Open Access Journal

Foreword

Every organization has a unique starting point – the vision of its founder is paramount in the way it functions. The vision of Ignatius would not have had been possible without the ‘canon ball moment.’ On 20th May 1521, a vainglorious soldier called Inigo, serving a worldly King, was struck down by a canon ball. His forced convalescence enabled him to reorient his priorities and dreams. This led him to set up an organization called the Society of Jesus to serve the world under the banner of his newly discovered King, Jesus. He gave up his narrow goals and vision, for a vision that transcended his little world of Europe’s warring Kings and Chieftains. Now, ‘one world’ was not enough for him. With a restlessness that was fueled by this vision, the followers of Ignatius spread out throughout the known world of that period setting up parishes, schools and colleges in far flung areas.

The pedagogy that these institutions embraced was inspired by the Examen of Consciousness that Ignatius encouraged each of his members to practice.  The essence of this practice was to constantly reflect back on one’s actions in the light of Divine inspiration that was complemented by the critical insights of contemporary thought. This reflexivity enabled one to dynamically act anew in the world with a praxis that was transformative. This constant action-reflection process was the kernel for all future Jesuit pedagogies.

A vision that was enunciated in the 16th century needs to be constantly articulated anew and accordingly appropriate strategies of action must be put in place. Fr. Arturo Sosa, the present head of the Society of Jesus, did just this when he asked every member of the organization to discern the path ahead. The fruits of this were the “Universal Apostolic Preferences” (UAPs) that were approved of by the Pope on 6th February 2019. It was fitting that when we were celebrating the five-century milestone of the canon ball moment, we have a new moment of challenge – the interiorization and implementation of the UAPs.

An important point to note about the four UAPs (which will be spelt out in the articles that follow), is that they are not four separate missions, rather everything we do must encompass all four at the same time. Separating them out would lead to a lopsided and dangerous way of looking at reality that we need to avoid. Like a symphony, all four are necessary for any concrete educational venture to be seen as Ignatian.

Every organization needs to interiorize its raison d'être, to find ways to make these real, and to transmit these to its members and stakeholders. This is what gives an organization its uniqueness, its USP, its brand value and gives it a mission to live for and to die for. I do hope that this volume will enable all its readers to understand this vision and to live it out in their field of action.

My prayers that this publication may lead to new zeal, creative responses and committed action that will transform our world.

Arun de Souza SJ

21st March 2024

St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai