On the evening of 25 September 2025, the Chapel for Europe gathered with its ecumenical friends to celebrate the Ecumenical Opening Prayer, marking the start of a new social year. The evening was both prayerful and joyful, as participants from different Christian traditions came together in a spirit of fraternity and common faith. This year, the celebration was inspired by the anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, whose reflection on the Trinity continues to unite and challenge Christians today. In this spirit, the community prayed together for a world of peace—entrusting to God the many situations of conflict, division, and suffering that weigh heavily on our societies. The prayers, hymns, and silence created a moment of shared hope and renewed commitment to Christian unity. The Opening Prayer also served as a symbolic new beginning for the Chapel’s activities, offering a space for ecumenical encounter and reflection in the heart of Brussels. The gathering reaffirmed the Chapel’s mission to foster dialogue, mutual respect, and collaboration among churches, and to connect faith with the pressing challenges of our times. The Chapel for Europe, located in Brussels, is an ecumenical initiative supported by different Christian traditions and religious orders. Founded in 2001, it seeks to be a place of prayer, reflection, and dialogue at the heart of the European institutions. The Chapel welcomes people of all faith backgrounds who live and work in Brussels—especially those engaged in European affairs—and offers a space where spirituality, culture, and politics can meet in a spirit of openness, peace, and unity. The Chapel for Europe extends their heartfelt thanks to all who joined for this celebration and look forward to walking together during the coming year.

The Collège Loyola has just opened its doors in Marseille, marking the arrival of a third Jesuit educational institution in the city. In its inaugural school year, 48 students in the equivalent of “sixth grade” have been welcomed, in what is envisioned as a future community of some 500 pupils. The new college is located in a developing quarter to the north of the city, still under construction, and its first cohort arrives in a space without inherited traditions—“a great white canvas,” as one educator put it. The launch day, Tuesday 2 September, was described by staff and students alike as historic. After initial class time with homeroom teachers, the students participated in a theater workshop to foster awareness of their new role as secondary-school pupils. Teachers, many transferred from the established Jesuit école de Provence in Marseille, showed strong dedication, immersing themselves in the challenge of making the new college come alive. The motto for the endeavor is “la grâce du commencement” (the grace of beginning). That phrase captures both the excitement and the fragility of starting fresh: the administration acknowledges the uncertainty ahead (“no one knows what the future holds”) but also approaches it with trust and readiness to commit deeper to the project. In preparation for this first year, the Jesuits undertook careful groundwork. Plans had been laid for staffing, pedagogical orientation, and integration into the local context. The challenge is not only to offer quality education but to foster social, cultural, and academic diversity—reflecting Marseille’s own cosmopolitan character—and to turn that diversity into a strength rather than a division. From day one, the school community sees itself as more than a new building. The educators envision a spirit of collaboration and mission, rooted in Jesuit identity, to guide students toward not only academic formation but moral, spiritual, and communal growth. The fact that many of the staff came from long-standing Jesuit institutions helps link this fresh beginning to a living legacy of education in Marseille. Though still in its infancy, Collège Loyola is being built on hope. The school aims to become a lasting presence, a place where students can grow in knowledge, empathy, and service. This venture stands as a bold testimony: even in a changing urban and social environment, the Jesuit educational tradition seeks to sow seeds of excellence, inclusion, and faith for decades to come.

