Jesuit Voices Podcast

Le Père Eugène Goussikindey est provincial de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, le territoire des anciennes colonies Françaises. Après ses études au Canada il a été nommé professeur de philosophie à Kimwenza (Rép. Du Congo) et de théologie à Nairobi (Kénia). Dans la formation des jeunes de sa province il insiste beaucoup sur le désir d’être lié à Dieu comme son instrument dans le monde ; en outre sur la nécessité de s’exposer à l’occident pour obtenir une licence en philosophie ou en théologie. Il réfléchit à des moments joyeux et douloureux de sa province et de la Compagnie en Afrique.

Fr. Joseph Christie, SJ, presently the Director of LIBA (Loyola Institute of Business Administration), Chennai, India, was on a visit to Rome for participating in the annual meeting of The International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS). He narrates about the environment where he grew up as Christian and the inspiration, which enabled him to become a Jesuit and eventually the Director of an esteemed business school in South India. Holding the leadership of the African Initiatives of IAJBS, Fr. Christie explores the possibility of developing business education in Africa. He stresses the point that Jesuit business education should differentiate itself from other business schools by giving certain value orientation and a holistic formation to its students.

Fr. David Nazar, a Jesuit priest of Ukrainian origin, born and brought up in Canada has an incredible experience of practicing faith in two different Rites, the Byzantine and the Latin, in the Catholic Church. He explains how it became an aid for his later ministry, as Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, S. J. invited him to establish the Jesuit District in Ukraine.He is presently the superior and also involved in the Jesuit Refugee Service in Ukraine.

Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj was born in Tamil Nadu, India in 1962 and joined Calcutta Province of the Soceity of Jesus in 1982. As a child, being moved by the great example of Fr. Leveil, S.J, inspired by the life of St. Francis Xavier, and with an overwhelming urge to work for the poor, he opted to work with and for the marginalized. He completed his Masters in Social Work and Bachelors in Civil Law and started a Social Centre called Udayani (rising sun) in Kolkata in 1998. From July 2007, he was the Coordinator for Social Apostolate of the South Asian Conference. He strongly believes that only by teaching the poor people to stand on their own feet and defend themselves, we can bring social changes. The motive for him to pick up legal studies was to defend the people who have nobody to speak for them. Xavier, now as the Assistant at the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES)in the Jesuit Curia in Rome, will take care of the planning of the commitment of the Secretariat, especially building up of Global Igna

Father Gerald R. Blaszczak (born 1949) was fascinated by the openness, the social involvement, the intellectual search, the real piety and the friendship of the Jesuits at their High School in Dallas (USA) at the end of the sixties. He entered the New York province and studied New Testament and Islam mysticism. He started teaching at the newly opened Jesuit theologate in Nairobi (Kenya), became Novice Director of his Province and was responsible for “Mission and Identity” at the Jesuit Universities of Fordham (New York) and Fairfield (Connecticut). Father General appointed him as director of the new Curia Secretariat for the Promotion of Faith (which will involve also Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue and Ignatian Spirituality).

Le Père Anicet N’Teba (né en la RD Congo en 1965) est un jésuite de la Province d’Afrique Centrale. La jeunesse du Père Anicet a été marquée par la présence des missionnaires Jésuites et son désir était de devenir missionnaire lui aussi. Comme docteur en histoire ecclésiastique le Père Général l’a invité à collaborer au nouvel Institut Historique de la Compagnie de l’Afrique et de Madagascar à Nairobi en restant professeur à l’Institut de Théologie de la Compagnie à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) qui reprendra bientôt les cours après la violence de la guerre civile récente.

Le Père Alex Bassili (° 1945) a passé une bonne partie de sa vie au collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour au Liban, comme élève, scolastique, professeur et vice-recteur. A présent il est socius du Père Provincial du Proche Orient et recteur de la maison de formation à Beyrouth. Dans cet entretien il explique ce qu’est un socius : « la mémoire et les mains d’un provincial » et il rappelle avec gratitude le voyage récent du Père Général en Syrie, au Liban et en Turquie.

