Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Jesuits

                                              

The Strange Case of Pedro Arrupe, SJ

We have seen how the Jesuits, having been selected by Our Lord Himself to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, and after having dedicated themselves to this work with great success for almost three hundred years, have in recent decades largely dropped this mission, though without explanation (see here , here, and here).

A great shift in the mission of the Society of Jesus took place during the Generalship of Pedro Arrupe, (elected Superior General in 1965; resigned 1983).   For leading this re-direction of the Society, Arrupe is considered by many to be the "second founder" of the Jesuits.  In 1975, at the 32nd General Congregation of the Society, the decree establishing the Society's new focus, called "Our Mission Today: The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice" was issued.  According to this decree, the promotion of justice in the world was henceforth to be the central focus of the Society.  Needless to say, the decree "Our Mission Today" does not mention devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

The decree claims that "in one form or another, [the promotion of justice in the world] has always been the mission of the Society."  To support this claim, the decree makes a general citation to the Formula of the Institute of the Society of Jesus (approved by Pope Julius III and inserted in the Bull Exposcit Debitum, July 21, 1550).  The Formula is the fundamental charter of the Society, to which all subsequent organizational documents must conform.  The citation is vague deliberately, because there is no specific support for the claim in the Formula.  Here is a sample of the Formula so that you may judge the extent to which "promotion of justice in the world" is part of the Society's mission as stated in its fundamental charter:

"Whoever desires to serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the Cross in our Society, which we desire to be designated by the Name of Jesus, and to serve the Lord alone and the Church, his spouse, under the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth, should, after a solemn vow of perpetual chastity, poverty and obedience, keep what follows in mind. He is a member of a Society founded chiefly for this purpose: to strive especially for the defence and propagation of the faith and for the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine, by means of public preaching, lectures and any other ministration whatsoever of the Word of God, and further by means of retreats, the education of children and unlettered persons in Christianity, and the spiritual consolation of Christ's faithful through hearing confessions and administering the other sacraments. Moreover, he should show himself ready to reconcile the estranged, compassionately assist and serve those who are in prisons or hospitals, and indeed, to perform any other works of charity, according to what will seem expedient for the glory of God and the common good."

However, Pedro Arrupe had not forgotten about the Sacred Heart.  In 1981, he reminded his fellow Jesuits of this devotion, spoke of his personal devotion to the Sacred Heart, and pleaded with the Society not to abandon it.  Arrupe stated he had "always been convinced that what we call ‘Devotion to the Sacred Heart’ is a symbolic expression of the very basis of the Ignatian spirit," and stated further that devotion to the Sacred Heart is "one of the deepest sources of vitality for [his] interior life."  Nevertheless, Arrupe admitted that as General he had spoken and written little about it.  The reason for this reluctance, Arrupe said, was the knowledge that "[i]n recent years the very expression ‘Sacred Heart’ has constantly aroused, from some quarters, emotional, almost allergic reactions."  So, the "second founder" of the Society, the General who shifted the mission and focus of the Society, appreciated the great value of devotion to the Sacred Heart.  However, he didn't mention it because it got an "allergic reaction" from "some quarters."

Later that same year, Pedro Arrupe suffered a stroke.  For two years, the Society was governed by Blessed Pope John Paul II's personal delegate.  In 1983, Pope John Paul II accepted Fr. Arrupe's resignation as General.  Of the 28 Superior Generals of the Society, Arrupe was the first to resign his office.