Pope to Jesuit Major Superiors: “The Church Needs You at the Frontiers”

October 24, 2025:

Pope Leo XIV has called on the Society of Jesus to continue serving the Church “at the frontiers,” urging the Jesuits to respond boldly to the world’s evolving challenges. Addressing about 100 global Jesuit leaders gathered in Rome for a 10-day meeting, the Pope praised the Society’s enduring presence “where humanity’s needs meet God’s saving love.”

“The Church needs you at the frontiers — whether geographical, cultural, intellectual, or spiritual,” the Holy Father said, encouraging them to remain steadfast amid rapid cultural, economic, and political change.

Father General Arturo Sosa, who led the delegation of Provincials, Regional Superiors, and other key Jesuit leaders, reaffirmed the Society’s readiness to serve the universal mission of the Church. He recalled that in 2019, Pope Francis outlined the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) as the guiding framework for the Jesuit mission for a decade (2019–2029).

Reflecting on the “missionary dimension” of their charism, Fr Sosa highlighted the Jesuits’ unique bond with the Pope, symbolised by their fourth vow of obedience to the Pontiff regarding mission, in addition to vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

In his address, Pope Leo identified several “frontier areas” for the Society’s engagement today. He emphasised the Church’s synodal journey, calling Jesuits to foster deeper listening to the Holy Spirit and one another to make ecclesial structures “more agile, transparent, and responsive to the Gospel.”

The Pope also stressed the importance of “reconciliation and justice” in a world torn by inequalities and conflicts. He urged Jesuits to challenge the “globalisation of powerlessness” and promote a culture of reconciliation grounded in hope and faith.

Another key area the Pope highlighted was artificial intelligence. He invited discernment on how digital platforms can serve evangelisation and community-building while cautioning against the risks of isolation and manipulation in the digital age.

Recalling the four Universal Apostolic Preferences — showing the way to God, walking with the excluded, accompanying young people, and caring for our common home — Pope Leo encouraged the Society to encounter people’s spiritual restlessness in diverse spaces, from retreat houses to social media.

He urged Jesuits to resist “compassion fatigue” in their service to the poor, to engage creatively with young people, and to embrace ecological conversion as a deeply spiritual renewal of one’s relationship with God, others, and creation.

Rooted in prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart, Pope Leo told them, Jesuits would find the courage “to speak truth, to reconcile, to heal, to labour for justice, to set captives free.”

“My hope for the Society of Jesus,” he concluded, “is that you may read the signs of the times with spiritual depth; embrace what promotes human dignity and reject what diminishes it; be agile, creative, discerning, and always in mission.”

Following the papal audience, the Major Superiors continued discussions on “Re-imagining the Structures of Governance,” with presentations from Fr Benedictus Hari Juliawan of Indonesia and Fr Claudio Paul of the General Curia.

Pope to Jesuit Major Superiors: “The Church Needs You at the Frontiers”

Latest News