What follows is a summary of Decree 7, one of 26 Decrees dealing with the Mission of the Society Jesus today issued by the 34th General Congregation [GC34] of the Society of Jesus. The congregation met in Rome in the first three months of 1995. Its work affects the immediate future of Jesuits worldwide.
GC 34 desires "to depict the role of the brother in a way that is more in accord with present reality," yet consistent with Decree Two of GC 32.
"The Jesuit brother is a man who has accepted the call of the Father to be a companion of Jesus.' By his vows he consecrates his life freely to help the mission common to the apostolic, religious, and priestly body of the Society ... "
When Ignatius and his companions discerned how they were to live their vocation, their experience was "already linked to the exercise of priestly ministry." But the required mobility to live out the vocation led Ignatius to accept into the Society a diversity of priests and brothers to "share the same vocation and contribute to the one mission." All members are graced with the call to follow Jesus poor and humble.
Ignatius considered grades as different ways of incorporation without implying differences of perfection or merit. Diversity ought not to be an obstacle to the union of hearts and minds. A vocation to religious life is distinct from a vocation to priesthood. "The first and most important contribution of a brother is the gift of his own self, offered freely in service to the Lord." The brother offers a prophetic witness to society.
The brother's vocation is to be "sent" "to labor strenuously in giving aid towards the salvation and perfection of the souls of others." Brothers share in and contribute to the one apostolic vocation through the personal call of the Spirit. They can function in any mission proper to the Society. "Brothers are intimately involved in every apostolic task of the Society through which this mission is carried out." There is a rich history of brother saints and blessed in which this is borne out.
GC 34 encourages the Society to continue moving in the integration and participation of brothers in the life and apostolic mission of the Society set forth in GC 31. Some resistance is still evident, however. The sharing in all aspects of community life by all members will help to build up communities of shared responsibility in our common following of Jesus. The term "temporal coadjutor" is no longer common and thus, in official texts, only the terms "brother" or "Jesuit brother" should be used. An office (secretariat) is requested of the General to appoint a priest or brother (counselor) to have charge of all matters related to brothers.
"Those admitted to be brothers must be men of faith, committed to service, sufficiently mature, suited to life in community, and capable of being integrated into the body and mission of the Society."
It may be helpful to admit candidates to the grade of Indifferent to help them better discern their vocation. Those responsible for their formation should help them focus on their deepest desires and an appreciation for their vocation.
Well-structured formation programs are to be established for brothers in order to prepare them adequately for life, service, and social integration within the Society. Ordinarily, brothers live the novitiate in common with scholastics and receive a common formation. Interprovincial assistance is recommended. Brothers must have the opportunity to learn a foreign language. Brothers are encouraged to attend programs of ongoing formation in spiritual and psychological renewal and in pastoral and professional development.
Our law is changed to achieve more effectively the integration and participation of brothers in the common vocation and mission of the Society. In addition to items already mentioned, passages in the Examen and the Constitutions that refer to tertianship only for scholastics must be modified; communities of priests, brothers and scholastics are encouraged to promote fraternal union; passive voice for election as electors in a general congregation is granted; limitation on the number of brothers taking part in a provincial congregation is abolished.
Synopses of Other Decrees which are available.
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