May 16, 2019 — “If the Preferences are truly to be a dynamic path that can guide us for the next ten years, then beginning the journey patiently and prayerfully is the utmost importance. ” With these words in a letter to superiors that Father General Arturo Sosa invites the Jesuits and their colleagues to take time to develop a state of freedom and disposition as they start to appropriate the new Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP).
Pope Francis also states it very clearly. Before implementing the four Preferences, it is key to reflect on what is essential for them to bear fruit.
This is why the Jesuit Curia in Rome has just published a set of resources entitled: “Praying with the Preferences”, which provides seven documents to enable the reader not only to pray but to enter more deeply into the journey of renewal and conversion offered by the UAP. You can view them here.
The reader is invited to discern his openness towards the UAPs before concentrating on each one of them. The following is explained:
Each guide offers brief selections taken from one section of Fr. General’s letter on the Preferences. These excerpts are meant to be contemplatively read and pondered in conjunction with companion texts from Scripture and our recent congregations. After each selection, questions are provided as aids for personal prayer and communal spiritual conversation. The hope is that these guides can serve as first step to inspire individuals and communities to listen to the Spirit in their local context, and to begin to imagine how they might respond in their own unique way as they embody the preferences in their own lives and communities.
Simple but rich, and available in four languages, these documents are an excellent way to begin the transition towards the UAPs. In addition, the design quality is excellent, which makes for an easier reading experience.