Papal praise for Jesuit Refugee Service
November 17, 2015
Pope Francis praised the work of Jesuit Refugee Service in an audience commemorating the 35th anniversary of its founding by Father Pedro Arrupe, the order’s superior general from 1965 to 1983.
“The profound impact made on [Father Arrupe] by the plight of the South Vietnamese boat people, exposed to pirate attacks and storms in the South China Sea, was what led him to undertake this initiative,” Pope Francis recalled during the audience, which took place on November 14 in the Apostolic Palace.
“Father Arrupe, who had lived through the atomic bomb explosion at Hiroshima, realized the scope of that tragic exodus of refugees,” the Pope continued. “He saw it as a challenge which the Jesuits could not ignore if they were to remain faithful to their vocation..”
Noting that there are now almost 60 million refugees-- the highest number since World War II-- the Pontiff praised Jesuit Refugee Service for its “decision to be present in areas of greatest need, in conflict and post-conflict zones,” as well as for its work of education.
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