Vatican City, Apr 24, 2025 / 17:28 pm (CNA).
Father Arturo Sosa, SJ, superior general of the Society of Jesus, reflected on the first Jesuit pope in a press conference on Thursday, saying Francis “did not seek to please everyone” or to measure himself by a popularity index.
“Once he chose to be a disciple of Jesus, his deep motivation in life was to put God’s will into practice,” Sosa said, calling the late pontiff “a man of prayer, who asked for prayers to make decisions according to the will of God.”
During the press conference, held in the Jesuit general curia in Rome, Sosa also answered a question about what qualities are needed in the next pope. “Undoubtedly, we are looking for another man of God,” he said.
“And after that, for me, it is important to have a pope with a universal outlook,” he added, drawing a distinction with what he called an “international outlook.”
The Jesuit superior defended Francis against accusations he caused controversy — like with Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican’s declaration on same-sex blessings — or fell short in some areas by saying he was not the source of problems in the Church but inherited problems that were already there.
“Pope Francis helped put the difference of positions on the table” and provoked dialogue, Sosa said, stressing that the late pope wanted to listen to everyone.
“I don’t think of Pope Francis as a reformer,” Sosa also said. “I think of him as someone who continued the reform that the Church has always carried out.”
About Francis’ record on abuse, Sosa said the pope “always acknowledged his limitations, his mistakes, and his slowness” to respond to cases. “This is not about giving Pope Francis a medal or giving him a grade but about learning about potential criticism and mistakes.”
“With regard to abuse cases, I think the Church is not in the same place when Pope Francis was elected. That’s without a doubt. It hasn’t been a straight line… but the Church has advanced in that direction,” he added.
According to the superior general, Pope Francis’ most urgent legacy for today will be his calls for peace: “I think Pope Francis has shouted in every moment, on every occasion, about peace.”
“The world needs peace and peace is built by us,” Sosa added. “Peace means to put aside any other priority than people and the dignity of people. And peace means justice with the poor. I think the constant prayer and the constant argument about peace by Pope Francis is a very important message for today.”
Pope Francis, who joined the Society of Jesus in 1958, was the first-ever Jesuit to be pope. During his international trips, he would always spend time with local Jesuits in the countries he visited. He also met with Jesuits in Rome during their 36th general congregation on Oct. 24, 2016.
“He established a very fraternal relationship with the Jesuits,” Sosa said on April 24. “We will end this period of Pope Francis thanking the Lord.”
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It’s always better when Jesuits maintain silence. The election of any Jesuit to the See of Peter is always a mistake.
My personal tendency is to think like Sosa, as to this I remarked several times regarding the purpose of Francis’ duality. Was it duplicity, or genuine reevaluation intended by loosening the hawsers? Though not entirely.
It’s the last that superior general fr Sosa infers. If that is the case we certainly appear rudderless and drifting at random. In that I find it inconsistent with Christ, the savior who reached out his hand to steady Christ’s faith in turbulent waters. We must have something irrepressibly strong to hold on to.
We read: “Pope Francis helped put the difference of positions on the table” and provoked dialogue, Sosa said, stressing that the late pope wanted to listen to everyone.”
Over fifty years ago, this naive (?) technique was pioneered in the Archdiocese of Seattle–the posturing of listening and responding to others rather than initiating or imposing anything.
For his style and its outcomes, the diocesan archbishop was tagged not for what he did directly but, more charitably, for what less directly still happened on his watch. After the Visitation (and much else), the public letter of correction read partly as follows, and remarkably is still timely, yes (?), for today now on the worldwide stage:
“(a) The need to bring into clear focus–working together with priests, religious and theologians–certain teachings of the Church and their implications for the pastoral practice of the Archdiocese. These include the role of conscience in making moral decisions; the role of the Magisterium in giving definitive guidance in matters of faith and morals; the nature and mission of the Church, together with its sacramental and hierarchical structure; an anthropology which provides an authentic understanding of the dignity of the human person; and a Christology which correctly reflects our Catholic faith concerning Christ’s divinity, His humanity, His salvific mission, and His inseparable union with the Church.
“(b) In particular, the need to present more clearly the Church’s teaching concerning the permanence and indissolubility of marriage [….]
“(c) Greater vigilance in upholding the Church’s teaching, especially with regard to contraception and homosexuality.”
(d and e) Etc.
The upcoming conclave now has to deal broadly with governance, and particularly with Vatican bankruptcy and the metastasized imposition of der Synodal Weg.