When Peter Faber welcomed Petrus Canisius, a native of the Diocese of Cologne, as the eighth member of the Society of Jesus in 1543, he laid the foundation not only for the saint’s blessed ministry but also for the deep and lasting roots of the Jesuit Order in Germany. Through the founding of numerous colleges and his work as a theological author, educator, and preacher, Canisius left a lasting mark on ecclesial education that extended well beyond his own time.

In his footsteps, Jesuits have continuously played significant roles in both Church and society in Germany. Rupert Mayer and Alfred Delp, for instance, stand as powerful examples of Jesuit resistance during the Nazi era. In the post-war period, German Jesuit theologians such as Karl Rahner and Augustin Bea were instrumental in shaping the major theological developments surrounding the Second Vatican Council.

Today, too, Jesuits continue to make meaningful contributions to the lives of people in Germany – through educational institutions, social service organizations, or church ministries. Since 2021, the Jesuits in Germany have been part of the Central European Province (ECE), which encompasses the regions of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Lithuania, and Latvia. More than half of the Jesuits in this Province live and work in Germany.

After having visited the regions of Austria, Switzerland, and Lithuania in recent years, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus will travel through Germany from October 5 to 12, 2025. “We look forward to the visit of Father General Arturo Sosa and welcome him with great appreciation and openness”, says Provincial Fr Thomas Hollweck.

Father Sosa’s eight-day journey will begin in Frankfurt, continue through Nuremberg and Munich, and conclude in St Blasien in the Black Forest. “His visit offers us the opportunity to present concrete projects and places where Jesuits are actively engaged in Germany”, says Fr Hollweck. He also hopes the visit will broaden the Order’s perspective: “The encounters during this week ­– with young people, leaders in the Church and the society, marginalized individuals, and fellow Jesuits ­– invite us to reflect anew on our mission in light of the needs and challenges of our time. At the same time, this visit reminds us that we are part of a global religious community ­– a community in which Jesuits and laypeople walk together in a shared mission in the name of Jesus.”

Fr Sosa’s visit comes in the centenary year of the canonization of Petrus Canisius by Pope Pius XI in 1925. Then, as now, the Church faces questions about how to meaningfully communicate matters of faith, how it can spread hope, and how it can serve as a dialogue partner for values and spiritual searching. The Order itself also faces challenges – such as how to respond to declining membership in many Provinces and how to professionalize the necessary collaboration with laypeople. The Superior General’s visit is an invitation to confront such questions with courage ­–with the inner compass of the Gospel, the discernment of Ignatian spirituality, and a readiness to live out the mission entrusted to us.