Papal Nuncio Marks Arrupe Centenary

June 5, 2012 in 2007

The Papal Nuncio is the principal celebrant at a special Mass in St Francis Xavier Church Gardiner St. Dublin,  to mark the centenary of the birth of the much-loved Jesuit Superior General, Fr Pedro Arrupe SJ.

Irish Jesuits including the Provincial Fr. John Dardis will gather to commemorate the life of Fr Arrupe who according to Peter Mc Verry SJ , “is considered by many Jesuits, myself included, to be the ‘second founder’ of the Society of Jesus.” Elected as Superior General of the Jesuit Order in 1965, just before the close of the second Vatican Council according to Fr. John Dardis, “ he led the Jesuits through those  years of turmoil, creativity and change  with boldness, vision, equanimity and a deep personal love of Christ.”

Such was his impact not only amongst Jesuits but in the wider world that in 1973 he featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Two years later at a major meeting of his order Fr Arrupe set a new vision for Jesuits world-wide-the promotion of justice in the world as a central aspect of faith. When five Jesuits were martyred in three different countries in the ensuing years he reminded his order that “If we follow Christ persecution will come… when we try to serve faith and promote justice”.
 
He was known world-wide for his insistence that a real and living faith is one that does justice. When five Jesuits were martyred in three different countries is inspiration ,his commitment to justice and his support for refugees-the international homeless- led us to establish our work for the homeless young people in Dublin and the Jesuit Refugees Service “.

Like the founder of the Jesuits  St Ignatius, Pedro Arrupe was born in 1907 and died in 1991