The worldwide Jesuits are meeting – their 36th Convocation

Good article by the excellent journalist, John Allen.

ROME- Beginning October 2 and running until needed, the Society of Jesus is holding its 36th General Congregation. That means that for the foreseeable future, 215 delegates of the leading men’s religious order of the Catholic Church are gathered in Rome not only to appoint a new leader, but also to determine the path the Jesuits will take in the near future. … there are 16,740 Jesuits scattered across the four corners of the earth, including about 12,000 priests, 1,300 brothers, 2,700 scholastics, and 753 novices…

Here's an interesting fact on their worldwide diversity –

Although the list is too long to name them all, three quick facts:

• They come from every continent except Antartica.
• The country with most delegates (49) is India, where there are currently 4,000 Jesuits. With 33 delegates, the U.S. comes second, followed closely by Italy, with 31. Several countries have only one.
• The oldest participant is the outgoing Superior General, Nicolás, and the youngest elector comes from Lebanon, Father Dany Younès.

As Venezuelan Jesuit Father Arturo Sosa says in a video made available by the GC36, “seeing the picture of the Congregation is enough to realize [its] immense cultural diversity,” with people from over 60 countries.

I believe Mother Teresa's personal spiritual advisor was a Jesuit.