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No.11 May 2004 YOUR EMINENCE WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Reflecting on the Society of Jesus today Card. Martini emphasizes the wealth of the Ignatian Spirituality… which calls attention to the inner/spiritual life, the meditated Word of God, the contemplation of the humble Christ crucified and the contemplation of Christ present in all aspects of existence. This is the Society's real treasure. The Ignatian Spirituality is the DNA of the Society and this is what best we have to give to the world today. Card. Martini accentuates two serious risks which could be detrimental to the Ignatian spirit. The first is an attitude of "self-sufficiency" (autoreferenzialita') which implies that an individual Jesuit creates his own niche using his time, personal talents, resources and friends to satisfy his own needs rather than making use of them to serve important needs of the Church. This attitude is anti-apostolic and kills our life in common. Yet, Card. Martini, thought-provokingly points out, that working on your own does not always constitute a spirit of individualism. He explains that it has always been part of the tradition of the Society to prepare individual Jesuits sent on missions to be on their own, and without enjoying the support of the community. The Society will do well to keep this equilibrium and train individual Jesuits so that when called to be in mission on their own continue to foster a communion of hearts with their distant companions. The other risk that Card. Martini mentions is when Jesuits are inattentive to the needs of the local Church where they happen to be inserted. The Society has a clear mandate to follow… the priorities given by the Pope and the guidelines spelled out by the General Congregations. Very briefly these are the service to the faith, ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue, dialogue with modern culture. The other great theme is the promotion of Justice which helps us to address global problems of economic poverty. On the question of the enlargement of the European Union vis a vis the Jesuits, the Cardinal says that the Jesuits since their beginning have always been in the fore front working for European unity. Our love for languages and our openness to the different cultures has been a source of unity in Europe. At the same time he insists that this unity is not so easy to achieve due to the enormous differences that exist. The western part of Europe has a very critical spirit inherited since the Renaissance. The eastern part of Europe has a soul which is more intuitive and open to important values of the human spirit. How to bridge and promote these two great cultural qualities of eastern and western Europe is a great challenge for the Society. Referring to the new evangelisation Card. Martini explains that nowadays people labour to continue to have faith. Unbelief is a common phenomenon. In the Archdiocese of Milan he has set up the "Cathedra of non-believers" as a tangible sign that the Church is aware and wants to be attentive to those who are asking serious questions about their faith. Perhaps we too have our own questions of unbelief when confronted with the absurdities and complexities of living today. Perhaps this state of affairs constitutes our common ground where we can meet non-believers and together search for honest and genuine answers. It is a difficult and demanding task but for Card. Martini, this is an essential aspect of the new evangelisation. With regards to the new Movements within the Church which are making quite an impact, Card. Martini states that the Society's can be of a bigger influence by offering our Ignatian way of making discernment. It is a great spiritual help to these Movements so as not to be carried away with short-lived enthusiasm. When asked specifically what can the Society in Italy offer to the Italian Church Card. Martini reiterates what he has said regarding the mission to the whole Society. However he lays emphasis on two tasks. The first is the openness towards the new citizens coming from different countries and settling down in Italy. The second refers to the personal attention and support to individuals who carry civil, political, social and economic responsibilities. We must encourage them to continue to trust in God and to teach them how to pray. On the question of global peace Card. Martini says that peace is first and foremost a spiritual gift of God. He refers to what Pope John Paul II said in Novo Millennio Ineunte… peace will flourish if we keep alive the spirit of community and if we recognise the presence of the Trinity in the other person. Peace will become a reality if we live according to charity as St Paul's explains in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 13); and again referring to St Paul's letter to the Galatians (Gal. 5), if we are led by the fruits of the Spirit of God. For Card. Martini inculturation means the capacity to interiorise the Gospel message to the extent that it finds a concrete expression in our words, actions and in every aspect of our everyday living. With regards to the decreasing numbers of personnel in the Church Card. Martini sees this as a serious problem. However, for us Jesuits we should not get stuck in numbers and lose sight of the bigger picture. Certainly this problem calls for important decisions to be taken. The Society must continue to show importance to the works with the most universal characteristic because the Society has a service to render to the Universal Church. Card. Martini mentions explicitly the Roman Houses of formation. At the same time he recognises that individuals called to serve in the universal mission of the Society must feel at ease and have the capacity to adjust themselves well in their new environment. Missionary work has changed in the last 50 years. The exchange between the Churches that used to send missionaries and the indigenous Churches in missionary countries is very important. This exchange takes on a different dimension nowadays. Young missionary Churches still need help. Yet they are also aware of their individuality and subjective needs. We need to be present to this contemporary missionary reality with humility, availability, spirit of service, discretion and a willingness to either retire or move back stage if it is necessary. Old age is a phenomenon in the Western world. Our older members in the Society are called to offer an example of how to live old age in a creative, constructive, serene and efficacious manner. For Card. Martini, Milan remains his spiritual point of reference as he continues to accompany in prayer all that is happening in his ex-Archdiocese. He now commutes between Jerusalem and Rome. Jerusalem embodies the mystical point of reference that is of suffering and of evangelical intuition. Rome represents his faithful and persevering service to the Church's unity and loyal communion with the Roman Pontiff. Vincent Magri SJ Ignatian Maxims Fr Arthur Vella SJ
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Book Review
Carlo Maria Martini: Sulla Giustizia Mondadori 1999 Milano ISBN 88-04-50973-2 Sandro Rossi |
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Litany for the Global Village JM Murray Abraham SJ We would like to remind you that the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality offers personal spiritual direction to all those who would like to have any kind of spiritual experience like Ignatian retreats in every day life. Retreats can be tailored according to the needs and circumstances of the retreatant. CIS can call on experienced Jesuits, other religious and trained lay people to accompany retreatants through these experiences. Anyone interested can contact the Director on 21827323 or 99864561 or email vince@maltajesuitretreats.com.
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