Many Jesuits....To This Day Speak Of Him Warily

Good Jesuit, Bad Jesuit ^ | March 18, 2013 | Joseph Fromm

[Alex Murphy]

In a 2005 profile of Cardinal Bergoglio, Jose Maria Poirier, editor of the Argentinean Catholic magazine Criterio, wrote, “He exercised his authority as Jesuit provincial with an iron fist, calmly demanding strict obedience and clamping down on critical voices. Many Jesuits complained that he considered himself the sole interpreter of St Ignatius of Loyola, and to this day speak of him warily.”

[Alex Murphy]

....Jose Maria Poirier, editor of the Argentinean Catholic magazine Criterio, wrote

“He exercised his authority as Jesuit provincial with an iron fist, calmly demanding strict obedience and clamping down on critical voices. Many Jesuits complained that he considered himself the sole nterpreter of St Ignatius of Loyola, and to this day speak of him warily.”

FWIW, I found the article courtesy of Matthew Archbold's Creative Minority Reader.

[conserv8]

Did they run from him like the young men and children fled from Job?

[Slyfox]

People who speak “warily” of an authentic Jesuit, tells me everything I need to know about them.

[robowombat]

As a Protestant he sounds like a strict ‘chain of command’ sort of fellow. This is what I thought the Roman Church was all about and one of its major institutional strengths. It is led by what is called The Hierarchy not the Vox Populi. So the clerico-leftists are in a twitter at the thought that an adult who believes in hands on management is now in charge.

[Cyman]

Sounds like any and every Jesuit that I ever met.

[mnehring]

This is good to know. I’ve seen many complaining about his Jesuit connection. If you’ve made enemies, it means you stood for something.

[ArrogantBustard]

Well ...

As a Catholic, I wouldn't quite have put it exactly that way ... but you're on the right track.

The fact that anti-Catholics both 'inside' and outside the Church are all freaking out over +Francis is highly suggestive that he was the right choice.

[RobbyS]

Liberation theology made great inroads among the Jesuits, and you can see the consequence of a division in the order by looking at how secular the jesuit colleges have become. Francis has stayed true to the old charism, while many Jesuits have become modernists. John Paul II sought to reform the order, but failed. Francis is aware of this. He was downgraded for about ten years until he was made an auxiliary bishop by John Paul II. in 1992. It will be interesting to see what his relationship with the Society of Jesus develops.

[Melian]

Well, since many Jesuits are rather worldly free-thinkers, I find this encouraging. The Holy Spirit sent us someone who will demand obedience, as Christ did, to the ideals of love, sacrifice, and simplicity.