Claudio Acquaviva
Superior General of the Society of Jesus |
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Claudio Acquaviva, SJ (14 September 1543 – 31 January 1615) was an Italian
Early life and family
Claudio Acquaviva was born in
After initial studies of humanities (Latin, Greek and Hebrew) and Mathematics, he studied Jurisprudence in Perugia.
He had heard of the Society of Jesus through his friendship with
His nephew, the Jesuit missionary and martyr Rodolfo Acquaviva (1550-1583) was inspired to join the Society of Jesus at the age of seventeen by the example of Claudio who was twenty-five when he joined the year before in 1567.
General Congregation IV
Upon the death of
Achievements as General
In his first letter On the happy increase of the Society (25 July 1581), he treats of the necessary qualifications for superiors, and points out that government should be directed not by the maxims of human wisdom but by those of supernatural prudence. He successfully quelled a revolt among the Spanish Jesuits, which was supported by
During his period as General, the already worldwide Jesuit Missions grew in India and Japan and were established in China, under
The Ratio Studiorum
To him is due the promulgation of the
Fortiter in re, suaviter in modo
Acquaviva wrote in Industriae ad curandos animae morbos (Curing the illnesses of the soul, §2, 4) about interacting with others that one should not compromise in substance (i.e., the Christian faith), but should present the matter in a gentle way, i.e., fortiter in re, suaviter in modo. This phrase, meaning "resolute in execution, gentle in manner" or "vigorous in deed, gentle in manner" has since become a famous phrase that is also used as the motto of several organizations.
Death and legacy
Claudio Acquaviva died at Rome in 1615, leaving the Society nearly tripled in size and numbering 13,000 members in 550 houses and 15 provinces. The subsequent influence exercised by the Jesuits, in their golden age, was largely due to the far-seeing policy of Acquaviva, who is regarded as one of the greatest Superiors General to have governed the Society.[2]
References
- ^ Malachi Martin, The Jesuits (1988), p. 203
- ^ a b c d e f g One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aquaviva, Claudio". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 239–240.
- Claudio Acquaviva Industriae ad curandos animae morbos Florence, 1600: Googlebooks [1]
- Bertran-Quara, M. (1984). La pedagogia de los jesuitas en la 'Ratio Studiorum. Caracas.
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