Do you know the Echojesuit factsheets? Since 2015, a team of Jesuits and lay people from French-speaking Western Europe has been publishing a bimonthly electronic sheet of advice and good ecological practices. Intended for Jesuit communities, these sheets can inspire all citizens who want to take care of our common House. The 21st sheet has just been published: it is entitled: "Ecological driving". As soon as the encyclical Laudato si' was published, Belgian and French Jesuits wanted to embark on the path of ecology and raise awareness of climate issues. It seemed clear that the companions had to start by reforming their own lifestyle and that of their community. Concrete tools were missing to support this conversion. Fellow Jesuits, coordinated by Jérôme Gué sj, began writing monthly thematic sheets to help with concrete actions. The name Ecojesuit comes from the website, based in Brussels and Manila, "Ecojesuit. Ecology and Jesuits in communication", which brings together all the initiatives of the Societies Every two months, a theme is discussed: food, energy, transport, waste, water consumption, etc. A brief insert recalls the challenges, followed by concrete action plans: one vegetarian day per week in the communities or the implementation of a compost for organic waste. Links to online videos or sites are provided for "those who want to go further". The authors of the Ecojesuit sheets are not green coaches specialising in change, or strategy consultants, but companions among others, who will draw on the resources available to offer a simple and didactic tool. Ecojesuit 21 factsheet - Ecological driving After fact sheet n°2 on transport, this month's fact sheet (n°21) draws our attention to how we choose motor vehicles in our communities, and how we use them. In our European countries, the transport sector is the largest emitter of CO2 after buildings (30% of emissions). It is one of the two major emitting stations in our communities with heating. Different "good habits" are proposed for a more responsible use of cars: Review all your trips over a quarter and see how to reduce them or do them differently than by car. Reduce the number of cars, by separating from old diesels and sharing car use more effectively (less maintenance, parking space, costs). Analyze the use of cars by the community and: - optimize between companions in the community - use car-sharing or rental for the few times when everyone needs a car at the same time and has no other options Buy an electric car for local or not too distant travel. The complete sheet can be downloaded on www.jesuites.com/fiche-ecojesuit-n21-rouler-ecologique/ Find all the information on: www.jesuites.com/fiches-ecojesuit  

We are in the 4th centenary of the arrival of the first companions in Paray-le-Monial (1619), a few weeks before the Feast of the Sacred Heart (June 28, 2019) and the cause for the beatification of Pedro Arrupe has opened in Rome. The conjunction of these two events prompts us to invite you to rediscover an amazing passage from one of Pedro Arrupe's last conferences before his cerebral thrombosis. This text has lost none of its strength and challenges us, especially in the context of our apostolic preferences. At the end of his conference on February 6, 1981 (*), Father Arrupe delivered like a call to the whole Society: "I think I am saying something to the Society that I think I should not keep quiet. "It is, in fact, the secret of his entire life and his apostolic dynamism since the novitiate: a particular attachment to the Heart of Jesus through devotion to the Sacred Heart: "I was still nourishing and nourishing the certainty that the very high value of such a deep spirituality, which the Supreme Pontiffs have called supreme, which resorts to such a universal and human biblical symbol and to a word,'heart' would soon reappear again. » Father Arrupe was convinced that this devotion of the Church delivered "an extraordinary effectiveness, both for personal perfection and for apostolic fruitfulness. "And to continue:" I regard this devotion as one of the most intimate sources of my inner life. ...] My deep conviction is that all of us, as the Society of Jesus, have to reflect and discern in the presence of the crucified Christ on what this devotion has meant and must, precisely today, mean for the Society. In the present circumstances, the world offers us both challenges and questions that we can only fully face with the strength of this love, which is that of the Heart of Christ. » The companions of Paray-le-Monial But Father Arrupe goes even further in what is called his final message: "If you wanted advice[...] I would tell you that in this devotion to the Heart of Christ lies an immense strength; it is up to each one to discover it[...] The Society needs the "dynamism" enclosed in this symbol and in the reality he announces to us. I am convinced that little evidence could be as clear of the spiritual renewal of the Society as a vigorous and general devotion to the Heart of Jesus. Our apostolate would find new vigour in it and we would soon see the effects, both in our personal lives and in our apostolic activities. » Astonishing statement to be discovered in its entirety on the Province's website... To be weighed, to be meditated on... We can testify that this is what we experience in the ministries we live here in Paray-le-Monial, or on the occasion of apostolic operations to promote the Heart of Jesus throughout the Province (prayer groups, parishes, spiritual centres). As well as in the testimonies we receive from the Companions when they leave, after having chosen to come here for a few days to rest, recharge their batteries, make their retreat... So you who read this article, in the coming months do not hesitate: rediscover Pedro Arrupe's letter and come and rest a few days at the Community of Paray, to the rhythm of the beats of the Heart of Jesus!        (*) https://arrupe.jesuitgeneral.org/fr/         In the heart of Burgundy, the town of Paray-le-Monial and its 9,000 inhabitants welcome 60,000 pilgrims each year, in addition to 30,000 visitors. Each year, the summer sessions of the Emmanuel community bring together no less than 24,000 people. In Paray, pilgrims and visitors come to open themselves to the mystery of the Heart of Jesus through the figure of Marguerite-Marie Alacoque and that of her confessor, the Jesuit Saint Claude La Colombière. We invite you to take a step back in time to the origins of the Jesuit community.