Father Fernando Fernández Franco (born: San Sebastian, Spain 1941) as a young Jesuit was sent to the Gujarat Province in India. Having received a doctorate in economy, he taught 20 years at the University of Ahmedabad, while at the same time working at the Social Center. After some years as research director of the Indian Social Institute of the Society of Jesus in Delhi, Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach invited him in 2003 to become head of the Social Justice Secretariat in Rome. During these eight years he had the opportunity to visit and encourage almost all Jesuits working in the social apostolate throughout the world. During and after the 35th General Congregation he incorporated the issue of ecology and sustainability in the activity of the Social Justice Secretariat and guided the special task group on that issue. Now Fr. General has asked him to spend a couple of years at the African Jesuit Conference in Nairobi to help them in the development of a strategic apostolic plan.

Padre Jorge Eduardo Serrano-Ordoñez (°51) de la provincia de Colombia ha trabajado 40 años en la pastoral y en el área social en diferentes lugares de su país. Tiene un Master en Desarrollo Social. En el 2010 ha aceptado la invitación del Padre General para trabajar en la Curia General de Roma como Asistente del Ecónomo para conseguir recursos financieros. Lleno de humor - y un poco de teatro - es convencido que nadie es tan pobre que no pueda ayudar.

Father František Hylmar, the "last underground Jesuit", entered the Society of Jesus in former Czechoslovakia some months before the collapse of the communist regime in 1989. Due to the fact his successor as provincial of Bohemia is not able to start his ministry for medical reasons, Father General invited him to continue as provincial. Father Hylmar tells about his work as geodesist and cartographer before entering the Society, about being provincial of a small province - that used to have more than 1000 members 250 years ago - and about his joy seeing God at work in today's church and society.

Padre José Ignacio García Jiménez (°64) de la provincia de Castilla (España) formado en Economía ha trabajado durante dos años con JRS en Malawi con refugiados de Madagascar. Hace dos años es director de Ocipe en Bruselas, la Oficina Europea de los jesuitas. Trabaja temas como la presencia de la religión en el espacio público, la protección social y medio ambiente. Ha sido invitado como miembro del grupo de trabajo sobre medio ambiente y ecología del secretariado por la justicia social y la ecología de la curia general de los jesuitas en Roma.

Le Père Mpay Kemboly (° 1967) est un jésuite de la Province d’Afrique Centrale. Il donne des cours de Pensée Africaine et de Philosophie Ancienne à notre Institut de Philosophie de Kimwenza (Congo) et a été invité par le P. Général à la première rencontre des conseillers pour le dialogue interreligieux et l’œcuménisme, comme consulteur pour les religions traditionnelles Africaines. Mpay Kemboly nous raconte ce que signifie être Jésuite Africain, l’importance des traditions et ce qu’il désire transmettre à ses étudiants.

Father Joseph Xavier is member of the Madurai Province, in the south of India, a region with many Dalits, castless people. He has been coordinator of social ministry at the Jesuit Conference of South Asia in Delhi. During that time he was able to mobilize 1500 very poor people to participate in the World Social Forum in Mumbai (2004). On the request of the Archbishop of Orissa, he has been sent to that region to encourage and motivate the people after the attacks, destruction of property, and killings perpetrated by Hindu extremists. He has been invited to the first meeting of the Jesuit Task force on ecology to see what the Jesuit response could be to the ecological crisis, taking into account the desire of General Congregation 35 to consider the right relationship to creation as a fundamental part of our Jesuit Mission today.

Paterne-Auxence Mombe (°1970) est un jésuite de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, de la République de Centrafrique. Il a reçu une formation théologique, pastorale et scientifique dans plusieurs pays d’Afrique et aux Etats Unis. Il est l’auteur du livre “Rayons d’espoir”. Comment vivre et bien vivre même si l’on est atteint par le Sida? Il a travaillé trois ans dans le Centre Espérance Loyola à Lomé. Depuis quelques mois, il est le successeur du Père Michael Czerny comme directeur d’AJAN (African Aids Network) à Nairobi. Le Père Paterne nous raconte son intérêt pour la science, pour la Compagnie de Jésus et pour le Sida, “cet ami des pauvres”.

