Assistant to Jesuit General meets Mangalore Bishop

By Francis Rodrigues, Mangalore
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 15 January 2011: The Assistant to the General of the Jesuits of the world in Rome and in-charge of the South Asian Assistancy of the Jesuits, Very Rev. Fr Lisbert D’Souza visited Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza the Bishop of Mangalore on 14th of November 2011 in the Bishop’s  House of Mangalore.

 

The General Congregation elects four Assistants. Their function is to assist the Superior General on behalf of the whole Society. Fr Federico Lombardi, an Italian Jesuit and the current director of the Holy See Press Office is another such Assistant.

 

According to Jesuit sources there are ten Assistancies with more than 18500 Jesuit priests serving in 112 nations across the globe in six continents through 93 provinces. The South Asian Assistancy is the  biggest   with more than 4000 members which make it for 20.9%.  India has 20 provinces of Jesuits with Madurai Province accommodating maximum number of Jesuits which is more than 400.

 

 

The Jesuit Conference of South Asian Assistancy was held recently in Pune in the presence of Fr Lisbert. After the conference Fr Lisbert  is on a official visit to the Karnataka Province during which he personally visits every Jesuit institution to have fist hand information.  For the Jesuit General will consult him in every major Jesuit decision of  South Asia. He gathered first hand information on the collaboration between the Jesuits and the Diocese.

 

Fr Lisbert who is originally from Goa said that as per the need of the times more Jesuits are sent into the seminaries to be spiritual formatters and guides. The seminaries request especially for younger Jesuits who are well aware of the present times and modern sciences.  The Pope Benedict 16th had invited the Jesuits to help him and the church in integrated formation of priests.  The Pope had expressed especially during his  visit to the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome founded by St Ignatius of Loyola, the first university of the Jesuits.

 

The Bishop of Mangalore honoured the Jesuit Assistant on behalf of the Church of Mangalore. Diocesan Chancellor Fr Henry Sequeira, PRO Fr William Menezes, Treasurer Fr Maxim Noronha, Judicial Vicar Fr Valerian Menezes, St Aloysius College Rector Fr Joseph Rodrigues and others were present on the occasion.