‘Challenge is to take forward the thrust Pope is giving to Church’ Sakal Times
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- CAMIL PARKHE
Sunday, 22 June 2014 - 02:17 PM IST
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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.
