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 is in India from February 26 to March 12 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.

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.

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