Jesuit Provincial of South Asia Fr George Pattery interview.

‘Challenge is to take forward the thrust Pope is giving to Church’     Sakal Times
- CAMIL PARKHE Sunday, 22 June 2014 - 02:17 PM IST
Tags: Father George Pattery, Jnana Deep Vidyapeeth , Jesuits, Camil parkhe

Father George Pattery, acting president of the Pune-based Jnana Deep Vidyapeeth (JDV), has been appointed the Jesuit Provincial of South Asia. Earlier, he had taught at Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan in West Bengal  for 10 years and later  served as head of Kolkata Jesuit province. Fr Pattery spoke to Camil Parkhe about  his new role.

What are the responsibilities of the Jesuit Provincial of South Asia?

There are nearly 4,000 Jesuits working in 20 Jesuit provinces in this region. There are more than  100 high schools and colleges, besides many centres of social concerns.  Jesuits, the members of Society of Jesus, are mostly engaged in education at the school and graduate levels. Social involvement, especially with tribals and dalits is one of the major thrusts; so also dialogue with religions and cultures. My role  is to support these Jesuit missions in education, social involvement and spiritual animation. I will have to strengthen the common works of these provinces, especially in social involvement and formation of our men. Besides I will have to network with the international Jesuits community, especially with our headquarters in Rome.

What will be your priorities?

My priorities will be  to strengthen the three faculties of the Pune-based  JDV, Vidyajyothi  in Delhi and Satyanilayam in Chennai in their philosophical and theological studies;  to respond to the socio-political issues in South Asia and to train our men for the challenges of our mission of 'being men for others'.

What are the challenges you perceive in the present circumstances?

My challenges are to take forward the thrust that Pope Francis is giving to the church and to make visible the gospel values of compassion and gentleness, to respond to the growing religious and cultural fundamentalism and violence and to care for the poor and to receive their gift of generosity.  The patrimony that we have inherited from  our founder  St Ignatius of Loyola is  the spiritual tool of being 'contemplative in action'; it is one of the riches that we share with men and women of all religions and cultures.