Jesuits meet this week to choose new leader ... and get a tongue-lashing

Today the Jesuit order's General Congregation began meeting in Rome to, among other things, choose a new lifetime successor to Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, who has led the order since 1983.

CNS News Hub has a helpful break-down of Jesuit statistics here. There are currently almost 20,000 Jesuits around the world. 225 of them are participating in this so-called "black conclave" to elect a new superior general. CNS News Hub also points us to some related Jesuit blogs, podcasts, etc.

Kolvenbach has told L'Osservatore Romano something that isn't really suprising: namely, that the Jesuit order's choice of a new successor will reveal much about where the order is heading (or wants to head).

Most notable so far in the proceedings is the admonition given by Cardinal Rode to the opening assembly of the Jesuit conclave, the full text of his address is available here.

LifeSiteNews finds a very strong rebuke in the Cardinal's message:

The top Vatican official who deals with religious orders, Cardinal Franc Rode, addressed the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) today. Cardinal Rode who was installed by Pope Benedict XVI as Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life spoke repeatedly about his "sorrow and anxiety" at the state of the Jesuit order in terms of infidelity to the teachings of the Church.

Cardinal Rode recalled the founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius and his primary formula for the order: "To serve the Lord and his Spouse the Church under the Roman Pontiff"

"It is with sorrow and anxiety that I see that the sentire cum ecclesia (thinking with the church) of which your founder frequently spoke is diminishing even in some members of religious families," he said.

Zenit takes a more circumspect approach: "Cardinal Rode Exhorts Jesuits to Love Church"

For more information, Rocco has done the legwork and John Allen has piped up as well.

Personally, I haven't heard any rumors about possible front-runners for the position of superior general.

It should come as no surprise, of course, that during the election of a new leader-for-life of the Jesuit order the Cardinal in charge of overseeing religious orders [Rode] should try to remind the Jesuits of their roots.