“As human beings we are being called to protect the poor, to protect nature, and to speak truth to power,” says, Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ, shown here during a brief visit to Toronto in June, 2024. Photo: Tess Sison/CJI
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ, former Secretary of the Secretariat for Social Justice and Ecology (SJES) at the Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome, recently sat down for a brief interview with Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) in Toronto. An Indian Jesuit from the Province of Calcutta, Fr Jeyaraj served at the SJES for six-and-a half years.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
Authoritarianism is on the rise around the world, according to the UN; the non-profit Freedom House has noted that democracy is under threat because global freedom has declined in the last 16 consecutive years. What is the Society of Jesus’ view on this?
In every province there is this effort to understand what Moisés Naim speaks about in his book, The Revenge of Power, as the three Ps: populism, popularism and post-truth. In the curia, we had five days of intense discernment on what we as Jesuits need to do to transform this decline of democracy that’s taking place. All of us read the book, the Father General, the counsellors, the presidents of Jesuit conferences and the secretaries, and then we discussed it. I know many went back to their conferences and did a similar type of thing. So, what’s the action being done? Research is being done in Jesuit universities; Jesuit social centres are mobilizing the people. There are conversations taking place with social movements and in parishes. There’s a lot happening. It’s a slow but increasing number of efforts to bring this to light.
Has there been a specific Jesuit Conference of provincials that’s directly addressing it or is everyone trying to do a little bit for now?
Every conference is doing this re-reading of what’s happening in their continent. For example, in Latin America, the Association of Universities Entrusted to the Society of Jesus in Latin America has done a serious study on how democracy is in decline [in their continent].
How should the faithful respond?
Jesus speaks about how one who has authority must serve, be a servant leader. That’s what the Church needs to promote. Servant leadership, not authoritarian leadership. If the bishops and the leaders of the church are put on a pedestal and say that they decide and you follow, that cannot go on within the church as well. Synodal church, which the Pope speaks about, that’s the type of church wherein we [listen] to the voices of everybody, whether they are lay people or not people of faith. It is important to listen to the voices of the people. Jesus respected people who were rejected, who were marginalized – like the lepers, prostitutes. He took care of them, ate with them, uplifted them. That’s the church.
In Rome, you once told students and parishes to think about democracy beyond elections. You said it also requires justice and love. What do you mean?
Democracy is people having the power; democracy means a just world. Democracy means respect for one another, love for one another, caring for one another, caring for the environment and vulnerable people. Justice is ingrained in the democratic system. But the sad part today is that one can be elected democratically but become authoritarian. That’s the worst outcome of the democratic process; you are using the system to dominate, which is not just.
What other global challenges should we pay attention to and address?
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index in 2023 showed that 59 countries live under authoritarian regimes, only 24 countries have full democracy, 50 have flawed democracy. Every year the number of countries under authoritarianism is increasing. We are moving into a dangerous zone. When democracy is in shambles you begin to see inequality becoming wider. Climate change is another big challenge, and the victims are the poor.
What is God calling us to do in the world today?
All of us need to be truthful to our vocation. As human beings we are being called to protect the poor, to protect nature, and to speak truth to power. Not just to think of myself, my country. Can I be a prophetic voice even in the wilderness? When the world is hungry for truth, justice and love, can I be a drop of water in the desert?
