New Delhi, September 26, 2019: The head of the Jesuits in South Asia has called for a new South Asian Association of Regional Corporation that encourages greater economic exchanges and more sociopolitical harmony.

South Asia like rest of the world currently witnesses “an upsurge of the right-wing, with a lethal combination of nationalism and religion, the ongoing weakening of democratic processes and the apathy of the youth for social concerns,” says Father George Pattery, president of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia.

He was addressing the opening session of a two-day program to celebrate the 50 years of Jesuit commitment to social justice and reconciliation.

Around 220 Jesuit social activists and their collaborators are attending the September 26-27 program at Navjeevan Renewal Center in Old Delhi.

The Jesuits in Social Action and the Vidyajyoti College of Theology, joint organizers of the program, terms it as convention to “walk with the poor, the outcastes of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice.”

Pattery, who heads the largest Jesuit group in the world, challenged his men to celebrate the golden jubilee of their commitment “in order to get challenged by the poor, to walk with the migrants and to seek the Lord anew as the youth of today are looking for. Let that be our take away from these celebrations.”

Given below is the text of his speech:

Dear Friends,

Thanks for gathering in large numbers for this celebration of Fifty Years of our commitment to a ‘faith that does justice’ through Social Apostolate. For the Society and for South Asian Assistancy, the social concerns and involvement ‘through SJES, gave an identity and thrust that boosted the rank and file of the Jesuits and that helped the church to be present in critical areas.

Propelled by Liberation theology, the social apostolate engaged social concerns and gave credible witness to justice. The Central American University in San Salvador analyzed and formulated social concerns that challenged powers that were. Ignacio Ellacuria and companions articulated that commitment through their martyrdom. I remember receiving the news of their martyrdom in Bellarmino Jesuit community in Rome – the international community of 95 Jesuits went into a silent mode for the next two days. There was passion, energy and commitment all over the Society built around those courageous Jesuits and their social concerns.

Back in the Assistancy, our involvement with fisherfolk struggle, with the Dalits and adivasis, the martyrdom of AT Thomas, the vibrant discussions and engagements in our formation centres of Pune, Chennai and Delhi, the social engagements in Regional Theology Centres – were milestones that we want to recall and celebrate. We should also recall the memories of our collaborators like Sr. Valsa, Gauri Lankesh and others. Jesuit activist Stan Samy in his eighties is being hounded by the authorities on treason charges for fighting with adivasis for their rights.

The socio-political dynamics in the world changed since then. The near total monopoly of consumerist economy, the demise of the so called socialist/communist bloc, and the spread of digital world have caused a major shift in the sociopolitical map.

Across the world there is an upsurge of the right-wing, with a lethal combination of nationalism and religion, the ongoing weakening of democratic processes and the apathy of the youth for social concerns. “And the young man went away sad because he was a man of riches’- the world seems to have been numbed into sadness of the plenty of the rich!”

South Asia is no exception. Majoritarian religious nationalism, the near-total compliance of the media to the desires of the ruling Govt, the populist methods over-ridding true democratic processes and the mob rule with the silent condoning by the Govts mark our situation today. While Sri Lanka is struggling with the terrorist threats, Bangladesh and Pakistan are on thin democratic threads, Afghanistan remain uncertain about its future. We, Jesuits of South Asia have to begin to dream of a South Asia, cradle of many religions and cultures, to grow into a credible socio-political entity to bring in fresh thinking. As Fr. Arthuro Sosa said to us: “I want South Asian Jesuits to be players in international relations and peace initiative in S.Asia.”

The Jubilee celebration provide us with an opportunity to dream together for South Asia. How can we be players in promoting and forging greater collaboration and support among SAARC countries? How can we join hands among the nation-states in SA to encourage greater trade relations so as to foster greater economic growth to eradicate poverty? How can we instill the spirit of social concerns among our scholastics and the youth? Lok Manch (LM) has given us a credible way of collaborating and networking. How can we consolidate and further the dynamics at work in LM? How can we bring forth the agency of the poor to envisage a new social order? How can we promote a reconciling pedagogy in this increasingly polarizing and hate mongering situation? St. Joseph’ college Bangalore, XLRI, Jamshedpur and LIPI Kochi have initiated peace studies and international relations: they are signs of hope.

Pope Francis has initiated reforms in the church inviting us to smell the sheep and to open the doors of the church so that Jesus might go out into the streets. In Laudato si he has clearly stated that the social issues and ecological concerns are one and the same crisis. He has critiqued the dominant model of development that is built on unceasing consumerism causing more and more depletion of the earth.

The Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) is our response to the call of Laudato si and approved by Pope Francis. Walking with the poor and caring for the common home, we search and serve God with young people ever on the move and ever ready to serve. The UAPs call for a new outlook, a different way of being a Jesuit today. It is to seek the Lord anew serving our common home and caring for the poor and the marginalized. The young people today are looking for a different way of being human. We need to ask new questions about and to God of religions. We need to interrogate religions of their agenda, of their ideology? We need to articulate new quest for a God who is not appropriated and manipulated by established religions and corporate lobbies. We need to formulate our social concerns that are integral, concerning the whole person – eco-religious-social being.

We are celebrating 150 years of Gandhi’s birth. Along with historian Judith Brown (TOI, 24 Sept 2019; author ‘Gandhi the Prisoner of Hope) let us ask FOUR questions that Gandhi asked himself and of all of us. These questions and answers seem to be most relevant today. I) What is religion? For Gandhi religion was not clearly packed and labeled set of beliefs and practices, neither was it a communal or semi-tribal identity. It was pilgrimage in search of truth, a lifelong searching for God as truth rather than for a divinity which could be described in any simpler way. 2) What is the nature of political identity (nation)? As far as Indian nation was concerned, Gandhi envisaged it as being made up of many of these small-scale communities. India was not to be defined by language, or creed or even place of birth and heritage. But India as living entity, with its ancient and multi-complex civilization. 3) How do we conduct in the practice of politics? Gandhi recognized that disagreements and conflict are inevitable in human society. How to manage conflicts is the crucial question. His answer (forged over many years in S. Africa and India) was the multidimensional practice of nonviolence or satyagraha. Conversion rather than coercion was his remedy for conflict. 4) How should one live in this world? In the wake of globality and increasing consumption, this question becomes urgent. Gandhi is said to have uttered the powerful aphorism that ‘there is enough in the world for every man’s need but not for every man’s greed.” Use the resources as trusteeship for the wider good.

Let us ‘celebrate’ in order to get challenged by the poor, to walk with the migrants and to seek the Lord anew as the youth of today are looking for. Let that be our take away from these celebrations.

We recall the credible engagements and sacrifices that our predecessors and our collaborators offered in the past. We draw strength from them for the present. We dream for the future – dream of a new SAARC in South Asia, that collaborate with all nation-states of South Asia for greater economic exchanges and more socio-political harmony.

As the motto of our Jubilee indicates ‘Justice and Reconciliation’ is our goal. There are layers of reconciliation that we need to unearth, especially in South Asia, new ways of non-violent communication and conflict resolution. We search for a new paradigm of reconciliation for South Asia. May this jubilee celebrations propel us on this new path of reconciliation.

George Pattery, sj
POSA [Provincial of South Asia]