How governance was understood and actually carried out in the Society fifty years ago is so different from nowadays, and the gradual changes in it can be well-illustrated through the life of Jorge Bergolio SJ from the time he was the Novice Master and Superior till he became the Provincial, Auxiliary Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, and finally the Pope. GC 36 wants governance to be further adapted to the bewildering contemporary developments and challenges constantly occurring in every field. A quick run through Nos. 1-9 of GC Decree 2, ‘Renewed Governance for a Renewed Mission’, will give us an idea of the main features: that obedience is not for the sake of virtue but of apostolic life, governance in order to be ‘appropriate to the times’ requires Discernment, Collaboration, and Networking. When these last three are briefly elaborated, it becomes clear that they are not possible without courage, imagination, individual and institutional humility, and solidarity with the local and universal Church. A very tall order. To find out how the Decree is concretely and manageably carried out, John Rose SJ, the Jivan Correspondent for the West Zone, sent some questions to the Provincials newly appointed in South Asia. Below are the excerpts from the answers of the Provincial of Bombay, Fr. Arun de Souza and the Provincial of Delhi, Fr. Sebastian Jeerakassery who graciously responded.

What are the main encouraging signs of development in your Province, especially with regard to what you think is important for the Jesuit apostolate?

Arun de Souza: Ours is an ageing Province and the difficulties caused by this fact are compounded by a low intake level. It is surprising and heartening that there is a resurgence of work with the youth that was long neglected. Now our younger Jesuits, though few in number, are much involved with the youth, especially the college-going. They have been organizing programmes, like the well-devised 5-day long ‘Magis’ that has been very successful. One of the parish priests, who sent some young people for one such programme, told me how they came away much inspired and motivated, and have now become more active in the parish.

There is talk of fusing Provinces because of reasons such as scarcity of vocations, increase of apostolic undertakings, greater efficiency. Will that be feasible, considering the historical, linguistic, and social differences between the Provinces? Cannot mere inter-Province collaboration suffice?

Arun: I don’t think that this matter should be looked at only as a response to decreasing numbers. With Nicholas at the helm we began to rediscover our call to the universal mission. For too long we thought of ourselves as rigidly tied to a Province boundary. Given this call to universality, it is but natural that we have to think of ourselves as Jesuits first. And then as Indian Jesuits or whatever. This was well understood by the Society at its start—see how Francis Xavier comes halfway across the world to India and then goes on to Japan and China.

Of course, working across Province boundaries is not easy given our cultural, ethnic and caste affiliations. Overcoming these problems requires time, energy, commitment, and much imagination. Mistakes and failures will happen along the way but, given our fast globalizing world, I think this is inevitable. We may have to set up new structures, and Province boundaries would have to get more porous.

What is behind the increase, or decline, of vocations in your Province, and do you feel that training in Common Houses is producing mature and energetic Jesuits, giving good hopes for the future of your Province?

Arun: Our Province is showing a steep decline in numbers and rise in average age, presently 59. Some of it may be due to young men not finding us challenging enough, and so all of us need to recharge our enthusiasm and spirituality. But I think it is more important to face the fact that family size is decreasing, with just one or two children per family as the norm, and values are being re-evaluated.  The pressures of getting into the corporate world are greater than those of getting into the religious life, often considered hard and drab. The city in which my Province is headquartered is a forerunner in India of what Europe and America have been experiencing since a long time, a drought of vocations. But the silver lining is that the lack of numbers is being made up by the high quality of men entering the novitiate. There is hope, therefore, that with a greater human maturity and a different mindset, though few, the Jesuits could make our ministries more efficient, vigorous, and lasting. I have been noticing that our Common Houses find it tough to train scholastics with poor English language skills.  Those with a good hold on English seem to read more, hold themselves better, exchange and express ideas better, and naturally turn out better trained.

In your dealing with members of your Province, especially at the time of the Visitation, what are the findings that give you consolation and those that give you, well, desolation?

