Jesuits elect new Superior General

Father Adolfo Nicolás was elected Superior General of the Society of Jesus on Saturday 19 January in a solemn ceremony following four days of prayer and conversation by the 217 electors who came to Rome from all over the world.

Fr Nicolás, 71, is a member of the Jesuit Province of Japan.  He has been President of the Jesuit Conference of South East Asia and Oceania since August 2004.

Born in Palencia, Spain, Fr Nicolás came to Japan as a missionary in 1964.  He followed theology studies and taught at Sophia University in Tokyo.  He was later Director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila, Philippines, as well as working for a period in South Korea.  He served as Provincial of the Japanese Jesuit Province, and spent some years living and working with migrant communities on the outskirts of Tokyo.

During the last Jesuit General Congregation in 1995, Fr Nicolás was elected as the Congregation's secretary.


Find out more about what goes on at the General Congregation here:

 The Jesuit Curia's pages on GC35

 Creighton University's pages on GC35

 Tom Rochford SJ's blog on GC35