Twelve deacons were ordained in Paris on April 6. All are scholastics (Jesuit students), and are currently studying at the Centre Sèvres.  At the end of their formation, they will return to their Jesuit Province to be ordained priests and begin their first mission. Of six different nationalities, they express through this the universal character of the Society of Jesus as it was lived from the beginning with Ignatius of Loyola and his first companions from all the countries of Europe. It is still today this vocation to universality that motivates young people to join the Society. "When I joined the Society 60 years ago, I thought I was giving a great gift to God. In the meantime I realized that it was God who gave me a great gift! "It is through this quotation from a Jesuit met during his youth that Bishop Thibault VERNY, Auxiliary Bishop of Paris, introduced the diaconal ordinations on Saturday, April 6 at Saint-Ignace Church. The bishop seemed at ease and felt "at home" to lay hands on the twelve young Jesuit companions. Of the twelve ordinands, half were from India: Jyoti Paul BAXLA and David MINJ come from the Ranchi Province, Maria ANNARAJ and Michael PANIMAYA RAJ come from Madure; and Sharat NELLINIKUMTHADATHIL and Adhul ULLOPILLIL come from Kerala. Four companions come from Europe: Nicolo MAZZA from Italy, Martin FÖHN from Switzerland, and Quentin LAMY and Gonzague LALANNE-BERDOUTICQ from France. Levelt MICHAUD from Haiti, and Grant TUNGAY from South Africa, completed the continents represented. The art of such a celebration consisted in articulating solemnity with humility, intensity with joy, beauty of gestures with the imperatives of time. The success was complete. It also resided in the harmony between the cultures that meet and enrich each other: a litany of the Holy Spirit, with the accents of Taizé, crossed the German, English and French languages; a procession of offerings with Creole accents, another procession for doxology with Indian accents; we also sang in Italian and even in Malayalam. It was the eve of the 5th Sunday of Lent; however, there was already a foretaste of Pentecost.

From March 23 to 29, 2019, the school of La Providence in Amiens hosted the 4th edition of the "Jesuit Weeks". Fr. Pascal Gauderon sj, coordinator of these Weeks, reflects on this event which brought together more than 20 Jesuits from France and Belgium, 2000 students and 175 teachers. What is a "Jesuit Week"? During Jesuit Week, a school in the Jesuit network organizes a range of activities to raise awareness of Jesuits and the Society of Jesus in a lively and entertaining way. The proposals are varied: exhibitions, conferences, educational workshops, friendly meetings, spiritual times, testimonies, meals, recreational and cultural activities... follow one another in just a few days.  These Jesuit Weeks are intended for students and their families, the educational community, administrative staff, volunteers and elders. The Jesuit Weeks are thus a wonderful opportunity - especially where the Society is less visible on a daily basis - to reaffirm who it is, to recall the spiritual roots that underlie its pedagogy, its missions and its ways of proceeding, and especially to make them live through shared experiences and encounters. La Providence in Amiens During the Week organized within the La Providence establishment in Amiens, from March 23 to 29, twenty Jesuits testified to their vocation, animated celebrations and conferences. We highlight some of the highlights. The giant IHS filmed by a drone (the video is available on Facebook - LINK), with the 1600 students gathered, was an opportunity to discover and bless the school's new logo. The 1st and 12th disputatios (grade contests) allowed us to reconnect with old traditions. The scenic dimension was well honoured, with several sketches and shows. Jesuit Week also took place at the boarding school with various initiatives: cineclub, prayer, indoor football tournament, skits vigil. At the Lycée des Métiers, the classics "Olympiads of Saint Joseph" had a very special flavour this year! Among the originalities, let us note: the conference "Jesuits for Dummies" in connection with the Day of the Elders, and broadcast live on social networks, the solemn opening Mass for the Annunciation in the cathedral of Amiens and a prayer-reconciliation vigil. At the primary level, a particularly generous programme, framed by an inaugural show and a reading and celebration snack: the pupils had a different intervention each day, based on testimonies, "Laudato Si" challenges, interiority exercises, commitments... In the school, in addition to the classical testimonies, "Laudato si" workshops allowed each class to live with Jesuits with concrete reflections and exercises - such as making a salad with organic fruit, listening to birds, participating in a drawing competition on the IHS logo, or on the portraits of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. All this will permanently decorate the walls, in addition to the many exhibitions brought by the Jesuits! In short, this Jesuit Week in Amiens confirmed the relevance of a model that at the same time is being tested and renewed from one time to the next.   

