The cause for canonization of Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907-91), 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus, reached an important milestone today, November 14, the anniversary of his birth, with the closing of its diocesan phase.

The closing session of the diocesan trial “on the life, virtues, reputation for holiness and signs of the Servant of God, Pedro Arrupe”, took place today at noon in the conciliation room of the Lateran Palace, presided by the designated Cardinal. Baldassare Reina, 53, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome.

Father Arrupe died in Rome on February 5, 1991 and his remains are buried in the Church of the Gesú in Rome. Her canonization process was officially opened in the Diocese of Rome in 2019, and its first session was held here on February 5, 2019, the anniversary of her death. Today, the 99th and final session of this process was held at the same location.

For almost six years, between the first and last sessions, the diocesan tribunal collected 70 oral testimonies in Rome, Spain and Japan from people who knew Father Arrupe, and its historical commission collected and revised nearly 10,000 pages of his unpublished writings, including his correspondence with the Jesuits and others during his tenure governing the order. Theological censors revised The numerous works published by Father Arrupe to ensure that they did not contain anything contrary to “the faith and customs” of the Catholic Church. The commission also consulted published writings to verify attestations of his sainthood.

The court had this collection of oral and written testimonies placed in boxes, all wrapped with red ribbons and sealed with wax and the official seal of the court, as required by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The last of these boxes were sealed today by the notary in the presence of the court and a large audience of more than 150 people, including Arturo Sosa, SJ, the current superior general of the Jesuits.

The postulator of the cause, the Spanish Jesuit Pascual Cebollada, was responsible for bringing all the documentation to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, where the next stage of the process will take place.

After the formal steps of sealing the documents and entrusting them to the postulator, Bishop Reina, in the opening speech, recounted the life of Father Arrupe and praised him as “a model of holiness.”

Bishop Reina declared today “a day of celebration” for all those present. It traces the story of Father Arrupe from his birth in Bilbao through his medical studies, his entry into the Jesuits and his departure as a missionary to Japan in 1938.

He recalled how the Basque Jesuit spent 27 years of his life in the Land of the Rising Sun, during which he witnessed the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima by the United States in 1945 and the terrible consequences of this attack. He described how Father Arrupe had opened “a field hospital” in the Jesuit community, outside the main blast area, to try to treat some survivors. It was an event that forever marked his life.

Father Arrupe’s ministry in Japan ended, the archbishop recalls, when he was elected 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus in May 1965 and had to settle in Rome. There he attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and, as historical records show, he contributed to the deliberations on “The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World” (“La Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World).Gaudium and Spes“). In the years that followed, he helped reform the Society of Jesus in accordance with the teachings of that council.

Under his leadership, the Jesuits took a decisive step to reform society at their 31st General Congregation, in accordance with the Second Vatican Council, by returning to the Ignatian sources of spirituality, particularly the Spiritual Exercises. Bishop Reina also recalled how Father Arrupe led the Jesuits to a deep commitment to the poor and the social apostolate, referring to the 32nd General Congregation of the Jesuits (1974-75), with its fourth decree on “Our mission today: the service of faith.” and the promotion of justice”, and later with the founding of the Jesuit Refugee Service on this day in 1980.

Cardinal-designate Reina highlighted how Father Arrupe, during his tenure as Superior General of the Jesuits, lived out the fourth vow of the order by showing “faithful obedience” to the popes of the time, from Paul VI to John Paul II.

The archbishop emphasized that Father Arrupe’s life has always been centered on Christ and quoted his words: “Take Jesus Christ out of my life and everything will fall apart.”

The cardinal-elect cited the deeply moving words of Father Arrupe to the 33rd General Congregation which elected Peter Hans Kolvenbach, SJ, as his successor. His speech was read aloud to him because a stroke in 1981 had left him paralyzed and unable to speak. At that time, he said to his Jesuit brothers: “More than ever, I now find myself in the hands of God. » The archbishop also recalled Arrupe’s last meeting with John Paul II in 1991.

When the Vicar General of Rome had finished speaking, Father Arturo Sosa stood up to thank him and said: “Your words moved me, they moved me a lot.” He recalled that the Society of Jesus had requested the opening of the cause for canonization of Arrupe “because we, Jesuits, are convinced of the holiness of our 28th Superior General”.

Father Sosa declared that the Jesuits put their general postulator at the service of the cause of Father Arrupe, also referring to the fact that he will have to write the “Positio”, a text which should contain at least one volume, “on the life , virtues, reputation for holiness and signs of the Servant of God, Pedro Arrupe. This text, a requirement of the Dicastery, will then be revised by theologians, bishops and cardinals of the Dicastery. They will submit their verdict, which is expected to be positive, to Pope Francis, who can then declare Father Arrupe “Venerable” for living the Christian life and theological virtues to a heroic degree.

On the eve of today’s event, Pascual Cebollado, SJ, postulator of Father Arrupe’s cause, told Avvenire, the Italian Catholic daily: “The hope is that a few years after the writing of the ‘ Positio’, Don Pedro, as he is lovingly known by some Jesuits, can be declared “venerable.”

Once this is done, the next step will be beatification, but for that to happen it will take a miracle and then a second miracle for his canonization. Father Cebollado also told Avvenire that his office has already received “news of possible miraculous healings, but so far none of them have proven valid to be considered a miracle.” On the other hand, the graces and favors, signs obtained through his intercession, continue to arrive and show (there is) devotion to his person.

At the end of today’s session, Bishop Reina read, with all those present, the prayer for the canonization of Father Arrupe, whom he described as a “model of holiness.”