Scottish Catholic Observer

The Society of Jesus has elected a new superior general, Fr Arturo Sosa Abascal.

The Venezuelan priest marks the 30th successor of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, and he becomes leader of the Church’s largest religious order.

The vote, which took place earlier today in Rome, sees him succeed his Spanish predecessor, Fr Adolfo Nicolas, who resigned this month at the age of 80, and sets him apart as the first leader of the Jesuits who is not from Europe as well as the first elected under a Jesuit Pope.

Delegate of the General for the International Houses and Works of the Society of Jesus in Rome, Fr Sosa was born in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela on November 12 1948.

He holds a doctorate degree in political science from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and speaks three languages: Spanish, Italian and English.

The result of the election came after the Society of Jesus held its first general congregation since 2008, with 215 Jesuits from across the world present.

The Society of Jesus is the largest religious order in the world, followed by the Salesians, the Franciscans, the Capuchins and the Benedictines.

They were formed in the 16th century by St Ignatius of Loyola, taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and working actively in the community, as well as giving retreats and promoting social justice and ecumenical dialogue.