Commission on the Role and Responsibilities of Women in the Society of Jesus
“…when women can share their gifts, the world finds itself more united, more peaceful. Hence, every step forward for women is a step forward for humanity as a whole.” - Pope Francis, Homily Jan. 1, 2020
On 8 March 2021, the international women’s day, Fr. General has announced the setting up of a 10-member Commission on the Role and Responsibilities of Women in the Society of Jesus. With this, he invites the entire Society of Jesus to “listen carefully and courageously to the experience of women” (GC 34, D 4,§12). The Commission consists of six women, one layman and three Jesuits.
Through this letter, Fr. General invites “the entire apostolic body of the Society to collaborate with the work of the Commission and to take steps with renewed audacity to embody the spirit of Decree 14 of GC 34, interpreted in the light of the Universal Apostolic Preferences, with a deepened understanding of the faith that does justice.”
This has been a journey of a call and a response. During the inaugural address of the 50th anniversary of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat on 4 November 2019, he invited the assembly to review the place of women in all our works. Heeding to the call the women participants of the Congress proposed setting up a women’s commission to address this important concern within the Society of Jesus.
In May 2020, Fr. General formed a Task Force and invited SJES to play a leading role, along with other apostolic secretaries and prepare a proposal to Fr. General and for the Society of Jesus. I am quite excited to see the fruit of women participants meeting Fr. General during the Congress in 2019; the initial proposal of women after the Congress; the work of the Task Force and the Presidents of Conferences; and most of all to realize that all these works have come to fruition with the announcement of the International women’s day.
The members of this newly formed Commission are:
- Donna Andrade, – Fairfield, USA
- Victor Assouad, SJ – General Counsellor, Rome
- Michael Duffy – University of San Francisco, USA
- Maria Elissa Jayme Lao (Melissa) – Ateneo de Manila, Philippines
- Victor Edwin Joseph, SJ – Vidyajyoti - Delhi, India
- Maria del Carmen Muñoz – CINEP, Colombia
- Mary Sujita, SND – Bihar, India
- Cecilia Vanneste – Ignatian Ap. Networks, Flanders, Belgium
- Catherine Waiyaki – CLC/CVX, Kenya and
- Simon Kuen-Sang Yi, SJ – Jesuit Centre for Migrant Workers, Gimpo, South Korea
During this precarious time of pandemic, all of us yearn for a better, safer and a healthier world. Perhaps the words of Pope Francis on this international women’s day can be extremely helpful. He says, “If we want a better world, a world that will be a peaceful home and not a war field, may we take to heart the dignity of each woman. From a woman was born the Prince of peace. Women are givers and mediators of peace and should be fully included in decision-making processes.” (Jan. 1, 2020)
Let our celebration of Women’s day be a commitment to walk with them every day with “a loving relationship of respect, mutuality and equality” (GC 34, D 14 § 6). Happy Women’s Day!
Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ
Secretary, SJES
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