Deacon Andrade de Lima, the son of farmers who grew up on the banks of the Amazon River in the Solimões region, said he is involved in the formation of pastoral workers in the region and assists the bishops in the implementation of their decisions.

Francis said that “to follow Jesus among the crucified” in today’s world involves many tasks.

They had come together, he said, to “celebrate God’s faithfulness in our 50-year journey and also to celebrate our faithfulness to his call,” as well as to celebrate Father Arrupe and the 57 Jesuits who “sacrificed their lives in the struggle for justice and equality.”

The synod, which took place at the Vatican Oct. Oct. 6-27, addressed the challenges facing large dioceses with few resources to minister to Catholics in remote areas.

Jesus did not simply speak of a life to come. He revealed such a life and gave us a glimpse of it when he rose from the dead.

"I tell people all the time that a lot of my politics and a lot of the way I think about things, was influenced by them," McGovern said, speaking of the Jesuits.