The International Association of Jesuit Universities mourns Rev. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., who died in Tokyo on May 20. He served as the Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 2008 to 2016.
From the beggining of his role as Fr General, he expressed his hope for the contributions of the higher education apostolate to the mission of the church. He invited Jesuit universities to work within networks, calling all of us to have deeper conversations, analysis and reflections.
Testimonials from our Global Community
Nancy Tuchman
Founding Dean, Institute of Environmental Sustainability
Loyola University Chicago, U.S.A.
"... He was a kind, intelligent, just, and compassionate leader who made a very big difference in my life and in my work to advance environmental sustainability within the Jesuit Universities...". Read testimony
Carlos Losada
President, UNIJES
"… uno de los asistentes le pregunto que le diría a un joven que se interesa por entrar en al Compañía de Jesus. La respuesta me sorprendió: más o menos sus palabras fueron que “entre con ganas de grandes proyectos, de ayudar a hacer grandes cambios". Read testimony
John J. DeGioia
President, Georgetown University
"Father Nicolas brought a prophetic humility to the work of strengthening our capacities to foster intercultural and interreligious understanding ... he understood that the distinctive strength the Society of Jesus can contribute are the resources of Ignatian spirituality—resources that can serve as a “bridge in the dialogue”. Read testimony
Susana Di Trolio
Secretaria Ejecutiva, Kircher Network
"Su ejemplo como una persona humilde y entregada a una vida/misión de servicio a la labor de Nuestro Señor siempre me servirá de guía". Read testimony
Philip Geister, SJ
President, Kircher Network
Rector, Newman Institute
"“Depth” was for him an expression of the curiosity and openness of the mind and heart for people and for the truth. That is the depth that he practiced and that gave him truly an in-depth understanding of the reality he encountered". Read testimony
Gabriel M. Pérez Alcalá
Rector, Universidad Loyola Andalucía
"Indudablemente, el Padre Nicolás es, para la Universidad Loyola Andalucía una figura sin la que no podemos entendernos. Personalmente, no puedo olvidar el ánimo y la confianza que me trasmitió, con sus palabras y su sonrisa, en los primeros momentos de nuestro proyecto”. Read testimony
Fernando Fernández Font, SJ
Principal, Instituto Cultural Tampico
Antiguo Rector, Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla
"Lo primero que me viene al corazón al evocar la memoria del P. Nicolás es sentirlo como un hombre de Dios; su mirada traslúcida lo hacía presente. Y con Dios por delante, era fácil que nos contagiara de ese entusiasmo que, por más retos y desafíos que presentara el mundo al que buscaba servir, nos lanzaba a afrontarlos con absoluta confianza". Read testimony
Michael J. Garanzini, SJ
Secretary of Higher Education, Society of Jesus
"If we can get them (Jesuit Universities) to collaborate, he said, they could be our best service to the Church...He was a man of great vision and had an even greater capacity for embracing others and including them in his dreams and his heart". Read testimony
Luis Arriaga SJ
President, AUSJAL
President, ITESO
"He was a visionary missioner, who challenged Jesuits and all the Ignatian global community to go beyond the frontiers of our world, and to delve into our identity and mission"
Fr Adolfo Nicolás, SJ: a man of grace and wisdom
Links of Interest
Read Fr. Sosa's letter to the whole Society.
Visit the website dedicated to Fr. Nicolás: https://nicolas.jesuitgeneral.org/
Pray with a prayer written by Fr. Nicolás