope Benedict and the most recent resignation of Adolfo Nicolas sensitises people to the fact that mission is a priority and that when a person is limited by his health he needs to have the option to step down for the common good.
A fourth draft of the life and mission document has appeared and tomorrow a prayerful consideration of this document will take place.
There is a sense that time is precious and a new energy is there to move things on and get finished so that people can get back home from Roma.
The first decree was passed this afternoon on changes in the circumstances of the resignation of a General. He is according to law elected for life but if he is deemed unable to carry out the mission he is elected for it now easier for him to move on. It is amazing how the issue of age has become an issue in the recent past in the Church. The prolonged illness of JP11 and the resignation of Pope Benedict and the most recent resignation of Adolfo Nicolas sensitises people to the fact that mission is a priority and that when a person is limited by his health he needs to have the option to step down for the common good.
A fourth draft of the life and mission document has appeared and tomorrow a prayerful consideration of this document will take place.
There is a sense that time is precious and a new energy is there to move things on and get finished so that people can get back home from Roma.
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