Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, expresses deep sorrow and profound gratitude for the life of Pope Francis—Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a fellow Jesuit and servant of the Church. He reflects on the Pope’s spiritual leadership, his commitment to prayer and discernment, and his embodiment of the joy of the Gospel.

In his message, Fr Sosa highlights key themes of Pope Francis’s pontificate, including his focus on synodality, his prophetic voice in Laudato Si’ and Fratelli tutti, and his care for the poor, displaced, and suffering. He recalls Pope Francis’s call for Jesuits to be “servants of the joy of the Gospel” and to live lives marked by humility, simplicity, and availability for mission.

He includes a moment that speaks deeply to the Jesuit identity, recalling words Pope Francis shared with the Society:

“As if answering an implicit question about who a Jesuit is, Pope Francis addressed the Congregation and affirmed that the Jesuit is a servant of the joy of the Gospel in whatever mission he is engaging. From this joy flows our obedience to God's will, our being sent to the service of the Church's mission and our apostolates together with our availability for the service of the poor. It is this joy that must characterise our way of proceeding so that it be ecclesial, inculturated, poor, focussed on service, free from all worldly ambition.”

The Society of Jesus stands united in mourning but also in thanksgiving for the profound impact Pope Francis has had on the Church, the world, and the lives of Jesuits everywhere.

We invite you to watch the full message from Fr Arturo Sosa SJ in the video below or read it in full here.