In the Fifth Century

Into the Fifth Century

To the world headquarters of the Society of Jesus, adjoining the Vatican, went all the Jesuits in Rome one afternoon last week. While they watched, the seal on an envelope was broken and a paper bearing the name of 71-year-old Alessio Ambrogio Magni, Italian Assistant to the Father General since 1916, was drawn out. Thus, a religious order that never stops fighting got a new leader.

Father Magni had been chosen by the late leader (or "Black Pope") Father Wlodimir Ledochowski, who died last week (TIME, Dec. 21). He will serve as vicar general until after the war, when the 150 Jesuit fathers superior in all parts of the globe can meet to elect a new general. In selecting an old man for the interim Father Ledochowski followed good Jesuit tactics in uncertain times. Had he picked a younger candidate, the vicar general might have had time to entrench himself before the election could be held. By picking a man whose age will disqualify him for the permanent leadership when the war is over, shrewd Father Ledochowski gave his order a free hand to elect then the kind of vicar general who can most efficiently handle the Jesuits' particular post-war problems.*

Father Ledochowski's successors must go far to surpass him. In the 27 years of his rule the number of Jesuits rose from 17,000 to 27,000, passed for the first time the high mark before the Jesuit suppression of 1773. Wiry, keen-eyed Father Ledochowski started missions among the Eastern Orthodox, fought attacks on his order in Spain, Germany, Mexico and elsewhere. Despite threats from Germany and Italy, a Jesuit on his staff regularly disclosed Nazi atrocities in Europe over the Vatican radio.

Under Father Ledochowski, the Society in 1940 celebrated its 400th year. Now it faces the troubles of its fifth century.

* The Vatican--to whose service the Jesuits are specially dedicated--also anticipates material as well as spiritual contingencies, has just moved one step nearer self-sufficiency by building a grist mill behind its walls. It has had its own stocks of wheat and bread grains for some time, will grind only for the residents of 109-acre Vatican City.

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