For the Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr. Arturo Sosa, SJ, this restoration has great significance. Namely for the new generations of Jesuits, who have the mission of carrying forward the charism of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Newsroom (06/12/2021 14:34, Gaudium Press) The foundational manuscripts of the Society of Jesus, signed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, have been restored. The body of work consists of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, his spiritual diary, and the book of the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus.
The present Superior General of the Jesuits, Father Arturo Sosa, SJ, and the restorer, Doctor Melania Zanetti, presented the completely restored documents during a solemn ceremony held at the General Curia of the Society of Jesus, in Rome.
This importance of the restoration
According to Fr. Sosa, this restoration is crucial, especially for the new generations of Jesuits, who have the mission of carrying forward the charism of St. Ignatius of Loyola. He believes that the initiative is an invitation to renew the passion for the charism received from the Holy Spirit by the hands of the founder. For those who have embraced Ignatian spirituality, it is also an opportunity to delve into the history and meaning of these manuscripts, now restored.
Dr. Melania Zanetti also spoke during the ceremony. She thanked for the honour and the trust in her work and recounted the many challenges found during the restoration of the documents. The works are almost five centuries old.
A charism that took Christianity to the five continents
It is essential to note that these documents record in writing the core of a charism that brought Christianity to the five continents. These teachings have inspired the lives of countless Jesuit saints and martyrs, other men and women religious, and even laypeople during the nearly five centuries of its existence.
The precious manuscripts, now restored, will be carefully preserved in the Archives of the General Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome, together with many other documents of relevant historical importance, such as the letters of missionaries like St. Francis Xavier and St. Joseph of Anchieta. (EPC)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