On Wednesday, 10th September, Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual State of the Union speech, the first of her second term as President of the European Commission. She styled it as a call to unity for a Union embattled, fighting for an independent place in a hostile world. If her previous exercise, in September 2023, appeared to us a bit too self-congratulatory and falling short of taking Europeans’ worries seriously, this speech was definitely an attempt to address head-on the challenges facing Europe: geopolitical, social, and ecological. Her opening on continued support for Ukraine was not unexpected. While forceful, it was also fairly consensual thinking, stressing the need for more sanctions as well as more European help for Ukraine’s institutions and defense industry. Her obvious frustration with European divisions on Gaza was perhaps less expected, announcing reduced cooperation with Israel where the Commission has the authority to do so, along with propositions to the Council to suspend part of the Association Agreement or to sanction violent settlers and nationalist ministers. Finally, confronted with a shifting world order, courtesy of Trump, Putin, and Xi, von der Leyen defended her policy of pushing for more trade alliances (Mercosur), all while minimizing the impact of US vagaries and attempting to make the EU less reliant on China.  In the line of listening more to citizens, social concerns took a front seat. Actions on a quality jobs act, on a strategy against poverty or on various living costs aspects (energy, housing, food, cars) were announced. In a broader societal context, her intervention also focused on the traditional press and social media, defending the role of the former as democracy’s backbone and promising to protect children from the dangers of the latter.  Ecological concerns also popped up here and there in the speech. A mention of farmers as “custodians of our lands and oceans, our biodiversity.” A development on the circular economy. A defense of electric cars. A recognition of the impact of climate change on forest fires. A reminder of the goals on emission reduction, those already agreed for 2050 as well as those proposed by the Commission for 2040. This said, while there is much we can agree with, we must point out underlying concerns on how these various challenges are tackled and what is missing in the speech.  It is obvious when it comes to ecology: policies apparently must be sold for their tangible economic (opening new markets) or geopolitical (independence) benefits they bring. They also favor, as often, a very technological approach, with a focus on “green” energy. If a circular economy is mentioned, it is in a narrow perspective of having the materials to produce ever more. If that is what it takes to save elements of the Green Deal (thankfully mentioned), so be it. But one cannot help but wonder if this technological mindset is at the level of cultural change required to confront the roots of the ecological crisis. On social aspects, the main worry is evidently the lack of strong competences of the EU, which could lead to disappointing results. Time will tell. Von der Leyen also calls for “all of society, all lawmakers and all stakeholders to come together” in tackling the housing problem. This presupposes a healthy society, in which civil society is vibrant and local initiatives are supported. The approach of the Commission with civil society will be under test in the coming months and years. Funding for civil society initiatives will probably be reduced under the upcoming financial framework. Even more fundamentally, a delicate balance will have to be found by the soon-to-come Democracy Shield aiming to fight disinformation without smothering free speech and association. On geopolitics and trade, the silent part is what constitutes just trade. As for now, it is mostly considered through the lens of Europe’s interests and competitiveness. How political, social, and environmental concerns will survive this focus is anyone’s guess. The recent undermining of the due diligence directive is not inspiring a lot of confidence. Neither is the treatment of the migration question. Considered only under the perspectives of increasing returns of denied asylum seekers and of the fight against human trafficking, the approach is purely defensive, with little thought given to the root causes of migration. Sadly, nothing new here in the last two years. But all this might be missing the point. Von der Leyen evidently attempted to offer bridges to the various partners of her coalition in the Parliament: keeping competitiveness at the front while defending some social and climate goals, defending her deal with Trump while playing up her red lines on digital regulations, pushing for a rearmament of Europe while saving humanitarian principles for Gaza, … If indeed the goal was to find unity, this was in vain and the debate that followed was a sad demonstration of it.  If automatic criticism from the extremes in the assembly was to be expected, the desire to find a new common ground was mostly absent. The leader of the EPP used the moment to taunt the other centrist parties under the tune of “we won the elections, now apply our program.” The answer of the S&D was a strong denunciation of von der Leyen’s agreement with Trump. Only Renew seized on von der Leyen’s speech, running with her calls for institutional changes (right of initiative for the Parliament, generalization of qualified majority voting) and pushing it further. But while there might be merit in the idea that part of the paralysis of the EU is due to its functioning, it is only a small part. The reality is that divisions run deep among countries and political families. Those divisions were sadly on show yesterday. Benoit Willemaers SJJESC Secretary for European Affairs

The Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) held one of its four annual Consult meetings online on September 24th and 25th last year. This pivotal gathering centered on key strategic and administrative topics, designed to streamline operations and advance collaborative efforts across the conference. A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to reflecting on the Mission of the Society of Jesus in Europe, a task specifically assigned to the JCEP by Fr. General. This reflection is intended to be an integral part of the conference's Apostolic Planning process 2026-2027. Preliminary activities are already underway, including planning for the process's schedule and the selection of facilitators. Decisions on these points will be finalized at the upcoming JCEP General Assembly in Rome in October. The Consult also covered two other critical areas. The preparation of new Guidelines for formation in European centres is underway and a separate set of Guidelines on Jesuit formation in the digital age is also being drafted. Both drafts will be discussed at the meeting of European formation delegates scheduled for November 2025 in Madrid. A discernment on Solidarity for Healthcare at the level of the Society of Jesus, requested by Fr. General, was discussed and will be a main topic at the next JCEP General Assembly in October in Rome. Looking ahead, the group also began preparing topics for the April 2026 Assembly, with the strategic planning of the Jesuit European Social Centre identified as one of the focus areas. The Consult comprised the JCEP President, Dalibor Renić (CRO), and the four current members of the Consult: Marc Desmet (ELC – Moderator EOC), Jozef Šofranko (SVK – Moderator ECO), Miguel Almeida (POR – Moderator EMR), and Gonzalo Villagrán (ESP – JCEP Socius). The Spanish Jesuit Francisco José Ruiz attended the session as a guest.

