GC 36 choses a Latin American as 31st successor of Saint Ignatius

The Jesuits have elected Father Arturo Sosa Abascal SJ, of the Venezuelan Province, as their Superior General. 

Fr Arturo Sosa was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on November 12th 1948. He is currently the Delegate of the General for the International houses and Works of the Society of Jesus in Rome. Before he was Provincial of the Venezuelan Province and director of SIC, the Review of the Centre Gumilla in Caracas.

Fr. Arturo Sosa Abascal is a Doctor in Political Sciences from the Universidad Central de Venezuela. He speaks Spanish, Italian, English and understands French. He is now the 31st Superior General of the Society of Jesus since St Ignatius.

Just after the election John Dardis said "Amazing election. Fantastic choice. Arturo is the first Latin-American as General Superior. This is new in our tradition. Last three generals have been a kind of missionaries who went to Japan or wherever and now it's a new change with the first Latin-American. It's a great consolation!"

At 7.30 this morning the delegates to GC36 prepared for Election Day with the Mass of the Holy Spirit concelebrated by all the electors. Fr. James Grummer, the Vicar General of the Society of Jesus, presided over the Eucharist and preached the homily. The Gospel (John 20 19:23) described how Jesus appears to his disciples gathered in the upper room in a state of pure fear. The Lord appears with a message of peace and he gives them the Holy Spirit. Fr. Grummer commented: “Notice that the movement St. Ignatius proposes is quite simple: a journey from fear to joy and from the gift received to the mission, a journey that is proposed to each Jesuit and each General Congregation.”

After the mass the electors immediately began the voting process. The election procedure follows exactly what St Ignatius himself prescribed in the Constitutions of the Society. The election happens only after the period of prayer and reflection, the four days of murmuratio, which commenced on Monday.

The interests of our new Superior General are:

Jesuit Spirituality, Collaboration with others, Solidarity with the most vulnerables, Migrants and refugees, Reconciliation and Dialogue, Government of the Society of Jesus and Intellectual Apostolate.