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Father Arturo Sosa Abascal, S.J. Elected New 31st General of the Society of Jesus
After prayerful deliberation, Jesuit delegates at General Congregation 36 have elected Venezuelan Jesuit Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J. to be the 31st General of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Sosa is preceded by Fr. Adolfo Nicolas, S.J. who served the Society as General since 2008.
Father Sosa was born in Caracas, Venezuela on 12 November 1948. Until his election, Father Sosa has been Delegate for Interprovincial Houses of the Society in Rome, as well as serving on the General Council as a Counsellor. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy from l’Università Cattolica Andrés Bello in 1972. He later obtained a doctorate in Political Science from l’Università Centrale del Venezuela, in 1990. He speaks Spanish, Italian, English, and understands French.
In 2008, during General Congregation 35, Father General Adolfo Nicolás appointed Father Arturo Sosa as General Counsellor, based in Venezuela. In 2014, Father Sosa joined the General Curia community and took on the role of Delegate for Interprovincial Roman Houses of the Society of Jesus in Rome, which include: the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Biblical Institute, the Pontifical Oriental Institute, the Vatican Observatory, Civiltà Cattolica, as well as international Jesuit colleges in Rome.
Between 1996 and 2004, Father Sosa was provincial superior of the Jesuits in Venezuela. Before that, he was the province coordinator for the social apostolate, during which time he was also director of Gumilla Social Centre, a centre for research and social action for the Jesuits in Venezuela.
Father Arturo Sosa has dedicated his life to research and teaching. He has held different positions in academia. He has been a professor and member of the Council of the Andrés Bello Catholic Foundation and Rector of the Catholic University of Tachira. He has pursued research and teaching in the field of political science, in various centers and institutions, as the Chair of Contemporary Political Theory and the Department of Social Change in Venezuela at the Faculty of Social Sciences.
While a new General has been elected, there is still work left to do in Rome. Continue following what happens next at General Congregation 36 by liking GC36 on Facebook or by following the official GC 36 website.
The biography of Fr. Arturo Sosa S.J. and media provided here is courtesy of GC36.
Jesuits Gather in Rome to Elect New Superior General at General Congregation 36
October 2nd 2016 marks the opening of General Congregation 36 of the Society of Jesus. GC 36 was convoked by Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Nicolás, SJ, 80, who has announced his intention to resign after serving as the Jesuits' leader since 2008. Among the 200 plus delegates from around the world who will attend the congregation are all nine Jesuit provincials from Canada and the U.S.
For more information about the significance of General Congregations, click here for the official GC 36 website. Follow the conversation throughout GC36 via its official Facebook page.
