On the 22nd of September, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) hosted an evening of conversation with Fr Bill Bourke, SJ who is one of the pioneers of the mission in Darjeeling. He shared his reflections with some of our donors in the Toronto area, a number of Jesuits and other members of the CJI family.

Fr Bourke, who celebrated 50 years of priesthood this year, was until recently the Socius of the Darjeeling province and is still the director of the Bellarmine Institute of Languages. He spoke about the growth and evolution of the Darjeeling mission, and how that has been a major part of his journey as a Jesuit.

During this very insightful conversation, Fr. Bourke shared anecdotes from his early days in Darjeeling, as well as deeper insight he gained working and living in Darjeeling. According to Fr Bourke, the face of the Society of Jesus is changing in Darjeeling with fewer Canadian Jesuits and more Indian Jesuits coming from all over India. He says this is a testament to the promotion of vocations in India, as there is a growing crop of younger Jesuits coming up to continue the work that the Canadian Jesuits inherited from the Belgian Jesuits who came to Darjeeling before them.

Read more about Fr. Bourke and the work of the Society of Jesus in Darjeeling in the latest edition of the CJI Newsletter.