International symposium organized by CERAS at UNESCO from 20 to 22 May 2019 . Following the symposium "Inequalities in the face of the ecological challenge" in 2017, the CERAS team is organizing a major international symposium at UNESCO from 20 to 22 May, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the occasion of its centenary. The environmental emergency, as well as the acceleration of technologies and virtualization, call into question the reality of the work. How can we promote decent work for all as required by the Church's social thinking, without destroying our common home, the earth? The themes addressed are multiple: the double punishment of workers exploited in polluted environments, new solidarity-based economies, the social and environmental responsibility of companies, the emergence of robotic work, care work, the role of religions, social and ecological protection, the principle of capillarity versus that of runoff, etc. Will speak during the plenary sessions (which can be registered separately): David GRAEBER on "useful" activities (London School of Economics), Vandana SHIVA on the link between social suffering and environmental destruction (Indian activist), Gaël GIRAUD (CNRS) and Yves CLOT (CNAM) on future work issues, Pierre-Michel MENGER (Collège de France) and Eloi LAURENT (OFCE) on the transformation of work, Bishop Jorge LUGONES (Social Pastoral Care in Argentina and close friend of Pope François) and Bishop Bruno-Marie DUFFE (Dicastery for the promotion of integral human development) on the meaning of work worthy of humanity and the earth... The CERAS team and its partners will be very happy to meet you at this conference. The detailed programme and registration are available on the website: https://workecologyparis2019.com/homeEN/

This year, the Marian pilgrimage site Beauraing in Belgium was the meeting place of the European Jesuits involved in the charismatic renewal. With 18 Jesuits from France, Wallonia, Ireland, Flanders, Poland, the Côte d'Ivoire. The last two are students of the Centre Sèvre in Paris. The Swiss, German and English fellow-brothers were prevented from attending. We stayed in l'Accueil de l'Aubébine with the sisters of la Doctrine Chrétienne. Prophetic intercession After sharing everyone's pastoral work, the first speaker was Marie Christine Pirson, responsible for the Renewal in the diocese of Namur, on the Prophetic Intercession. She gave a report on the session recently held in Vaalbeek by the international team responsible for the World Renewal (ICCRES) from Rome.  In a nutshell, prophetic intercession consists, rather than presenting to the Lord our own desires, in asking Him to reveal to us, through group prayer, the intentions for which He invites us to intercede.  Recently, Pope Francis replaced ICCRES with an ecumenical team called CHARIS. The Pope wishes to respect the Protestant origin of the Renewal. He calls the Renewal a stream of grace for the whole Church. Formation on inner healing Pierre Depelchin, a member of the Jesuit community at La Pairelle, spoke to us about the formation he gives on inner healing.    This training has the merit of bringing together those responsible and members of the various diocesan francophones in Belgium). On Thursday morning, we heard Christophe Rouart, vice rector of the sanctuary of Beauraing and professor at the seminary of Namur. He explained the message of Our Lady in 15 steps. In 1932-1933, Mary gave catechism to five children and called herself 'la Vierge au Coeur d'Or'.  She appeared at the railway, a symbol of ordinary life. She called them to prayer and self-sacrifice. Community of the Covenant of Mercy Two Brazilians, Diego Xavier, a seminarian in Namur, and Anna Santos came to talk to us about their new community, the Community of the Covenant of Mercy, founded 19 years ago in Brazil by two Italian missionaries: their houses are spread over 50 countries. They work among all kinds of marginalized people. They evangelize with the power of the charismas. They presented us with the mission they carried out for high school students in Rwanda, as well as in Taiwan - where they experienced a real Pentecost: singing and speaking in tongues, prophetic images, unexpected reconciliations. Nadien sprak Annick Beuten, verantwoordelijke van de Fransprekende Vernieuwing in België over het gebruik van de charismas bij de Evangelisatie.  Elle nous a  invités à une foi plus audacieuse dans l’usage des charismes. Het was een heel rijke jaarlijkse bijeenkomst. Volgend jaar zal ze doorgaan in Paray le Monial bij de viering van een jubileum van de H. Margareta Maria Alacoque.