Our History
History of the Society of Jesus History of SJES
22nd May 1965
Father Pedro Arrupe Elected as 28th Superior General of SJ
September 1968-1969
Francisco Ivern, SJ Appointed as General's first advisor for social concerns in SJ in September 1968 and takes over as the first Secretary of Jesuit Socio-Economic Development Secretariat (JESEDES) in1969
December 1, 1974
• General Congregation 32 in Rome. 16 Decrees passed.
• Dec. 4 on Our Mission Today: The service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice being one of the principal decree for Social commitment.
February 9, 1975
Michael Campbell-Johnston, SJ from British Province appointed as the Secretary of JESEDES, to succeed Francisco Ivern after Ivern became a General Counsellor
• An Informal, irregular JESEDES Bulletin with news and information published.
JANUARY 1977 - JUNE 1980
• JESEDES bulletin turned into Promotio Iustitiae (PI), a bimonthly journal from the Secretariat. PI published in English, Spanish, and French. Initiated more for exchange of news, ideas and experiences from the field but also for sharing documents and publications.
• Between 1977 and 1985, M. Campbell-Johnston publishes the first 30 issues of PI.
•JESEDES rechristened as 'Social Secretariat SJ Curia'.
• FEBRUARY 9-10, 1980 - Meeting of 'Mission Ouvrière' (Priest-Worker movement) in Rome. 16 of 150 Jesuit Priest-workers from 6 countries participate in it (PI 16)
• JUNE 2-5, 1980 - First International Conference of Directors of Social Institutes and Centres held at Curia. 23 Participants from 17 countries (PI 18)
Nov. 14, 1980
Birth of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) as an extension of Social Secretariat SJ Curia.
Aug. 7, 1981
• Father Arrupe suffers a severe cerebral thrombosis
• Oct. 6, 1981 - Father Paolo Dezza, SJ appointed as Pontifical Delegate
• Dec. 8, 1982 - GC 33 is convoked
Sep. 1 - Oct. 25,
• GC 33 in Rome. 6 Decrees passed.
• It elects Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach as 29th Superior General of SJ on Sept. 13, 1983
1985
Henry Volken, SJ from Pune Province appointed as the Secretary of Social Justice Secretariat.
Between 1985 and 1992
• H. Volken publishes 18 issues of PI (no. 31-48).
• May 13-16, 1987 - Second International Conference of Directors of Social Institutes / Centres held at Villa Cavaletti, Rome. 37 Participants (PI 35)
1992
Michael Czerny, SJ from English Canada Province appointed as the Secretary of Social Secretariat SJ Curia, which is renamed as Social Justice Secretariat (SJS)
Jan. 5 – Mar. 22, 1995
• GC 34 in Rome.
• 26 Decrees Passed. Decrees 2 – 5, clearly articulates the dimensions of the mission of SJ: Faith – Justice – inculturation and dialogue.
• Decree 20 invites Fr. General to make a study on Ecology
1992 - 2002
• M. Czerny publishes 27 issues of PI (no. 49 - 76).
• “Social Apostolate Initiative 1995 – 2005” launched to discover and renew the identity of the Jesuit Social Apostolate.
June 16 – 21, 1997
• The first Social Apostolate Congress in Naples, Italy.
• Theme: Towards the Justice of the Gospel in Society and Culture, 160 SJ participants.
• Outcome: Characteristics of Social Apostolate(PI 69).
1999 - 2000
• 1999 - Secretariat initiates a study on Ecology and publishes “We live in a broken world” (PI 70, 1999)
• Jan. 24, 2000 - On the 50th Anniversary of Father Janssens’ Instructions on the Social Apostolate (1949), Father PH Kolvenbach sends a letter to the whole Society on the Status of Social Apostolate (PI 73, 2000).
• September 2000 - SJS Website and Headlines (HL) e-newsletter launched to “exchange news, stimulate contacts, share spirituality and 1999 promote networking”.
Dec. 3, 2002
Fernando Franco, SJ from Gujarat Province takes over as the fifth Secretary of SJS
Apr. 6 – 12, 2003
• First Annual Assistancy Social Coordinators meeting held in Curia, Rome. Twelve participants along with the Secretary reflect on the Status of Social Apostolate and the challenges faced.
