Jesuit delegates vote to accept superior general's resignation
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0800073.htm
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
ROME (CNS) -- Delegates to the General Congregation of the Society of Jesus voted Jan. 14 to accept the resignation of Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach as superior general.
When the result of the vote was announced, Father Kolvenbach received a standing ovation and thanked the delegates "for so graciously firing me."
Before the vote, Father Kolvenbach told the more than 200 delegates that he was offering his resignation because "the Society of Jesus has the right to be governed and animated by a Jesuit in full possession of his physical and spiritual talents and not by a companion whose energies continue to diminish because of age."
After the delegates accepted his resignation, Father Kolvenbach offered his thanks to God, to Pope Benedict XVI and to the Jesuits.
He told them, "With gratitude toward the Lord we recognize that, despite a baffling diversity of persons and cultures, aspirations and works, there was never a lack of unity of spirits and hearts" among the Jesuits.
Father Kolvenbach also said that, "despite a growing fragility," the Jesuits still are able to dialogue with the modern world in a way that enables them to proclaim the good news.
The vote on Father Kolvenbach's resignation came after one week of meetings, during which the delegates discussed the status of the more than 19,000 Jesuits and the challenges they face.
The superior general of the Jesuits is elected for life, although the Jesuit constitutions include provisions for the superior general to resign.
Father Kolvenbach informed the Jesuits in 2006 that he intended to present his resignation and convoked the General Congregation for 2008, the year he would celebrate his 25th anniversary as superior general and his 80th birthday.
Father Kolvenbach was born Nov. 30, 1928, in the Netherlands. He entered the Jesuit novitiate just before his 20th birthday and was ordained a priest in 1961. A linguist and expert in Eastern Christian rites, he taught and ministered in Lebanon before being named rector of Rome's Pontifical Oriental Institute in 1981.
He was elected superior general Sept. 3, 1983.
Including the Jesuit founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Father Kolvenbach was the order's 29th superior general and only the second to resign. The first was his immediate predecessor, Father Pedro Arrupe, who suffered a stroke.
After accepting Father Kolvenbach's resignation, the 217 voting delegates at the General Congregation prepared to elect a new superior general. The preparation period foresees four days of prayer, silence and private conversations known as "murmuratio" (murmuring).
The delegates will concelebrate a Mass of the Holy Spirit early Jan. 19, then will proceed to vote. When a Jesuit garners a simple majority of the votes, he is elected superior general.
According to the Jesuits, Father Kolvenbach was elected on the first ballot in 1983. Father Arrupe was elected on the third ballot in 1965.
Pope Benedict will be informed of the results of the election before the name of the new superior general is made public.
Photos from:GC Update: Kolvenbach Resigns
"With the blessing of the Holy Father granted the 20th of June 2005 and after having obtained a positive vote from the Assistants for provident care and from the Provincials of the whole Society on the seriousness of the reasons to resign, I present now to the judgement of the General Congregation my resignation as Superior General of the Society of Jesus." So wrote Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. to the 35th General Congregation.
Today in Rome, the General Congregation elected to accept Father Kolvenbach's resignation, making him the first General to resign. With his customary humor, Kolvenbach praised the delegates for the "elegant way which you have found to fire me."
More seriously, he thanked his brother Jesuits, and concluded his long years of service with these moving words:
"Let us be grateful to the Lord that despite a disconcerting diversity of persons and cultures, of desires and works, our union of minds and hearts has never failed, and, despite an increasing fragility, the Society retains the capacity of apostolic dialogue before the challenges of the modern world in proclaiming the one Good News.
On this eve of the election of my successor and of the many decisions that the General Congregation will have to make, I unite myself with the prayer with which Saint Ignatius finished his letters: "May God our Lord in his infinite and supreme goodness be pleased to give us his abundant grace, so that we may know his most holy will and entirely fulfill it."
For the complete story, press release, and photos, please see Creighton's GC 35 webpage here: "GC 35 "
James Martin, S.J.
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/GC35/Photos-06.html
The term of the Superior General is "for life." Fr. Kolvenbach, who has been Superior General for 25 years, and is 80 years old, obtained permission from the Holy Father to submit his resignation to this General Congregation.
"Fr. Kolvenbach began his talk to the delegates: 'thank you for so graciously firing me!' displaying his wonderful sense of humor."
"There was an almost 5 minute standing ovation."
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. steps down as Superior General
taken by Fr. Don Doll, S.J. - Creighton University
Magis Productions
Captions in quotations by Fr. Don Doll, S.J.
Kolvenbach Statement:
According to Wispers in the Loggia, the election of the next Black Pope is this Saturday, January 19, 2008.
Dear Fathers and Brothers,
Today the General Congregation has thought it well to accept my resignation as General Superior of the Society of Jesus. At the end of these nearly 25 years of service, I want first of all to thank the Lord, who - to use the words of Saint Ignatius - has truly been propitious to me at Rome, in leading a Society He has called into service for his greater glory.
I am also most grateful for the privilege of having met and accompanied so many friends in the Lord, who in their many diverse vocations have always shown themselves to be true servants of the Mission of Christ.
No single Jesuit should feel himself excluded from this profound sentiment of recognition. Nonetheless I would like to thank in a particular way those in the General Curia who have helped me day after day over many years in carrying out my responsibilities for the Society, as well as all the Major Superiors spread throughout the entire world.
Earlier I was able to express my great thanks to the Holy Father for his apostolic orientations which have allowed the Society to continue our mission "under the banner of the cross and under the Vicar of Christ on earth".
Let us be grateful to the Lord that despite a disconcerting diversity of persons and cultures, of desires and works, our union of minds and hearts has never failed, and, despite an increasing fragility, the Society retains the capacity of apostolic dialogue before the challenges of the modern world in proclaiming the one Good News.
On this eve of the election of my successor and of the many decisions that the General Congregation will have to make, I unite myself with the prayer with which Saint Ignatius finished his letters: "May God our Lord in his infinite and supreme goodness be pleased to give us his abundant grace, so that we may know his most holy will and entirely fulfill it."
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