Pope Benedict asks Jesuits to reflect deeply on their vow of obedience to him

There is a fascinating story carried by CNA and by many Catholic news outlets. The story concerns Pope Benedict XVI addressing the Jesuits about their vow of obedience to the Pope. Here is part of what he said:

"In the attempt to build bridges of understanding and dialogue with those who do not belong to the Church or who have difficulty in accepting its positions and messages, you must loyally take charge of the Church's fundamental right to remain faithful to its mandate and adhere completely to the Word of God as well as to the Magisterium's charge of conserving the truth and unity of Catholic doctrine in its entirety." [emphasis mine]

Pope Benedict said that this fidelity to the Church's doctrine is "a particularly sensitive point" for many Jesuits, especially theologians and those involved in inter-religious dialogue. "Precisely for this reason I have invited you [here] and I invite you to reflect on how to find the fullest sense of your 'fourth vow' of obedience to the successor of Peter that is so characteristic of you, it implies not only the readiness to be sent in mission to far away lands, but also– in the most genuine Ignatian spirit of 'sensing with the Church and in the Church' – to ‘love and serve’ the Vicar of Christ on earth with that ‘affective and effective’ devotion which must make of you valuable and irreplaceable cooperators in his service to the Universal Church." [emphasis mine]

Read more of the address here.