Head of Jesuits resigns but Pope tells him to eta

By a special correspondent
Pope John Paul has refused to accept the proffered resignation of Fr Pedro Arrupe as superior general of the Jesuits on the grounds that it would damage the Church and the Society of Jesus,
Fr Arrupe, who is approaching 73, had told him that he wanted to step down "for reasons of advancing age and its consequences". It would have been the first time that a Jesuit superior general had resigned in the Society's 439 year history.
However, the Pope asked him to suspend the resignation process "in view of the good of the Church and of the Society of Jesus."
Although the Jesuit leader accepted the decision, he clearly wants to pursue the matter at a later date. Reliable sources in Rome say he is pushing for another meeting with the Pope but no date has been announced.
The discussions between the two men took place several months ago but details were only made public by the Jesuits last Friday. It is not clear precisely why the Pope asked Er Arrupe to stay on for the time being but the contents of the announcement flatly contradicted rumours which have been circulating in Rome recently. These were to the effect that Fr Arrupe had reluctuntls agreed to resign at the direct request of the Pope.
The most likely explanation is that the Pope does not want a major change within the Order at this stage of his pontificate.
The Jesuits are the Church's largest (27,000 strong) and most intellectually-prestigious order: they run scores of universities, Vatican radio and other institutions. They are considered pacesetters for the Church us a whole. Moreover Fr Arrupe is not only superior-general of the Jesuits but president of the union of all superiors of male religious orders.
It is true that the Order has been the target for several papal reproofs over the last few years: Last September Pope John Paul alluded to "the confusion and concern" which some members were causing to Church leaders. Pope Paul had also made similar remarks and Pope John Paul I was planning to deliver a critical address which he had prepared before his death.
In October Fr Arrupe wrote a letter to all Jesuits in which he said that "a call from three popes leaves little room for doubt that it is the Lord himself, who, surely with love but also with insistence expects something better of us. We cannot wait any longer."
The present Pope's main criticisms are that too many Jesuits have adopted an oversecular lifestyle which damages their spirituality and that some have been over-influenced by Marxist ideas legitimising class warfare and violence. However, he has also appointed Jesuits to key sees such as Milan and Strasbourg.
In the past the head of the Order was elected for life. But at their 31st general congregation (1965-66), the Jesuits changed their rules to state that the "father general may in good conscience and by law resign from his office for a grave reason that would render him permanently incapable of the labours Of his post."
The newer rules require the superior general to consult with his general assistants concerning such a decision and then to submit it to a secret vote by the general assistants and the provincial superiors around the world. if the majority of voters agree in the secret balloting, the superior general is to call a general congregation. His resignation from office "does not take effect until it has been accepted by the society in a general congregation," the rules say.
The effect of the Pope's action has been to postpone the implementation of this process. However, names of a possible successor are already being floated. The most likely seems to be Fr Jean-Yves Calves, a Frenchman who is currently one of Fr Arrupe's assistants.