Letter of Fr. Locatelli to
Fr. Kolvenbach

                                                             18 December  2007

Dear Father Kolvenbach,

On behalf of the members of the International Committee and all of us who work in Jesuit higher education, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your 25 years of graceful, intelligent, and wise service as Superior General and for your immeasurable contributions to the educational and intellectual apostolates. 

You have modeled for us the importance and value of education by always holding up academic excellence, the sine qua non of Jesuit education, as a good in itself and as critical to serving society and the Church.  Your challenge of going beyond narrow definitions or purposes of education is most welcomed and refreshing.  Your profound and seminal insight to educate the whole person of solidarity for the real world has captured the imagination of the faculty in Jesuit higher education globally.  This new standard of excellence and pedagogy -- teaching, learning, and research rooted in a well-educated solidarity -- has inspired the best faculty to integrate their research and teaching with preparing students of Jesuit education for the globalizing world and for serving both society and the Church in new and meaningful ways. 

For your gift of yourself to us and for your remarkable contributions through your writings, addresses, and presence at so many functions, I thank you. I wish God’s blessings on you in your future endeavors which, I hope, will be in higher education.  You have much more to contribute as a Jesuit scholar.

Fraternally in Christ and in gratitude,

Paul Locatelli, S.J.
as secretary of Jesuit Higher Education
on behalf of the members of ICJHE and their constituencies.