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Arrupe was a Basque, much as his own great hero, Inigo de Loyola, known to us and to history as Ignatius of Loyola. In 1927 after medical studies Fr. Arrupe joined the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. At the time of the Spanish civil war and by order of the Republican government of Spain, all Jesuits were sent into exile. Accordingly, he pursued his philosophical and theological studies in Belgium and the Netherlands. He was ordained a priest in 1936 and sent off for doctoral studies in medical ethics in the United States, from where he was unexpectedly sent as a missionary to Japan in 1939.

He was appointed Jesuit superior and the master of novices in Japan in 1942, so he had the responsibility for helping those who asked to join the Jesuits come to settle in the order. He was living in suburban Hiroshima when the atomic bomb fell in August of 1945. He described that event as "a permanent experience outside of history, engraved on my memory." He utilized his medical skills in the service of the wounded and the dying; transforming the novitiate house into a makeshift hospital for over 200 of the injured. He eventually was appointed the provincial superior of the Jesuits in the Japanese province.

At the 31st General Congregation of the Society of Jesus in 1965, he was elected to be the order's 28th Superior General. He served in that position from 1965 to 1981, when he had a stroke on board a plane returning from the Philippines. He died in 1991.

A web search under Arrupe’s name will show the kind of areas which were of interest to him and for which he is remembered – there are funds for social justice, educational leadership programmes, Colleges of study in philosophy, theology and the humanities, support for refugees, - all manner of ethical development projects and many others.”

It was he who coined the phrase, “men and women for others.” Since Arrupe’s initial speech, the phrase continues to be adapted to new contexts “men and women for and with others.”

Adapted from a speech given by Fr Paul Hamill SJ to Arrupe students at St. Aloysius’ College, Glasgow. Photo from The Society of Jesus.

Prayer for the Canonization of Pedro Arrupe 

Heavenly Father, You gave us Pedro Arrupe to preside over the Society which St. Ignatius chose to be named after your Son.

You blessed him with a boundless optimism founded on deep faith and complete trust in your divine Providence.

For him your Son, Jesus, was everything. Through his intercession grant us the favour we ask ...

Above all grant us the grace of surrendering ourselves fully into your hands in ·sickness as well as in health,

in joy as well as in adversity, in success. as well as in failure. Make us always persons for others.

Place us with your Son, Jesus, so that under His standard we may work for the establishment of justice and peace in the world.

We make this prayer through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be ...

Prayer composed by Francis Braganza SJ, former assistant to Fr Arrupe and Bishop Emeritus of Baroda