Father Bill Oulvey is a Jesuit from the Missouri Province (USA). For the past four years he has served the Society of Jesus as Secretary of the US Assistancy in Rome. This clerical position, involving both paperwork and computers, put him in touch with the rich tradition of the Society which views correspondence as holy since it represents a person made in God's image and likeness. From his office in the General Curia he has been in touch with Jesuits from all over the world and their ministries; he served at the most recent General Congregation held in Rome and has come to understand the profound relationship between the Society of Jesus and the Holy Father.

Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator grew up in a traditional Nigerian family near a Jesuit Parish. At age 14 he became fascinated by the baptism of young people during the Easter Vigil. Two years later he was baptized and, at age 19, he entered the Society of Jesus. Throughout formation he demonstrated a great ability for learning; he studied in the Congo, Kenya, the United States and Great Britain. There he earned a doctorate in Systematic Theology focusing on the Church in Africa. He was then assigned to teach at the Jesuit school in Nairobi, Kenya, Hekima College. Presently he is provincial superior of the East African province. He speaks about the future of his province with 70% of its members in formation; he describes the visit of Father General to his province several months ago, and about the recently concluded meeting of the African provincials (JESAM) in Rome.

Pierre Salembier (°1943) est un jésuite Français qui a voué toute sa vie à l’éducation dans les établissements scolaires de la Compagnie; d’abord comme professeur de philosophie, puis comme délégué du Père Provincial pour l’éducation. En vue du Congrès Mondial des Anciens Elèves de la Compagnie à Calcutta en 2003, il a été nommé à la Fédération Nationale Française et tout de suite aussi comme délégué du Père Général auprès de l’Union Mondiale des Anciens Elèves. Il a fait de grands efforts pour faire réussir le premier Congrès Mondial en Afrique, l’été dernier à Bujumbura, au Burundi, et continue à accompagner le déploiement des fruits de ce congrès, notamment la collaboration entre l’Afrique et l’Inde et des jumelages dans la perspective de vraies échanges entre des Fédération de plusieurs parties du monde

As a young Jesuit from Arizona Anthony Corcoran went as missionary to Siberia after the fall of the communism. He served in the parishes in and around Novosibirsk and in the formation of young priests. 16 months ago there was a terrible shock among the Jesuits in Russia when regional superior Otto Mesmer and Victor Betancourt were murdered in Moscow. Corcoran was appointed as regional superior for the Jesuits in Russia, Siberia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. His attention goes to the support of the deeply affected Jesuits and collaborators in the region, but also to the development of the Saint Thomas Philosophical Institute in Moscow and a new Spiritual Centre in Novosibirsk.

Après le génocide de 1994 les évêques Rwandais n'ont pas pu participer au premier Synode sur l'Afrique. En 1997 le P. Alexis Habiyambere fut consacré évêque de Nyondo. 12 ans plus tard le Synode est un moment fort et réconfortant qui confirme que l'Église Rwandaise est sur la bonne route, celle du pardon et de la reconstruction nationale. Sa plus grande joie est qu'il y a beaucoup de vocations et que tous les paroisses sont de nouveau ouvertes. Les points cibles pour le futur sont la vie des familles, les communautés chrétiennes et la collaboration avec les hommes politiques.

Giuseppe Riggio is an Italian Jesuit in formation. During his philosophy studies in Padua he worked with an association serving refugees and those seeking asylum; he organized courses for people interested in knowing more about immigration. Next, as part of his formation, he worked two years in the Social Justice Secretariat at the Jesuit General Curia in Rome. During that time he had the opportunity to attend the World Social Forum in Brazil and was able to spend some time in a community of indigenous people. Presently he is studying theology in Paris in preparation for priestly ordination.