Jesuits to elect new 'black pope' in 2008

The superior general of the Jesuits, Dutch Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, has informed members of the Society that he intends to step down in 2008, the year he will turn 80.

Catholic News service reports that in a letter sent on Thursday to all members of the Society of Jesus, Fr Kolvenbach said a general congregation to elect his successor and to discuss other important matters would begin on 5 January 2008, in Rome.

Each of the 91 Jesuit provinces in the world will hold a provincial congregation by 1 March 1 2007, to prepare for the Rome gathering.While the Jesuit superior general is electe d for life, the order's constitutions allow a superior to step down.

Catholic News Service in Rome obtained a copy of Fr Kolvenbach's letter in Italian; each Jesuit provincial is charged with ensuring that every member of the Jesuits receive a copy.

Fr Kolvenbach, who was elected superior in 1983, told the Jesuits that before making his decision he obtained "the consent of His Holiness Benedict XVI" and had listened to the opinions of his assistants at the Jesuit headquarters and of all the provincials.

US Jesuit Fr Frank Case, Rome-based secretary of the Jesuits, told Catholic News Service that Fr Kolvenbach had sought Pope Benedict's opinion and consent in view of his advancing age and the challenges facing the world's almost 21,000 Jesuits.

Speaking to the National Catholic Reporter's John L. Allen, Australian Jesuit Fr Dan Madigan said that Kolvenbach "won the confidence of the Jesuits with his intelligence, wisdom and great experience," while at the same time gaining the trust of the Holy See.

Allen quoted a story told to him by Madigan, which makes the point. Kolvenbach is never seen without his black cassock, and Madigan said that one Jesuit, skeptical of clerical garb, challenged him, asking, "Why do you dress like that?"

Kolvenbach's response, as Madigan tells the story: "I dress like this so you can dress like that." (more ...)