The Director of the Social Justice and Ecology Department of the Society of Jesus, Fr Francisco “Patxi” Alvarez SJ, graced Xavier University on Jan 16-19. While at XU, Fr Patxi visited Xavier Ecoville, the XU-led resettlement site in Brgy Lumbia for Sendong survivors, and met with unit heads of the Research & Social Outreach, and Mission & Ministry clusters of the university.

Fr Patxi also shared to students, faculty and administrators some relevant Ignatian characteristics for justice promotion. These are gratitude, friends of the poor, magis, interior knowledge and friends in the Lord.

“Justice promotion is the task of all Jesuit Institutions,” Fr Patxi said.

Just like Ignatius, he urged that we should see reality “from the perspective of the poor and for the poor,” and to “behave out of love.” He emphasized that magis doesn’t speak of competition but of giving our best.

However, he cautioned that there will always be resistance and tension. The challenge is for us to take a critical view of reality to be able to understand what is really needed.

“The world looks very different depending on where you are,” he said.

He added that the promotion of justices requires communal discernment. It involves prayer, commitment and communication.