Pope Leo XIV Urges Jesuits to Remain at the Frontiers

During Q&A with Jesuit Major Superiors, the Holy Father Highlighted Outreach to Immigrants

Father Provincial Thomas P. Greene, SJ, represented the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province at a Meeting of Major Superiors (MMS) in October at the Jesuit Curia in Rome.

The ten-day gathering was called by Superior General Arturo Sosa, SJ, and brought together about 100 Jesuits from around the world, primarily provincials, as well as regional superiors and Jesuit conference presidents. The MMS was called to “consider the state, the problems and the initiatives of the universal Society” (GC 34, Decree 23).

“The meeting allowed us to discuss the signs of the times, to listen to the ways in which the Society of Jesus is serving the Church and following its mission in diverse, and at times difficult, circumstances,” Fr. Greene said. “It is consoling that Jesuits from countries that are at odds, perhaps at war, with each other can meet as brothers who share the same mission. We are bound together by something much deeper than our country of birth.”

A particular highlight of the meeting was an audience with Pope Leo XIV. The pope urged Jesuits to remain at the frontiers: “The Society of Jesus has long been present where humanity’s needs meet God’s saving love: through spiritual guidance, intellectual formation, service among the poor and Christian witness at cultural frontiers. Saint Ignatius of Loyola and his companions did not fear uncertainty or difficulty; they went to the margins, where faith and reason intersected with new cultures and great challenges.”

During the Q&A after the pope’s address, Fr. Greene was able to pose a question: “Listening this week to our brothers from around the world, we heard about signs such as authoritarian governments, polarization, massive displacements of people, refugees and migrants, the rapid rise of technology … and many of the things that you covered in your talk. Here is my question: is there anything in particular that you think the Society of Jesus is well equipped to take on, to focus on? How do you see us responding to help the Church in one of these issues?”

Pope Leo’s response:

“Perhaps because I recently received a large package of letters from immigrants in the United States talking about the terror in which many of them are living right now, I immediately think of the Jesuit Refugee Service and the support of immigrants in different parts of the world.

This is not, unfortunately, just a U.S. problem. I would certainly encourage you to continue some of the outreach that the Society of Jesus has done through the years in this regard, being authentically prophetic. A lot of people have difficulties involving themselves in such outreach because of fear, or political ideology, or lack of funding.

The U.S. Bishops Conference tells me that many of their services have been funded by the U.S. government, and that funding has been cut. As a result, they are limited in what they can do. It takes money to do a lot of things that we want to do, but we have to find the ways of really being committed in this area. Immigration is a worldwide challenge. Unfortunately, the richer countries of the world oftentimes think that they have to get rid of these immigrants. Now, if they would use even some of their resources to improve the conditions of people where they are coming from, there might not be as large of a challenge of immigration as there is today … I think immigration is certainly one of the areas where your work is needed.”

Learn about our province’s commitment to migrant ministry in El Paso and on the U.S.-Mexico border through Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries in Brownsville, Texas.

Featured image: Father Provincial Thomas P. Greene, SJ, poses a question to Pope Leo XIV during the Q&A session at the Jesuit Meeting of Major Superiors in Rome.