Pedro Arrupe facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Servant of God Pedro Arrupe y Gondra SJ
28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus

Enthroned	22 May 1965
Reign ended	3 September 1983 due to a paralyzing stroke
Predecessor	Jean-Baptiste Janssens
Successor	Peter Hans Kolvenbach
Orders
Ordination	30 July 1936
Personal details
Birth name	Pedro Arrupe y Gondra
Born	(1907-11-14)14 November 1907 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Died	5 February 1991(1991-02-05) (aged 83) Rome, Italy
Buried	Church of the Gesù, Rome
Nationality	Spanish
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Alma mater	Complutense University of Madrid
Motto	"Only by being a man or woman for others does one become fully human." & "Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

Pedro Arrupe Gondra (born November 14, 1907 – died February 5, 1991) was a Spanish priest from the Basque Country. He was the 28th leader of the Jesuits, a Catholic religious group, serving from 1965 to 1983. Many people call him a "second founder" of the Society of Jesus. He helped the Jesuits follow the new ideas from the Second Vatican Council. This included focusing on how faith connects to fairness and helping those who are poor.

In 1945, Arrupe was working near Hiroshima, Japan. When the atomic bomb hit, he used his medical training to help the injured.

In 1983, he had a stroke that caused paralysis. This led him to step down from his role. He passed away in 1991. In 2018, the process to declare him a saint began.

Pedro Arrupe's Early Life and Learning
Working in Japan and the Atomic Bomb
Leading the Jesuits Worldwide
Later Years and Passing
- Death and Burial
Becoming a Saint
Places Named After Pedro Arrupe
Gallery
See also

Pedro Arrupe's Early Life and Learning

Pedro Arrupe went to high school in Bilbao, Spain. In 1923, he moved to Madrid to study medicine at the Universidad Complutense. There, he met Severo Ochoa, who later won a Nobel Prize in Medicine. One of his teachers was Juan Negrín, a famous doctor who later became a leader in Spain. Arrupe was a top student in his anatomy class.

In 1926, Arrupe's father died, which made him very sad. That summer, he visited Lourdes, France, a famous religious site, with his four sisters. This trip changed his life. He later said that Lourdes was a "city of miracles" for him. As a medical student, he saw three miraculous cures happen. This deeply impressed him, especially since his professors in Madrid, who didn't believe in miracles, called such things "superstitions." He felt a strong calling to religious life there.

After this experience, Arrupe decided to stop his medical studies. On January 15, 1927, he joined the Society of Jesus.

He could not study to become a priest in Spain because the Jesuits were forced out by the government. So, Arrupe studied in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States. He was ordained a priest in 1936 in Kansas. He then earned a special degree in Medical Ethics.

Working in Japan and the Atomic Bomb

After finishing his studies, Arrupe was sent to Japan as a missionary. His first years there were difficult. People did not seem interested in Christianity.

When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened in Hawaii in 1941, Arrupe was arrested in Japan. He was suspected of being a spy. On Christmas Eve, he thought he was going to be executed. But then, he heard fellow Catholics singing Christmas carols outside his cell. He was so surprised and moved that he cried. His calm and prayerful attitude earned the respect of his jailers, and he was released within a month.

In 1942, Arrupe became a leader for the Jesuits in Japan. He was living near Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped in August 1945. He was one of eight Jesuits who were close to the blast, and all of them survived. A small hill protected their building. Arrupe described the event as "a permanent experience outside of history."

He used his medical skills to help the injured and dying. The Jesuit building became a temporary hospital, caring for 150 to 200 people. Arrupe remembered, "The chapel, half destroyed, was overflowing with the wounded, suffering terribly." In 1958, Arrupe became the first Jesuit leader for all of Japan. He held this role until 1965.

Before becoming the worldwide leader of the Jesuits, Arrupe visited Latin America. He was deeply moved by the strong faith of poor people he met. After one service, a man invited Arrupe to his small home. The man said he was grateful for Arrupe's visit and wanted to share the only gift he had: watching the sunset together. Arrupe later said, "I have met very few hearts that are so kind."

Leading the Jesuits Worldwide

In 1965, Pedro Arrupe was chosen as the 28th Superior General of the Jesuits. He was the second person from the Basque Country to lead the Jesuits, after their founder, Ignatius of Loyola. A close friend of Arrupe called him "a second Ignatius of Loyola."

After the Vatican II meetings (1962–1965), there were new ideas about how Jesuits should live and work. While some religious groups focus on specific tasks, the Jesuits encourage their members to use their talents in many ways. They work as teachers, missionaries, scientists, and more. This is to bring "glory to God in all areas of human effort." Arrupe believed in finding God in everything.

Arrupe warned against using old solutions for new problems. He said, "If we speak a language no longer appropriate to the hearts of people, we speak only to ourselves." He was seen as a "prophet of our time." Other religious leaders chose him five times to be their president.

