which the Magis, the greater good, may be accomplished. Pope Francis characterized our way of proceeding that is marked by joy and consolation, the cross of Christ, and at the service of the Church. Jesuits have pilgrim roots and our vocation calls us to begin creative processes and to keep moving. The Church, Pope Francis said, needs Jesuits to go to places where others do not or cannot go—to the frontiers, the margins. He reminded us that Jesuits are men of discernment and called us to teach discernment to others as a process, attitude, and way to face the world. We need a thinking Church. And like the Dominican Master General, Francis encouraged us to have courage—not simply courage to do what makes sense, but courage marked by prophetic audacity. This courage, this audacity, is a necessary element in all our Jesuit works, he said. We should not be afraid in discerning the Magis, the greater good. Some 170 years ago, the discerning and audacious vision of Jesuits in New York City gave rise to what is now Xavier High School. Opening a “college” in service to an immigrant community arriving in New York responded to a growing need of the Church, the city, and the nation. Over the years, Xavier has changed a great deal. A quick walk around the buildings or look through the course catalog tells the story. Yet the foundation, the mission of the high school, has not wavered since the beginning. It is a Jesuit mission shared and shouldered today by the men and women of the faculty and staff. It
is a mission that has been a pillar of strength and faith— educating and forming young men in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition. In April, I visited Xavier and toured FernandezDuminuco Hall. Spectacular! A bold move. Its design and function respond to educational needs as Xavier envisions and commits to its mission and its future. It was clear to me that the audacity of the mission of Xavier High School, that is its very foundation, is what keeps it moving; creating, building, and assessing its programs and needs as it looks to the future for God’s greater glory and service. Xavier did indeed change my life. Xavier has always sought to change the world one student, one mind, one heart, one soul at a time. My years on 16th Street led me to join the company of the Jesuits. The rest, as they say, is history. But, that is how a kid from Brooklyn finds himself at the heart of the Church and the Society of Jesus, participating in a worldwide congregation of Jesuits—and yes, even spending time with our brother, Pope Francis. It all began with Xavier.
Delegates to GC36 celebrate the Eucharist at the tomb of St. Peter in St. Peter's Basilica.
David Ciancimino, S.J. ’77 is a graduate of Fordham University and the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. In addition to his work at Xavier and Canisius, he served as provincial superior of what was then the New York Province of the Society of Jesus from 2008-2014. He was inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame in 2012.
XAVIER MAGAZINE 15