Sharing the Experience of the Congregation
David Schultenover, S.J.
January 20, 2008

The Thanksgiving

Fr. Don Doll, S.J. took the photos
in this reflection.
magis.creighton.edu/

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Dave Schultenover, S.J. is a delegate to the Congregation from the Wisconsin Province, in the US Assistancy.

He is a Consultor to the Provincial of the Wisconsin Province and a professor of historical theology at Marquette University.

He is the editor in chief of THEOLOGICAL STUDIES, A Jesuit Sponsored Journal of Theology.

 

It’s the morning after, and the choice of Adolfo Nicolás as the 30th general of the Society of Jesus seems confirmed by another day of bright sun.

The Formula of the Congregation specifies that immediately following the election, the new general to pronounce the requisite oaths of office and receive the reverence of the electors and members of the curia’s community. Then “all go to the church to thank God.”

This ceremony of thanksgiving began in the curia’s Chapel of St. Francis Borgia with a musical setting of Ad majorem Dei gloriam [For the Greater Glory of God]

Father General then introduced the prayer service in Italian:

Blessed be the Lord at all times!

We all responded:

His praise be always on our lips! (From Ps. 34:2)

There followed musical settings of the “Glory be to the Father . . .” and Pss. 150 and 116 with an Alleluia responsorial.

After a period of silent prayer, one of the electors led us in a litany of the saints of the Society.

Father General then prayed in the name of the whole Society that, through the intercession of Mary our Mother and Queen and of Saint Ignatius and all our saints and blesseds, God bless “this least Society, which you have deigned to call to your service, and have invited into the world under the banner of the cross to inflame the hearts of men and women with the fire of the gospel. Grant, O most merciful Lord, that always united with you in prayer and in every deed, we might love and serve you in all things and eternally praise your faithfulness.”

We then all sang the Salve Regina. [A hymn to Mary: Hail, Holy Queen]

Father General gave a final blessing, and one of the electors assistants dismissed us with

“In the name of the Lord, go in peace.”

To which we replied,

“Thanks be to God.”

As a recessional, we began singing (appropriately in Spanish) “En todo amar y servir.” [In all things, to love and to serve.]

But as Father General processed down the center aisle, we all broke into vigorous and sustained applause.

David G. Schultenover, S.J.
Rome, 20 January 2008

David G. Schultenover, S.J.
Residenza San Pietro Canisio
Via dei Penitenzieri 20 – 1
00193 Rome
ITALY

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