Helping Others and Working for Fairness

In 1973, Arrupe used the phrase "men for others." This idea has become a main goal for Jesuit schools around the world. They aim to teach students to be "men and women for others."

In 1975, Arrupe's vision of helping the poor became a key part of the Jesuit mission. A document called "Our Mission Today: the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice" was created. It said that their faith in Jesus means they must work for fairness and stand with those who have no voice or power. This meant that all Jesuit work should focus on both the Catholic faith and social justice. Arrupe knew this would be hard, especially in countries with strict governments.

Arrupe clearly stated his views on faith and fairness. He quoted Mahatma Gandhi saying, "I love Christ but I despise Christians because they do not live as Christ lived." Arrupe believed that Christian love means helping those who are suffering. In the 1970s, some religious thinkers in Latin America started to mix their faith with political ideas, especially Marxist ideas. This was called liberation theology. It focused on Christ as a liberator from all kinds of unfairness. Arrupe supported helping the poor but also warned against making political revolution more important than the message of the Gospel.

A Cause Worth Fighting For

In 1977, a dangerous group in El Salvador threatened to kill all 47 Jesuits there. They demanded that the Jesuits stop helping the poor and leave the country. After talking with the Jesuits in El Salvador, Arrupe replied, "They may end up as martyrs, but my priests are not going to leave because they are with the people." Many people, including Jesuits, were killed during this time for helping the poor. Arrupe continued to support and pray for those who risked their lives for change.

Starting the Jesuit Refugee Service

In 1979, Pedro Arrupe was deeply moved by the suffering of the "Vietnamese boat people." He sent messages to Jesuit leaders around the world, asking how they could help refugees. He received many offers of help, including people, medicine, and money.

In 1980, Arrupe started the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) to organize the Jesuits' work with refugees. He said, "Saint Ignatius called us to go anywhere where we are most needed for the greater glory of God. The needs of more than 16 million refugees throughout the world today could scarcely be greater. God is calling us through these helpless people." By 2017, JRS was helping nearly 950,000 people in 47 countries. Over the years, JRS has helped an estimated 40 million refugees.

Later Years and Passing

On August 7, 1981, after a long trip, Arrupe had a stroke when his plane landed in Rome. He became paralyzed on his right side and could only speak a few words. Over time, he lost the ability to speak at all. He lived in the Jesuit infirmary in Rome. He became the first Jesuit leader to ever resign from his position.

Pope John Paul II appointed a special delegate to lead the Jesuits temporarily. Some Jesuits felt this was the Pope interfering too much. However, Arrupe never showed any anger or disagreement. His resignation was accepted in 1983, and Peter Hans Kolvenbach became the new leader.

During his ten years in the infirmary, Arrupe received many visitors, including Pope John Paul II. Arrupe once said something that many believe was key to his life: "Nowadays the world does not need words but lives that cannot be explained except through faith and love for Christ's poor."

Death and Burial

Arrupe passed away at 7:45 PM on February 5, 1991. This was the same date as the 26 Martyrs of Japan. His last words were: "For the present, Amen; for the future, Alleluia."

His funeral was held on February 9 in the Church of the Gesu in Rome. Many people attended, filling the square outside the church. Important religious and government leaders were also there. His body was first buried in a Jesuit tomb but was later moved back to the Church of the Gesù, where it now rests in a side chapel.

Becoming a Saint

On July 11, 2018, the current Jesuit leader, Arturo Sosa, announced that the process to declare Arrupe a saint had begun. A website was created on November 14, 2018, sharing his life story, testimonies, and archives.

Places Named After Pedro Arrupe

Pedro Arrupe memorial at University of San Francisco, California, United States.

Many Jesuit buildings, schools, and programs are named after Pedro Arrupe. Here are some examples:

The Colégio de Pedro Arrupe, a school in Portugal.
The Sports hall at Wimbledon College, London.
The Pedro Arrupe Center for Business Ethics at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia.
A residence hall at the University of San Francisco.
Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, Colorado.
The "Arrupe Division" middle school at Boston College High School.
Arrupe Jesuit University – AJU in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The Pedro Arrupe Academy, a school in the Philippines.
Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago, a two-year college for students who might not otherwise attend college.
A building at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon.
A residence hall at Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore.
The Arrupe Office of Social Formation at the Ateneo de Davao University, Philippines.
A residence hall at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
The Pedro Arrupe Footbridge in Bilbao, Spain, linking the Guggenheim museum to the University of Deusto.
The Pedro Arrupe Human Rights Institute in Bilbao.
Arrupe Etxea, a foundation for Jesuit social and pastoral work in Spain.
The Pedro Arrupe Centre and The Arrupe Building at St. Aloysius' College, Australia.
Arrupe Hall at Sogang University, South Korea.
The Arrupe Global Scholars Program at the Creighton University School of Medicine.