Jesuits Elect New Superior General

Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., was elected superior general of the Society of Jesus on Saturday, Jan. 19 in Rome. As leader of the Jesuits, Father Nicolas will succeed Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., who is stepping down at the age of 79.

A European with extensive experience in East Asia and a mastery of five languages, Father Nicolas’ distinguished career has prepared him for his new position as an international religious leader.
“Father Nicolas believes that the West has a lot to learn from the East about spirituality and its effect on human living,” said John J. Cecero, S.J., Fordham psychology professor and rector of the Jesuit community at Spellman Hall. Father Cecero’s research focuses on the relationship of spirituality to mental health.

“I’m enthusiastic about his generalate because I believe he will continue to focus Jesuits and our colleagues on listening to the East, especially voices that emphasize Eastern spirituality, justice and a commitment to the faith across the entire spectrum of cultures.”

Father Nicolas was born in Palencia, Spain in 1936. He earned a degree in philosophy in his native country and made the decision to enter the novitiate to become a Jesuit. He went on to study theology in Japan, where he was ordained in 1967.

After completing a master’s degree at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Father Nicolas returned to Asia, where he held several positions. In the 1970s, he served as a professor at Sophia University in Tokyo; was the director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila from the late 1970s to the early 1980s; held leadership posts in the order in Japan in the 1990s; and was moderator of the Jesuit Conference for Eastern Asia and Oceania from 2004 to 2007.

Sociology Professor Appointed to Stamp Selection Committee

Clara E. Rodríguez, Ph.D., has been appointed to serve on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, which recommends subjects to appear on U.S. postage stamps. Photo by Chris Taggart

Clara E. Rodríguez, Ph.D., professor of sociology and former dean of Fordham’s College of Liberal Studies, has been appointed by Postmaster General John E. Potter to serve on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, which recommends subjects to appear on U.S. postage stamps.

“I consider it a great honor to serve on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee,” Rodriguez said. “The USPS has such a long and storied history and plays such an important role in the lives of all Americans. To be a part of that history, and to help select the images that reflect the vitality and diversity of this amazing and constantly changing nation, is a major responsibility, and one I embrace with great enthusiasm.”

The postal service receives about 50,000 letters regarding the stamp program each year, but only 20 to 25 subjects are commemorated on postage annually. The 15-member committee is responsible for choosing new subjects for stamps, reviewing their designs and approving final products on behalf of the postmaster general.

Committee members serve three-year terms and reflect a wide range of educational, artistic, historical and professional expertise. Current members include Michael Heyman, chancellor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley; Henry Louis Gates Jr., Ph.D., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University; and Joan Mondale, the former vice president’s wife.

Rodríguez, author of 10 books, most recently co-authored The Culture and Commerce of Publishing in the 21st Century (Stanford University Press, 2007), which won a National Jesuit Book Award last year. The October 2007 issue of Hispanic Business named her one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics.”

Roughly 95 Fordham faculty and staff members enjoyed delicious food and good cheer at the annual Winter Wonderland luncheon organized by the Fordham University Association (FUA). The event was held Jan. 15 in the McGinley Center Ballroom on the Rose Hill campus.

At the post-luncheon raffle, FUA president Ann Gannon handed out prizes that included tickets to Broadway and the New York Philharmonic. Pictured are Patrick Ryan, S.J., vice president of university mission and ministry, and Cherry Danielson, Ph.D., director of assessment.

—Gina Vergel

Photo by Bruce Gilbert