Arun: The problems faced are similar to those in other Provinces, I guess. Jesuits have still to learn how to work as a team. The former type of formation may have made people work hard and blaze ahead, but that zest gave rise to a lot of individualism. We have to be accustomed to team work, collaboration, and networking, and for this, newer mindsets and updated skill-sets are required. But though we are an ageing Province, the men that we have are hard workers, willing to make the necessary changes, and seniors among them are doing as much as those much younger to them, and this restores my equanimity.

There is the spiritual (Parishes, Retreats, Christian Life Communities, etc) and the educational and social apostolates.  Is there any tension arising out of opinions that one of them is unfairly given greater prominence? What importance is Evangelization given?

Arun: One of the points strongly made as we were reflecting on GC 36 was how we had very few men in the Retreat Ministry or in the Spiritual Direction. It is not that our schools and colleges have had many Jesuits, but that there was at least one of them in each of the institutions, either as manager or teacher or principal. We have decided to correct this imbalance by sending more of them for training in spirituality.

It has already been well-noted that most of the Provinces are aging. What is the situation in your Province?  How does your Province Infirmary handle the problem of overcrowding?  Any particular difficulties about giving adequate medical and other help to those in need, e.g. lack of space and of caregivers?

Arun: Yes, this is very true of my Province. As stated earlier, our average age is 59. We face many difficulties. We don’t have enough men to put into our large schooling system, parishes easily get dumped with superannuated Jesuits, and our overcrowded infirmary is constantly being pressurized to take in more helpless Jesuits who are much loved and accepted where they are but simply cannot be provided with the attention they need. The ones in charge are working heroically to meet the demands. The infirmary is now attached to an adjacent building which now serves as a kind of halfway house. But in the near future we will need to expand our infirmary facilities even though, as mentioned earlier, many old Fathers refuse to take their hands off the plough, and Jesuit communities are loathe to consign any among them, with many age-related disabilities, to the infirmary. There is a foreign Jesuit in our Province who is 86 years old and yet goes about doing all his parish duties very jauntily.

What are the new ventures that your Province is keen on taking up: what type and in what areas?

Arun: Presently the thrust and emphasis is on the Youth Ministry and Spiritual Direction. These have been neglected far too long. We now have a good crop of young Jesuits who have both an urge and talent for these.

What is being done in your Province for its members to be sufficiently informed, well-bonded, and with good opportunities for fellowship and for on-going formation through seminars and the like?

Arun: Events like Province Days, Seminars, Jubilarians’ Night and other celebrations that are often organised are what deepen our community spirits. For some time now, we have a system wherein clusters of communities meet together at least twice a year to take up serious themes for reflection and, of course, table conviviality at the end. In the mission areas, there are biannual meetings where business matters are taken up and inputs are given for ongoing renewal.  Province Commissions also organize regular meetings for its members, e.g. the Education Board organizes a series of programmes for teachers and principals.

Are there special challenges in dealing with Diocesan Clergy and other Religious Congregations when it comes to policy matters and collaboration? Is there good communication and mutual support between other provinces in South Asia and yours?

Arun: At the level of Diocesan Clergy and religious sisters, a good amount of collaboration exists. In mission areas where we have parishes, they are a regular part of the Parish team. Where tensions exist, they are usually due to personal traits rather than policy issues.

How do you understand ‘ministry of Governance in the Society of Jesus’? What is ‘leadership in the Society’?

Arun: Governance can be seen as partly charismatic (giving directions, enthusing with a vision), and partly administrative (raising funds, making transfers, sanctioning constructions, etc.).

There will always be the tension between cura personalis and cura apostolica.I think every Jesuit Provincial blends all this in his own unique way.

The structures provided by the Society ensure that the basic minimum ones are kept in place. Some Provincials are good at the charismatic, others at the administrative part.

Sebastian Jeerakassery:

Governing structures are integral to any organization. Well-functioning governing structures and leadership help the organization to stay focused on its vision and mission. Ignatian discernment helps Superiors to redefine the vision and mission, and to engage in necessary ministries, according to the signs of the times. In order to do this, a leader in the Society of Jesus must imbibe the spirit of the Ignatian Magis and master Ignatian discernment. The latter purifies the collective decision-making process in which all the stakeholders are equally important, co-responsible, and co-accountable. To those in the active ministry, the superior becomes an encouraging facilitator and a caring companion.

