The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
, the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Pope, because of his responsibility for the largest male religious order, in contrast with the white garb of the
pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
. The thirty-first and current superior general is Fr
Arturo Sosa
Arturo Marcelino Sosa Abascal (born 12 November 1948) is a Venezuelan Catholic priest who serves as the 31st and present superior general of the Society of Jesus. He was elected Superior General by the Society's 36th General Congregation on ...
, elected by the 36th
General Congregation
The General Congregation is an assembly of the Jesuit representatives from all parts of the world, and serves as the highest authority in the Society of Jesus. A General Congregation (GC) is always summoned on the death or resignation of the admini ...
on 14 October 2016.
Titles
![Ignatius Loyola](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Ignatius_Loyola.jpg)
The formal title in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
is ''Praepositus Generalis'', which may fairly be rendered as "superior general" or even, "president general". The term is like that of military usage (and Ignatius of Loyola had a military background) which is derived from "general", as opposed to "particular". This usage is consistent with other Catholic religious orders, like the Dominicans' "
master general", Franciscans' "
minister general
Minister General is the term used for the leader or Superior General of the different branches of the Order of Friars Minor. It is a term exclusive to them, and comes directly from its founder, St. Francis of Assisi. He chose this word over "Super ...
", Carthusians' "prior general", and with civil posts such as
Postmaster General
A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. The practice of having a government official responsib ...
and
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
. The Jesuits are organized into provinces, each with a
provincial superior, (usually referred to as the "Father Provincial" or just "Provincial"), with the head of the order being the "general superior", for the whole organization. As a major superior, the Superior General is styled "Very Reverend".
Black Pope
"Black Pope" is an unofficial designation given to the position of Superior General of the Order of the Jesuits. The name follows from his leadership of the largest Catholic, male religious order and from the colour of the plain black cassock worn by members of the Society, including the Superior General.
This may have originated from a past concern (most prominent around the 16th and 17th centuries) among
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
European countries concerning the relative power of the Jesuits within the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, and partly because the Superior General, like the Pope, is elected for life.
Powers
The Superior General is invested with governing power over all the members of the Society, but customarily leads through Provincial superiors under him. Such power follows from the
religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices, and views.
In the Buddhism tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of re ...
that bind members to community life, as in other religious orders.
Succession
Superiors General are elected by the General Congregation of the Society, summoned upon the resignation or death of an incumbent. Superiors General are elected for life and up to recently, as with the Popes, have served life terms. The exceptions being Father
Pedro Arrupe
Pedro Arrupe Gondra, SJ (14 November 1907 – 5 February 1991) was a Spanish Basque priest who served as the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1983. He has been called a second founder of the Society, as he led the Jesui ...
(resigned for reasons of failing health) and both his successors, Father
Peter Hans Kolvenbach
Peter Hans Kolvenbach (30 November 1928 – 26 November 2016) was a Dutch Jesuit priest and professor who was the 29th superior general of the Society of Jesus, the largest male Catholic religious order.
Early years
Kolvenbach's childhood was ...
and Father
Adolfo Nicolás
Adolfo Nicolás Pachón (29 April 193620 May 2020) was a Spanish Jesuit priest of the Catholic Church. He was the 30th Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 2008 to 2016. Before being elected Superior General, he worked primarily in Jap ...
. On 2 October 2016, General Congregation 36 convened in Rome, convoked by Superior General Nicolás, and it elected Father
Arturo Sosa
Arturo Marcelino Sosa Abascal (born 12 November 1948) is a Venezuelan Catholic priest who serves as the 31st and present superior general of the Society of Jesus. He was elected Superior General by the Society's 36th General Congregation on ...
as the thirty-first Superior General.
List of Superiors General
Until the 21st century, it was customary for Superiors General to rule for life. Where they left office before death, the date of death is listed below the date they left office. (Pedro Arrupe resigned in 1983 after a paralyzing stroke.)
Leadership during suppression
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/St._Francis_Borgia_Helping_a_Dying_Impenitent_by_Goya.jpg)
In 1773, the Jesuits were
suppressed by
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV ( la, Clemens XIV; it, Clemente XIV; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in Sep ...
, through the
Papal brief
A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull.
History
The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...
''
Dominus ac Redemptor
''Dominus ac Redemptor'' (''Lord and Redeemer'') is the papal brief promulgated on 21 July 1773 by which Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society of Jesus. The Society was restored in 1814 by Pius VII.
Background
The Jesuits had been expelled ...
'' on 21 July 1773, executed 16 August. The leaders of the order, in the nations where the Papal suppression order was not enforced, were known as temporary Vicars General.
The temporary Vicars General were:
*
Stanislaus Czerniewicz (17 October 1782 – 21 October 1785)
*
Gabriel Lenkiewicz
Gabriel Lenkiewicz, actually Gabriel Lenkiewicz-Ipohorski, Kotwicz coat of arms, (15 March 1722, Polotsk – 21 November 1798, Polotsk) was a Polish-Lithuanian Jesuit priest, and ''Temporary Vicar General'' of the Society of Jesus from 1785 until 1 ...
(8 October 1785 – 21 October 1798)
*
Franciszek Kareu
Franciszek Kareu (10 December 1731, Orsza – 11 August 1802, Polotsk) was a Polish-British Jesuit priest, missionary and teacher in the region of modern day Belarus. He was elected Temporary Vicar General of the Society of Jesus in Russia from 1 ...
(12 February 1799 – 7 March 1801)
On 7 March 1801,
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...
issued the brief ''Catholicae fidei'', giving approval to the existence of the Society in Russia and allowing the Society there to elect a Superior General for Russia. This was the first step to the Society's eventual restoration.
The Superiors General in Russia were:
*
Franciszek Kareu
Franciszek Kareu (10 December 1731, Orsza – 11 August 1802, Polotsk) was a Polish-British Jesuit priest, missionary and teacher in the region of modern day Belarus. He was elected Temporary Vicar General of the Society of Jesus in Russia from 1 ...
(7 March 1801 – 11 August 1802)
*
Gabriel Gruber
Gabriel Gruber, Society of Jesus, S.J. (May 6, 1740 – April 7, 1805) was the second Superior General of the Society of Jesus#Notes, Superior General of the Society of Jesus in Russia.
Early years and education
Gabriel Gruber, born in Vienna, b ...
(22 October 1802 – 6 April 1805)
*
Tadeusz Brzozowski (14 September 1805 – 7 August 1814)
The order was restored on 7 August 1814, by
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...
, through the
papal bull ''
Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum
''Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum'' (''The care of all Churches'') was a papal bull issued in 1814 by Pope Pius VII, reestablishing the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) after its suppression by the 1773 bull issued by Clement XIV, ''Dominus ac Redempto ...
''.
See also
*
Admonitor (Jesuits)
In the Society of Jesus, an Admonitor is an advisor to the Superior General whose responsibility it is to warn (or admonish) the General honestly and confidentially about "what in him he thinks would be for the greater service and glory of God" ...
Notes
References
External links
The Goa Jesuit Province of the Society of JesusNew York Jesuit Province History Page on the Suppression{{Jesuits
Society of Jesus, Superior General of the