Father Adolfo Nicolas, Jesuit Superior General, invites the Jesuits and their partners in mission to commemorate the 200th anniversary [of the Jesuits’ return to the Philippines] in 2014, by looking back to the historical facts, the context, the personalities, and the dynamics that characterized both the suppression and restoration of the Society of Jesus. History, he says, “can put us to the test and teach us,” so that all might learn from their mistakes and deepen their understanding of human social dynamics. In this learning from history, the hope is to form individuals who can better deal with the challenges of today’s complex world, and truly brave new frontiers, in the spirit of those early missionaries. With this in mind, the reader is invited to enter the world recreated by Father de la Costa’s book, as it is now made much more readily accessible to the Filipino public. –José C. J. Magadia, SJ
Published in 2014.