Pedro Arrupe

Pedro Arrupe’s Way of the Cross
Way of the cross to the world automatically reflects the pain, suffering, persecutions and tortures. It reflects the situation that takes away life through punishments, insults, agony and humiliation. It also reveals the psychological suffering due to insults, criticism and shamefulness. Way of the cross can be said a way of suffering and death and thus it was hated, disliked and considered as the most shameful thing by people.
When the term ‘Way of the cross’ is used our minds are always directed towards the ‘Way of the cross’ that Jesus Christ, when living on this earth, went through. Though this way of the cross was a kind of humiliation to those saw Jesus undergone his way of the cross. Yet Jesus gave a new meaning to it that suffering does not end with death but there is Resurrection. Jesus tells us that through pains, sufferings, and difficulties and so on. we are drive to seek support and trust from some one. Way of the cross also helps us to search for God and to be in constant union with Him. Way of the cross can also be experienced by many people according to their own context. But the one thing that should be kept in mind is that way of the cross is not the end of life but it is a part of our journey on this world before we permanently bid farewell to this beautiful earth.
Pedro Arrurpe’s way of the cross becomes vivid and more intense when he became the superior general of the Society of Jesus. A cheerful, talented and a committed Jesuit began to suffer and made the way of the cross on this earth because of the changes made in the II Vatican council about the way of going about in the church and the challenges that he suffered from his own companions in the society of Jesus . The six stations of Arrupe were dark station and situation. The beginning of every station was a time of suffering for Arrupe but later he managed to get some hope and consolation almost in all the stations. The different stations of Arrupe’s way of the cross are:

First station: Rebellion and suspicion.
Fifteen months after Arrupe’s election as general the first station of his way of the cross started. As the II Vatican council made many changes in its way of going about, it urges religious organization to take steps and implement the new changes made. Arrupe after much discernment took steps to change the way of proceedings in the society and this was opposed by some, like the Spanish Jesuits, and they wanted to split from the group and formed a new group called “Faithful Jesuits”. This group began to go against Arrupe and against Jesuit charity by reporting negative things about Arrupe’s way of going about to the secretariat of state and to other church dignitaries. This creates a rebellious and suspicious spirit to other people who have very little knowledge about the society. Even his confidential information came to light from his own companions. All these were done to create pain, anxiety and fear in Arrupe’s life.
In spite of the objection, rebellion and suspicion from his own companions and church dignitaries he did not lack perseverance. He continued to trust his companions. He tried his best to keep the society united.

Second Station: An order to stop and a scolding.
It was enacted at the 32 General congregations. More than two thirds of the congregation voted in favor of the discussion on the grades and the vows. Many of the Jesuits were aware that this would hinder the approval of the Holy See. When the congregation voted and discussed about the issue, the Holy See, Paul VI, came to know and summoned Arrupe and blamed him for not preventing from the discussion. He even scolded Arrupe and considered as disobedience besides ordering Arrupe to make the congregation stop discussing about these issues. This encounter with the Pope as a sacrificial lamb for the society of Jesus made Arrupe go through bitter hours as he was accused of being disobedient and rebellion to the order of the Holy See.
Discernment came to his aid. Arrupe did not break himself down by these accusations instead he took them in a very positive way and he thanked the Holy See for the article for he said that it had ‘Shed light on the general’s dark night.’ To be obedient is a very difficult thing specially when people are in high positions or place. It requires great humility to obey. Arrupe as a general of the Society of Jesus, as a black pope, must have suffered extremely by the accusations and by the words of the pope and bishops.

Third Station: Resignation Rejected.
The decree 4 of the GC 32 that speaks about “The service of faith and the promotion of justice” caused a great disagreement in the society and even in the Vatican. The society faced criticism from every side and this urged Arrupe to set questions to himself about his resignation as a general though he was only seventy three years of age and enjoyed good health. When Arrupe wanted to have a general audience with the pope, to discuss about the desire to convoke a GC and to receive the general’s resignation, he was not given the opportunity. When he was given the opportunity the holy father Pope John Paul II, asked to give him time so that he could reflect about the issue, but the time for reflection was very long as the Holy See did not take interest. This prolongs decision of the pope paralysis the society and caused anxiety to the general Arrupe. While the pope made his reflection Arrupe also made profound reflection about his decision to resign as general of the society of Jesus. His resignation was later rejected and he had to go through tough and even tougher sufferings in his life.

Forth Station: Two Strokes.
On august 7,1981on arrival at Fiumicino airport from a trip to the Far East Arrupe suffered a cerebral thrombosis and instead of taking him to curia they rushed him to Salvator Mundi hospital. On October 6 when cardinal Casaroli visited him Fr. O’Keefe found that Fr Arrupe had received a second stroke. This attack had made him tenser. Arrupe tried his best not to show his feeling of impatience, he accepted and suffered silently.
The convocation of the GC on 8th December 1982 and the acceptance of Arupe’s resignation gave him much joy despite the two strokes that he received.
The two strokes did not make Arrupe to be tired of life. He tried his best to learn how to write with his left hand. This truly reveals the unending desire of learning and determination that this dynamic leader had.

Fift Station: Incommunication and loneliness
Sickness made Arrupe difficult to express himself. He could walk in the corridors but with the help of Bro. Raphael Bandera. Though Arrupe was unable to communicate, express or even walk, yet he received number of visitors and greeted them with great enthusiasm and this truly reveal that how Arrupe was young at heart and love people. Even at this difficult hour of his life. The community where he was tried their best to make Arrupe happy through reading, books of his choosing and provide whatever necessary. But as time passed Arrupe could not stop to feel lonely . He stopped taking a walk in the corridor or listened to the reading, he does not attend the community mass any more but celebrated Mass in his own room. It was only the motherly care and fatherly advice of Bro Rafael that gave him little consolation. A man who was used in giving command, advice and full of zest and zeal has to depend on others and has to allow whatever others decide.

Sixth Station: An eleven day agony.
He was struck by coma on 25 January 1991. Arrupe was in agony and this agony did not last only for a day but it went on for eleven days. He had frequent attacks of curious kind of epilepsy besides the effect of a cerebral thrombosis which momentarily isolating hid respiratory centre in the brain from the rest of the breathing system. This eleven day attack made him look like a dying man and he had received the prayer of the Ritual twice. He breathes his last breath at 7.45 pm on February 5, 1991 and ended his sojourn on this earth. Thus the way of the cross of Pedro Arrupe ended.
The way of the cross of Pedro Arrupe was one with physical violence like that of Jesus but it was more of a psychological on except the strokes. He was persecuted by his own people for whom he tirelessly give himself, they were the one who criticized by his own fellow Jesuit. The Psychological suffering or the way of the cross of Arrupe was a very painful and discouraging for him. But till the end he never loses hope because of the strength he received from the Eucharistic Lord.


Bibliography:
Ignacio Echaniz SJ, Passion and Glory, Volume IV, Gujarat Sahitya Prakash Publicaion,2000.