Peter Jan Beckx

As Provincial of Austria, Beckx attended the General Congregation of June 1853, called to elect a successor to Jan Roothaan who had died in March. On 2 July, at the first ballot, Peter Jan Beckx was elected (27 votes out of 51) Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Four Assistants were also elected. The Congregation also expressed concern at the renewed attacks made against the Jesuits, and advised prudence and tact in defending the Society against its detractors.

The suppression of the Society made for difficult years for the Jesuits. They were expelled from Russia in 1820, Spain (in 1854 and 1858), from Naples-Sicily (1859), from Germany (1872), from France and French colonies (1880), and even from Rome itself, in 1873, during which time Beckx shifted his headquarters to Fiesole, near Florence, where the 'Curia Generalizia' remained till 1895.

Beckx wrote a good 15 letters to his Jesuit companions helping them keeping the spirit alive in the face of often vicious attacks. They are striking by their serenity and openness, in spite of the calamities they were facing, especially the letter of 1871 written to the whole Society after several French Jesuits (among whom was Pierre Olivaint) were executed during the Paris Commune of 1870. Considering the 'changing times' he was quite open to new apostolic activities. He modernized the Ratio Studiorum, giving more room to science subjects in Jesuit education and encouraging the discussion of modern Philosophers (Kant). While "religious freedom" could be promoted (with prudence ...), questioning the temporal power of the Church was taboo.

On 1 January 1872, Beckx consecrated the Society to the Heart of Jesus: love for, and spiritual union with, the person of Jesus is central to Jesuit life and activities.

New missions were begun in different parts of the world, promoted indirectly too by a growing oversee emigration of people from Europe: Cuba (1853), Colombia (1858), Philippines (1859), Madagascar (1861), Mangalore in India (1878), Armenia (1881), Australia (1882), etc. Intellectual work was encouraged too. Several journals were started: La Civiltà Cattolica (Italy, 1850), The Month (London, 1864), Etudes (Paris, 1865), Stimmen aus Maria Laach (Germany, 1865) and others in Ireland, Poland and Belgium.

During his generalship Ultramontanism largely prevailed upon the Liberal wing of Catholicism. The journal La Civiltà Cattolica, very close to the Holy See (certain articles, it was said, were directly inspired by Pope Pius IX) was particularly engaged in the struggle: defense of the Papal States (from 1859), defense of the Syllabus of errors (1864), defense of the supremacy of the Pope (1870).

During the thirty years that Beckx led the Jesuits, their membership doubled and a large number of new provinces were established in Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Missouri (USA), etc. His tenure was marked by an increased focus on missions in Protestant countries.

By 1883, he was 88 years old, having spent 30 years in various offices. Infirm, on his own accord he called a General Congregation in order that a 'Vicar General with rights of succession' be chosen to serve under him. General Congregation XXIII met in 1883, in Rome, and on 24 September Anton Anderledy, a Swiss Jesuit priest, was elected. Beckx, though remaining in title the 'Superior General' in effect abdicated his charge entirely. He died four years later, aged 92.