Pope asks Jesuits to focus on teaching, research, dialogue

Published: 2006-04-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Invoking the Jesuits' special vow to fulfill missions assigned by the pope, Pope Benedict XVI asked the Society of Jesus to concentrate on teaching and research in theology and philosophy, dialogue with modern culture and the Christian education of future generations. Pope Benedict met with hundreds of Jesuits and their collaborators April 22 in St. Peter's Basilica after a Mass honoring three of the first members of the order. The Mass commemorated the 450th anniversary of the death of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the order's founder, and the 500th anniversary of the births of two of his first companions: St. Francis Xavier and Blessed Peter Faber. Pope Benedict called the three "men of extraordinary holiness and exceptional apostolic zeal." The pope said, "Precisely because he was a man of God, St. Ignatius was a faithful servant of the church. From his desire to serve the church in the most useful and efficient way, the vow of special obedience to the pope was born."

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