(March 10, 2011) The superior general of the Society of Jesus has urged Jesuits in
South Asia to undertake new works at the international level. Transcend the narrow
understanding of the Jesuit province and share the resources at regional and global
levels, Father Adolfo Nicolas told 18 provincials and two regional superiors in South
Asia during their meeting March 1-6 in Bangalore. Father Nicolas arrived in India
on February 26 mainly to participate in the assembly of The Jesuit Conference of South
Asia held in Bangalore. He will also visit Jesuits and their works in Bangalore, Mangalore,
Calicut and Kolkata and return to Rome on March 12. Father Nicholas told the provincials
that the Vatican has also entrusted to the Jesuits several formation institutes to
teach theology. The Jesuit superior General said Pope Benedict XVI sought the help
of the Society of Jesus for the integrated formation of priests and stressed the need
for a radical change in priestly formation, during a “one-on-one” meeting he had with
the Pope. Some 18,500 Jesuits work in 113 countries through communities and apostolic
works organized by “provinces” which belong to one of 10 “assistancies” or regions
around the world. South Asia, with more than 4,000 members, is the largest of the
Jesuit assistancies. It includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.