New Jesuit general

New Jesuit general
New Jesuit general meets with Pontiff

Rome, Jan. 28, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Father Adolfo Nicolas, the newly elected superior general of the Society of Jesus, met with Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) in a private audience on Saturday, January 26.

Jesuit officials released a statement after the meeting saying that the conversation between Father Nicolas and the Pope had been "warm and friendly." The Vatican issued no official statement about the meeting, other than a brief mention that it had taken place.

The Jesuits' statement indicated that Father Nicolas had used the meeting as an opportunity to "reaffirm his personal respect for the Vicar of Christ as well as the esteem of the whole Society of Jesus." The new superior general, following a Jesuit tradition, renewed his vows in the Pope's presence.

According to the statement from Jesuit superiors, Pope Benedict said that he was pleased to know that the general congregation of the order, which continues its meeting in Rome this week, will reflect on the message that the Pontiff sent to the participants as the general congregation began. In that message the Holy Father urged the general congregation to "reaffirm, in the spirit of St. Ignatius, its own total adhesion to Catholic doctrine, in particular on those neuralgic points which today are strongly attacked by secular culture."