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November 14th is a key date in the Society of Jesus. Today, Pedro Arrupe would have turned 108 years old, and we also celebrate the anniversary of the launch of one of his best intuitions. Today, the Jesuit Refugee Service, celebrates its 35th anniversary. It is interesting that both celebrations, the vision of Arrupe and the creation of JRS, have much to do with
the way in which Jesuits understand networking.
With many similarities to the refugee crisis that we are currently facing these months in Europe, at the end of the 70s the world was moved by the crisis of the Boat People from Vietnam. Arrupe mobilized the Society of Jesus to respond in a coordinated manner, creating the first global Jesuit institution. I’ve always asked myself why Arrupe didn’t simply respond through the provincial structures that were already in existence at the time and involved in the issue. (1)
[pullquote align=”right”]The vision of Arrupe and the creation of JRS, have much to do with the way in which Jesuits understand networking.[/pullquote]
The explanation is that, in 1980, with the creation of JRS, for the first time the Society of Jesus understood that there are challenges of a global nature that require complex and global structures. It was impossible to respond only based on provincial structures, in an isolated or separated manner. Arrupe met with the president of the World Bank, with the General Secretary of the International Commission on Migration in Brussels, given that the interdisciplinary, transnational and connected body of the Society of Jesus made us one of the best institutions to launch a coordinated response to an escalating situation.
For the Jesuits, this crisis met all of the requirements to be considered an apostolic priority:
complexity of the issue, growing urgency, universal good, a lack of others responding to the crisis, clarity in the contribution that could be made…This is why, when Arrupe asked for help, he received an overwhelming response. The apostolic necessity of the moment fit perfectly with the potential of the Society of Jesus. The vision of Arrupe facilitated the rest. JRS converted into a structural expression of an apostolic challenge that needed not only direct attention, but also accompaniment, information gathering, awareness raising, research, advocacy and mobilization…In conclusion, this is
one of the best expressions of Jesuit networking that has for over 35 years accompanied, served and defended more than 600,000 people around the world.
Happy birthday Arrupe, congratulations JRS. Your example is one that inspires and encourages us to seek better structures to respond to new apostolic challenges.
(1) This question is the theme of my STL thesis for those who would like more information.
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