Superior general of the Society of Jesus

{{Infobox official post

| post = Superior General

| body = the Society of Jesus

| native_name = {{lang|la|Praepositus Generalis}}

| insignia = Ihs-logo.svg

| insigniasize =

| insigniacaption = Seal of the Society of Jesus

| flag =

| flagsize =

| flagborder =

| flagcaption =

| image = Arturo Sosa in January 2017.jpg

| imagesize =

| alt =

| incumbent = Arturo Sosa

| acting =

| incumbentsince = 14 October 2016

| department =

| style =

| type =

| status =

| abbreviation =

| member_of =

| reports_to =

| residence =

| seat =

| nominator =

| appointer =

| appointer_qualified =

| termlength =

| termlength_qualified =

| constituting_instrument =

| precursor =

| formation = 19 April 1541

| first = Ignatius of Loyola

| last =

| abolished =

| succession =

| unofficial_names =

| deputy =

| salary =

| website =

}}

The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Pope, because of his responsibility for the largest male religious order, in contrast with the white garb of the pope. The thirty-first and current superior general is Fr Arturo Sosa, elected by the 36th General Congregation on 14 October 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2016/10/14/jesuits-elect-first-latin-american-general/|title=Jesuits elect first Latin-American general|date=2016-10-14|work=Crux|access-date=2017-05-30|language=en-US}}

Titles

File:Ignatius Loyola.jpg, first Superior General]]

The formal title in Latin is Praepositus Generalis, which may fairly be rendered as "superior general" or even, "president general". The term is like that of military usage (and Ignatius of Loyola had a military background) which is derived from "general", as opposed to "particular". This usage is consistent with other Catholic religious orders, like the Dominicans' "master general", Franciscans' "minister general", Carthusians' "prior general", and with civil posts such as Postmaster General and Attorney General. The Jesuits are organized into provinces, each with a provincial superior, (usually referred to as the "Father Provincial" or just "Provincial"), with the head of the order being the "general superior", for the whole organization. As a major superior, the Superior General is styled "Very Reverend".

Black Pope

"Black Pope" is an unofficial designation given to the position of Superior General of the Order of the Jesuits.{{cite book | title = A view from Rome: on the eve of the modernist crisis | author = commandprompt6 | page = Back cover | isbn = 0823213595 | publisher = Fordham University Press | year = 1993 }} The name follows from his leadership of the largest Catholic, male religious order{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jesuits|title=Jesuit {{!}} religious order|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2017-05-30|language=en}} and from the colour of the plain black cassock worn by members of the Society, including the Superior General.{{Cite news|date=2008-01-19|title=Spaniard becomes Jesuits' new "black pope"|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-religion-jesuits-idUSL1941405320080119|access-date=2022-01-19}} This may have originated from a past concern (most prominent around the 16th and 17th centuries) among Protestant European countries concerning the relative power of the Jesuits within the Roman Catholic Church, and partly because the Superior General, like the Pope, is elected for life.

File:Pedro Arrupe, S.J., memorial - University of San Francisco - San Francisco, CA - DSC02663.JPG

Powers

The Superior General is invested with governing power over all the members of the Society, but customarily leads through Provincial superiors under him. Such power follows from the religious vows that bind members to community life, as in other religious orders.

Succession

Superiors General are elected by the General Congregation of the Society, summoned upon the resignation or death of an incumbent. Superiors General are elected for life and up to recently, as with the Popes, have served life terms. The exceptions being Father Pedro Arrupe (resigned for reasons of failing health) and both his successors, Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach and Father Adolfo Nicolás. On 2 October 2016, General Congregation 36 convened in Rome, convoked by Superior General Nicolás, and it elected Father Arturo Sosa as the thirty-first Superior General.

List of Superiors General

Until the 21st century, it was customary for Superiors General to rule for life. Where they left office before death, the date of death is listed below the date they left office. (Pedro Arrupe resigned in 1983 after a paralyzing stroke.)

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="background:#cccccc"

! {{Abbr|No.|Number}}

! Superior General

! class="unsortable"|Portrait

! Took office

! Left office
Deceased

! Birthplace{{efn|Lists the present-day name and nationality of the city in question.}}

! Duration (in days)

Superior general of the Society of Jesus

Titles

Black Pope

Powers

Succession

List of Superiors General

Leadership during suppression

See also

Notes

References

External links