EUROPE/SPAIN - 69TH MEETING OF JESUIT PROCURATORS IN LOYOLA TO EXAMINE PRESENT STATE OF THE SOCIETY

Loyola (Fides Service) – The 69th Meeting of Jesuit Procurators will begin in Loyola, Spain, on Thursday 18 September. This meeting, convoked by the Father General every four years, is attended by representatives of the Society’s Provinces elected by Provincial Meetings.
The 95 members who will take part in the Meeting are: 85 representatives of Provinces and 13 others from the central government in Rome who take part by right. Most of the delegates have posts of government in Society institutes, in the field of education and formation of young Jesuits.
The main purpose of the Meeting of Procurators is to discuss whether or not a General Congregation should be called. Another important task is to discuss the present state of the Society. The Meeting will be chaired by Prepositor General Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach who will preside the opening Mass and give the homily. After Mass the Prepositor General will present a report on the state of the Society and this will mark the beginning of the discussion which is expected to last about five days.
With the exception of two Meetings of Procurators held in Fiesole (1886 and 1889) and Loyola (1999), these gatherings have always been held in Rome. Today the Society of Jesus is present in 112 countries, with about 20,400 members in 10 Assistances and 85 provinces. On January 1, 2003 the Society had 929 novices. (SL) (Fides Service 15/9/2003 EM lines 19 Words: 240)