• Between 2002 and 2011, Fernando publishes 29 PIs (no. 77 – 105)
• Sept. 18 – 24, 2003 - 69th Procurators Congregation, Loyola-Spain
2004 - 2009
• Secretariat initiates participation of Jesuits and collaborators in various World Social Forums (WSF) in Mumbai (2004); Porte Alegre (2005); Nairobi (2007); Belem (2009).
• Organizes Workshops on a) Seeking Peace in a Violent World – PI 89 (Santa Savera-Italy, Sep.2005); b) Common Apostolic Discernment (Drongen-Belgium, 2007); c) Global Financial Crisis (Brussels, Apr. 6-8, 2009)
• Task Force appointed to make a study on Globalization and Marginalization – (Feb. 2006)
• A Study of Jesuit Social Centres: Structuring the Social Apostolate is done (Feb. 2005)
Jan. 7 – Mar. 6, 2008 GC 35 in Rome
• On Jan. 14th Resignation of P.H. Kolvenbach accepted.
•Father Adolfo Nicolás, SJ elected as the 30th Superior General of the SJ on 19th Jan. 2008
• Six Decrees passed. One of them is Dec. 3: Challenges to our Mission Today with a call to Reconciliation: with God, with one another and with creation
Nov. 10-16, 2008
• Birth of Global Ignatian Advocacy Global Network (GIAN) through a Global Ignatian Advocacy workshop (El Escorial-Spain, PI 101/2009). 45 participants from all conferences. Five issue-based networks emerge
July 2010
• Fr. General appoints a Task Force on Jesuit Mission and Ecology. Outcome – Healing a Broken World (PI 106, 2011).
• Social Justice Secretariat (SJS) is renamed as Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat(SJES)
7 February 2011
Patxi Álvarez, SJ from then Loyola Province, Spain takes over as the sixth Secretary of SJES.
2011 - 2017
• Between 2011 and 2017, Patxi publishes 19 PIs (no. 106 – 124)
• A special issue on Four GIAN Networks [PI 110] and focussed issues on Ecology and Spirituality [PI 112], (Migration [PI 113], Education at the Margins [PI 114] and Governance of Natural and Mineral Resources [PI 118]) published in PI.
• A joint Task Force on Global Economy set up by SJES and HE Secretariat. A special report Justice in the Global Economy: Building Sustainable and Inclusive Communities is prepared and published jointly (PI 121, 2016).
Oct. 3 – Nov. 12, 2016
• GC 36 in Rome. Two Decrees passed.
• On Oct. 3, the Resignation of Father Adolfo Nicolás accepted.
• Father Arturo M. Sosa Abascal, SJ elected as the 31st Superior General of the SJ on Oct. 10, 2016
• Pope Francis visits and addresses the members of GC on Oct. 24
13 June 2017
Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ from Calcutta Province takes over as the seventh Secretary of SJES
June 2017 - Oct. 2019
• Evaluated GIAN in May 2018 and its importance on advocacy and networking, re-emphasized by Father General
• A full-time Network Coordinator is appointed from Nov. 2018
• The 4 GIAN leaders become part of the Annual Meeting of Conf. Secretaries
• Since October 2018, the Secretariat coordinates the "Promotion of a Consistent Culture of Protection" (PCCP) project through John Guiney SJ along with an Assistant
50th Anniversary Congress of SJES (1969 - 2019)
• Dates: Nov. 4 – 8, 2019 - Second Social Apostolate Congress, General Curia, Rome
• Purpose: To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Secretariat in Rome
• Theme: A Journey of Justice and Reconciliation: 50 years and beyond
• Number of participants: 210+
Dec. 2019 - 7 January 2024
• After the Congress, 'Women's Commission" was formed through the Secretariat
• An Advisory Committee (AC) was formed with 2 Jesuits, 2 Laymen and 2 Women, representing the 6 Conferences in Dec. 2020
• Published 12 Promotio Iustitiae (PI) nos. 125-136
• On May 26, 2022, Fr. General promulgated the "Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN): A Pathway to Deepen Collaboration" document prepared by the Secretariat
• In February 2023, the Global Map of Social Centres was prepared and made available with 13 work filters
• Published the book "Cannonball Moments: Testimonies of Conversion" in English and Spanish
• Published three Annual Reports of the Secretariat starting from 2020-2021
