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"The mission of the Society of Jesus today is the service of faith, of which the promotion of justice is an absolute requirement. For reconciliation with God demands the reconciliation of people with one another." This is the mission mandate issued by the 32 nd Jesuit General Congregation in 1975. In 1995, General Congregation 34, confirmed that mission statement: "We reaffirm what was said in Decree 4 of GC 32, #24: The service of faith and the promotion of justice cannot be for us simply one ministry among others. It must be the integrating factor of all our ministries; and not only of our ministries but also of our inner life as individuals, as communities, and as a worldwide brotherhood." In a letter to the whole Society in 2002 entitled, "Continuing Formation as Creative Fidelity," Father General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach quotes his predecessor, Father Pedro Arrupe, describing what's needed for readiness to serve and fulfill this challenging mission. He says, Following the directives of General Congregations 31 and 32, [Father Arrupe] urged individual Jesuits and the whole Society constantly to get fit to respond to the requirements of our mission and the challenges of today's world... [These challenges] oblige us to reflect as much on the world as on ourselves so as to know how we can change ourselves and update our knowledge, our attitudes and our apostolic methods... in order to rise up to our vocation... constant dedication and effort at a spiritual, intellectual, practical, and operative renewal. The mission and renewal team of the Maryland Province is working to identify or develop programs that will assist Jesuits and Lay Colleagues in renewal for mission. Some programs being developed or under consideration include offerings, through reading groups, short seminars, or summer courses on issues promoting justice from a faith perspective:
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