How did the Universal Preferences emerge?

For many years, the Society of Jesus was guided solely by the Formula of the Institute of 1550 as a missionary framework. It was not until 1970 that Arrupe, after conducting a worldwide survey of apostolic ministries, established for the first time what were then called global “apostolic priorities”, concretized in theological reflection, the social apostolate, education and the media. As a result of this prioritization, the Secretariats of the General Curia were set up to cover these cross-cutting themes that were prioritized worldwide.

Years later, during General Congregation 33, in 1995, it was requested to update these priorities and “discern the greatest needs.” Peter Hans Kolvenbach, in 2003, then established a new set of “apostolic preferences” for the entire global Society, this time focusing on Africa, China, the Intellectual Apostolate, the Interprovincial Houses of Rome as well as Migrants and Refugees. These five preferences were also endorsed by congregations 34 and 35. Only during the last congregation, in 2016, was it requested that Father General once again update the preferences to align the Society of Jesus around the most important calls of our time.

The result of this discernment were reviewed by Father General and his council throughout the month of January and communicated later to Pope Francis for his consideration. It was the Pontiff himself who, during the month of February, returned these new apostolic preferences as a framework and focus of the apostolic mission of the Society for the next 10 years. Thus, on February 19th, Father General announced these four new Missionary emphases for the Society: Promoting discernment and the spiritual exercises, walking with the excluded, journeying with youth and caring for our common home.

That is why Father General Arturo Sosa launched an intense process of apostolic discernment without comparison throughout the Society of Jesus in which, for almost two years, Jesuits from all over the world have discussed, discerned and prayed, asking themselves: “Where does Jesus call us in this world today?”, “What does the Church ask of us?” and “Where is the greatest need?”

Much is being written these days about how to articulate and unfold these preferences within our apostolic body. Over the next months, we will go deeper into what these preferences entail, exploring the way we can help align our ecosystem of apostolic works and networks to help make these inspiring missionary intuitions operational and real.

For more information, visit the website of the curia created expressly for the promotion of the Universal Apostolic Preferences.