Peter Hans Kolvenbach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Very Reverend Peter Hans Kolvenbach SJ |
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| 29th Superior General of the Society of Jesus | |
Kolvenbach in 1984
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| Enthroned | 13 September 1983 |
| Reign ended | 14 January 2008 |
| Predecessor | Pedro Arrupe |
| Successor | Adolfo Nicolás Pachón |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1961 |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Peter Hans Kolvenbach |
| Born | 30 September 1928 Druten, Netherlands |
| Died | 26 November 2016 (aged 88) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Buried | Collège Notre Dame de Jamhour, Beirut |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Occupation | Jesuit professor, linguist |
| Education | Canisius College, Nijmegen |
| Alma mater | Université de Saint-Joseph, Beirut |
Peter Hans Kolvenbach (born 1928, died 2016) was a Dutch priest and professor. He was the 29th leader of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. The Jesuits are the largest group of Catholic priests and brothers in the world.
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Early Life and Education
Peter Hans Kolvenbach was born and grew up in Druten, a town in the Netherlands. He went to Canisius College, Nijmegen for his high school studies. There, he focused on learning many different languages.
In 1948, at age 20, he joined the Jesuits. After studying philosophy, he moved to Lebanon. In Beirut, he earned his advanced degree in theology. On June 29, 1961, he became a priest in the Armenian Catholic Church. This is a special part of the Catholic Church that follows Eastern traditions.
A Career in Languages
After becoming a priest, Kolvenbach spent many years teaching. From 1964 to 1976, he taught about languages in cities like The Hague, Paris, and Beirut. He became a professor of general linguistics and Armenian at Université Saint-Joseph in Beirut. He worked there until 1981.
During his time as a professor, he also served as a leader for the Jesuits in the Middle East.
Leading the Jesuits
In 1981, the previous leader of the Jesuits, Father Pedro Arrupe, became very ill. He wanted to step down from his role. However, Pope John Paul II decided to appoint someone else to lead the order for a short time.
Two years later, in 1983, the Jesuits were allowed to choose their new leader. They met and elected Father Kolvenbach to be the 29th Superior General of the Society of Jesus. This is a very important position, like being the worldwide head of the Jesuit order.
Building Trust and Support
When Kolvenbach became leader, some people thought the Jesuits were too focused on social justice and church reform. They believed this made the Jesuits seem to disagree with Pope John Paul II.
However, Kolvenbach worked hard to build trust with the Pope and the Vatican. He managed to do this without making the more open-minded Jesuits feel left out. He was known for supporting Jesuits who faced challenges.
Kolvenbach traveled a lot, visiting Jesuits in 112 different countries. He was known for remembering many Jesuits and their work. He also believed it was important for regular people, not just priests, to feel like equal partners in Jesuit activities. He said that the church of the future would be called the "church of the laity," meaning the church of everyday people. He saw this as a great hope for the future.
Retirement and Passing
On February 2, 2006, Kolvenbach announced that he planned to step down in 2008. He would be 80 years old then. The leader of the Jesuits is usually chosen for life. Kolvenbach was only the second leader in history to resign from this role.
The Jesuits met again in Rome in January 2008. They accepted Kolvenbach's resignation and chose Adolfo Nicolás as the new leader.
Peter Hans Kolvenbach passed away in Beirut on November 26, 2016. He is buried near Beirut at Collège Notre Dame de Jamhour.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Hans Kolvenbach para niños
