By Matters India Reporter
Rome, March 30, 2023: An Indian will now handle the funds of the worldwide Society of Jesus, the second largest Catholic religious congregation for men after the Salesians.
Jesuit superior general Father Arturo Sosa on March 28 announced the name of Father Sebastian J Jeerakassery, a former head of the congregation’s Delhi province. He will assume office from April 1, according to the Jesuits’ global website.
Father Jeerakassery will succeed American Jesuit Father Thomas J. McClain, who has held the post for the past 12 years.
Father Jeerakassery’s -“skills in economic and financial matters and his ability to promote teamwork – evident in his integration into the intercultural environment of the General Curia – are all elements that prepare him for this new mission… I am grateful for his generosity and availability in accepting this service to the universal Society,” the general wrote.
The general also said the purpose of a job entrusted to a member such as provincial, treasurer or superior is apostolic, although its nature is administrative.
“It is in the context of their apostolic purposes that these responsibilities find their meaning. The daily mundane administrative works of a treasurer ensure the smooth functioning of the various apostolic works of the Society. Thus, the works associated with the general treasurer’s office are of themselves apostolic in nature,” Father Sosa explained.
Father Jeerakassery is popularly known as Jeera. He was born on March 15, 1970, at Cherupuzha in the Kannur district of the southern Indian state of Kerala.
He entered the Society in 1989 and completed his initial formation in Patna. He studied philosophy and mathematics in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, and theology from the Regional Theology Centers in Patna. In 2004, he was ordained a priest, and he pronounced his final vows in 2010.
After his ordination, he served as the provincial treasurer of the Delhi province during 2005-2012. During that time he served several pastoral activities such as the responsibility of a parish for two years. In 2012 he became the director of the Loyola Vocational Institute in Delhi and in 2016 he was appointed the Delhi provincial.
In 2020, the superior general called him to become a member of the treasurer’s team at the General Curia in Rome, where he served as an assistant to the general treasurer.
As many as 14,195 Jesuits serve 64 provinces, three independent regions and 10 dependent regions across the world.
The Society of Jesus was founded by Saint Ignatius Loyola in 1540.
The Society of Don Bosco, also called Salesians and founded in 1869, have 14,476 members in the world.
Congratulations fr ji
It’s very heartening to note that Father Sebastian J Jeerakassery has been entrusted with the onerous task to handle the funds of the worldwide Society of Jesus. He must be the first Indian to be elevated to this “Apostolic” responsibility. At the same time this job will be a tough one, especially to ensure Transparency, in line with Pope Francis’ thinking.