What is your self-confidence and what are your anxieties as you enter into this vital ministry of Governance in your Provinces?

Arun:  The unflinching confidence is that this is the Lord’s work and He will see it through. One can only be aware of one’s own shortcomings, and one can only live in the hope that the Lord will compensate. The new GC-36 documents are a challenge: to move from an individualistic to a more collaborative and networking framework.

Sebastian: A fairly good knowledge and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of my Province men and the ministries of the Province give me confidence to take on this ministry of governance, trusting in the providence of the Lord. Further, the realization that the mission engaged in is not mine but the Lord’s helps me, as his tool, to place all trust and hope in Him.  On the one hand, the vast mission area, the fast-changing socio-political realities in it, and far from enough Jesuits available for the tasks to be taken up, are frightening and discouraging; but on the other hand, the courage to move forward, and that with very good hopes, is because the people we are working for and with are very warm and welcoming, and they easily overlook the deficiencies the Jesuits may have. We can depend on them, like on the Lord, fully.

What about your vision for ‘Renewed Governance for Renewed Mission’?

Arun: Governance is always a function of God’s mission. As the General reminded us at Jabalpur, Province structures are only means to achieve this mission. A ministry like ‘Jesuit Worldwide Learning’ cannot be limited to Province boundaries and systems of governance. As Jesuits, we must always be ready to create new structures if they are demanded after proper discernment.

Sebastian: Governance is for mission. Only in that context does governance have its meaning and relevance. The effectiveness of leadership and of governance structures is directly proportional to the success of the mission in spearheading the desired socio-political-economic-cultural changes in society. Thus, it becomes paramount to choose the best persons as Superiors, and to fine tune and oil governance structures to achieve the goals of the mission.  

What have been your consolations and desolations in the ministry of Governance so far?

Arun: Many of us are stuck in our past and it is difficult sometimes to challenge ourselves to begin functioning in new ways. Personality differences in the community and at the workplace are big dampeners. At the same time, one is struck by the honesty and sincerity with which many live their lives. Manifestations are great consolations when Jesuits recount their struggles and joys with great honesty and transparency. But more than anything else, I have been struck by the way the Lord makes use of our work and gives us unexpected fruit.

Sebastian: The active groups of young Jesuits who are willing to walk an extra mile and ready to take risks, and the encouraging presence of a number of senior Jesuits who are ever ready to chip in whenever necessary, have been my consolations so far. Desolation comes from the reluctance of a few young Jesuits to step out of their comfort zones and to do more than the mere minimum.

Governance has taught me to pray a lot, to trust in the Lord’s guidance. It has been amazing to see how the Lord plans a way out for us.

What have you gained by GC-36’s directives on Leadership/Governance?

Arun: Governance has taught me to pray a lot, to trust in the Lord’s guidance. It has been amazing to see how the Lord plans a way out for us. I have had moments when all seemed lost and then suddenly and very mysteriously everything clears up. Everything is the Lord’s doing.  

Sebastian: I have learnt not to interfere in the affairs and ministry of any community unless it is absolutely necessary. All Jesuits require to be encouraged, and to be appreciated for their extremely valuable contributions. It is important for a leader to understand his own strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly in humility. No leader can be an all-knowing person. Therefore, he needs to listen attentively to suggestions and opinions from companions and others before arriving at apostolic decisions. As in everything else, total trust in divine providence is indispensable.

Would you like to share how you balance Administration and Care of the person?

Arun: As I said before, balancing cura personalis and cura apostolica is testing. One has to discern what to give priority to and at which point of time. If a person is stressed out and unable to perform, there must be attempts to ameliorate the situation, sometimes even by sacrificing the success of the apostolate. But this cannot be if the ministry’s demands are absolute, and then the person’s well-being is best left to the Lord.