Today, I visited Arrupe House almost by accident. The international residence set up by the Jesuits on the Ateneo grounds hosts many of my classmates who happen to come from outside the Philippines, and two or three who come from here. I was with a former classmate who now happens to be teaching at the Theology Department after spending her “regency” at an office a few floors down from where I am now.
The occasion was the birth centennial of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, the Jesuit superior who defined the contemporary course Jesuits have taken. While a few course corrections have been made, especially by the more conservative elements within the Catholic Church, the Jesuits have made it clear that they stand for what, in short, is a “faith that does justice.”
If it were not for Pedro Arrupe’s vision, and his willingness to make bold choices, I would not be where I am now. If only the Philippine Anglicans had some of that spirit.