On Monday, September 22, Monsignor Bernardito Auza, Nuncio to the European Union, visited the St. Benedict community, the Jesuit community attached to JCEP. He was accompanied by Monsignor Jean-Baptiste Itaruma, an officer at the nunciature who maintains regular contact with the directors of JESC and JRS Europe. The whole community was present at the dinner, given the solemnity of the occasion. The conversation was very lively. Monsignor Auza had been Nuncio in Spain immediately before coming to Brussels, and he enjoyed meeting two Spaniards (Alberto Ares and Gonzalo Villagrán) in the community and sharing memories of his time there. The Nuncio spoke particularly about his experience at the United Nations in New York and now at the European Union. In this sense, Monsignor Auza brings extensive experience with international organizations and with the Church’s presence in them. In response to our questions, he devoted a good while to sharing his views on the possibilities and challenges of the European Union and on the role the Church is playing in its development. It was striking to hear how many important informal encounters he is having with members of the European Commission and the European Parliament. Through our conversation we became more aware of how the Church is a significant actor in the European Union—not a partisan one, but one that can help different positions come together and can support the Union in integrating the natural religious dimension of social life. At another point in the conversation, Monsignor Bernardito also spoke at length with Filipe Martins and Benoît Willemaers, from the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC), about the role of the Church in today’s ecological movement. JESC is in fact strongly committed to advocacy in favor of the care of creation. The dinner was an extraordinary one, most fitting for such an important occasion, prepared by Rosario Mattos, our cook, with the expert guidance of Benoît Willemaers.

In a ceremony that drew tens of thousands of worshippers from all over to St Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Leo XIV canonized Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati on 7 September 2025. The two saints – Frassati, from the early 20th century, and Acutis, the Church’s first millennial to be made a saint – have been at the center of great devotion among the faithful. They are also the first to be canonized by the new Pope. Acutis’s mother, Antonia Salzano, was present at the canonization Mass with her family, including the new saint’s two siblings. His brother, Michele, took one of the readings! Carlo Acutis was born in London on 3 May 1991 and died of leukemia at the age of 15. His parents had moved to London from Italy in 1988 but moved back to Milan soon after young Acutis was born. He was an obedient child who insisted on going to Mass daily as a youngster. He received his first Holy Communion at age 7. In his short but extraordinary life, he was particularly devoted to the Eucharist, which he referred to as his “highway to heaven”, and to the Virgin Mary. Acutis was enrolled at Istituto Leone XIII, a Jesuit school. His teachers said that he was bright and had a gift for computers but was also known for being kind and for looking out for his schoolmates. Pier Giorgio Frassati, born in Turin in 1901, grew up in a wealthy and influential family but chose a very different path from privilege. From a young age, he dedicated himself to helping the poor, joining the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and spending much of his free time in Turin’s poorest neighborhoods, bringing food, medicine, and encouragement. He was also educated by the Jesuits, whose spirituality left a deep mark on his life of prayer and service. His love for prayer, the sacraments, and solidarity with the marginalized earned him the admiration of his friends, who often recalled his joyful and energetic personality. Frassati was also known for his adventurous spirit, especially his passion for mountain climbing. On his alpine excursions, he inspired companions with his deep faith, often leading them in prayer at the summits. He died unexpectedly in 1925, at just 24 years old, after contracting polio, likely through his work with the sick. At his funeral, thousands of the city’s poor came to honor the young man who had quietly served them. Beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, he is now canonized as a saint and remembered as a model for youth who unite faith, joy, and solidarity with the most vulnerable. Together, Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati offer the Church two powerful examples of youthful holiness. Though separated by nearly a century, both lived with contagious joy, a passion for their faith, and a tireless commitment to serving others. Acutis brought his devotion into the digital age, using his skills with computers to spread love for the Eucharist, while Frassati lived his witness through direct service and fellowship, bringing Christ’s light to the poor and to his friends. Their canonization side by side is a sign that holiness is not bound by time or circumstance, but always accessible to those who embrace faith with generosity and courage.