Delivering the inaugural lecture, Father Abraham, Director XIM told the students how all the three great men – St.Ignatius, St.Francis Xavier and Blessed Peter Faber, having different ideologies, different personalities came together to establish the Jesuit Society to serve mankind.
Talking about the founders of the Jesuit Society, Father Abraham described St.Ignatius of Loyola as a great visionary whose exemplary leadership made his men respond generously. St.Xavier displayed entrepreneurial dynamism traveling from Portugal to India in just 13 months. While he was a great academician and scientist, Blessed Peter was a preacher and deep thinker. These legends and their story still inspire us to doggedly work to achieve our goals in life and to face all hardships without fear or hesitation and to never give up in spite of failures. Over the years, since the establishment of the Society in 1534, Jesuits have given invaluable contributions to the world as explorers, scientists, mathematicians, linguists, healers.
Today there are over 20000 Jesuits working for the betterment of the society in over 112 countries spread over 6 continents. And they are continuing with their mission in varied spheres of activity including Education and Research, Social Justice, Spirituality, Media & Communication, Arts etc.
The Jesuit Society came to India in about 1542 when Francis Xavier reached Goa from Mozambique. Presently there are 4000 Jesuits carrying forward the flame of Jesuit society in India.
Father Abraham informed the students that the Jesuit Society is the first religious order of the Catholic Church to undertake the task of providing formal education to the underprivileged. Jesuit society runs over 2000 educational institutes including schools, colleges & technical institutions in the world. In India, the Society runs 35 colleges , 10 management schools and around 12 research centers ; most prominent being :St. Xavier’s College – Kolkata & Mumbai, XLRI Jamshedpur, Loyola School, Chennai, XIM Bhubaneswar, St. Xavier’s School Jaipur,
The students of the institute performed a classical dance, sung carols, and played a skit on the life of the three great men to make the programme more absorbing.
Giving the vote of thanks Father Augustine of XIM told the students that a great leader is one “who is called to serve and not the one to be served”. He urged that it is our duty “to take place at the site of the poor” and help them. He reiterated that members of the Jesuit Society were agents who served the world especially the people living on the margins of society.