For one hundred years, the OMCFAA – Œuvre des missions catholiques françaises d'Asie et d'Afrique has stood as a living bridge between continents. Born from the collaboration between Europe and Asia and later expanding its reach to Africa and the Middle East, the foundation embodies a truly intercontinental spirit of cooperation. Today OMCFAA works for justice and development in partnership with other European Jesuit NGOs in the Xavier Network, a network of Jesuit NGOs dependent on the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials. The following article was written by the EOF province on the occasion of 100th anniversary of OMCFAA: In 2026, the OMCFAA – Œuvre des missions catholiques françaises d'Asie et d'Afrique — more simply known as the Missions Foundation — celebrates its 100th anniversary. For a century, this foundation has embodied a vibrant missionary spirit, supporting initiatives in education, healthcare, social outreach, agriculture, culture, and the promotion of the French language. Faithful to its founding inspiration, it continues to respond creatively and generously to the needs of communities across several continents. A Legacy Rooted in Shanghai The story begins in 1903 with the founding of Aurora University in Shanghai by two Jesuits: the French missionary François Perrin and the Chinese scholar Joseph Ma Xiangbo. Until 1949, the university provided higher education in French and English to nearly 250 students, forming generations of leaders and professionals. To sustain and expand this mission, the French Jesuits established the Œuvre des missions catholiques françaises d’Asie (OMCFA). Following their expulsion from China in 1949, the foundation redirected its commitment to new horizons: Africa, Madagascar, and the Middle East. Renamed OMCFAA, it broadened its support to French Jesuit missions in Chad, the Middle East, Madagascar, and beyond. Supporting Hope Across Continents Each year, the foundation supports around fifty projects worldwide. These include: Saint Joseph University (USJ) and the Notre-Dame de Jamhour in Beirut Charles Lwanga College in Sarh and Saint-François-Xavier College in N'Djamena The Bon Samaritain University Hospital Centers in Chad Hôtel-Dieu de France in Beirut, administered by USJ Beyond these institutions, numerous projects serve the most vulnerable: empowering women in India, providing healthcare for the poorest in Vietnam, assisting flood victims, and responding to urgent humanitarian needs wherever they arise. None of this would be possible without the faithful and generous support of patrons, donors, benefactors, and friends who enable the foundation to carry forward its mission with courage and hope. A “Spacious” Solidarity As it marks this centenary, the Missions Foundation hopes to become better known among all who wish to foster solidarity — a “spacious” solidarity that extends wherever a helping hand is offered. It is a solidarity that allows each person, especially the youngest and most vulnerable, to find their rightful place in society and to contribute to the common good. In a world often marked by division, the call is to look beyond borders and build bridges through dialogue and encounter, uniting as one people committed to peace. This is the spirit that has animated the OMCFAA for 100 years — and that will continue to guide it into the future. Together, let us renew and strengthen this shared mission of solidarity.

On Thursday, January 29th, at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), UNESCO formally presented its Memory of the World certificate to the Acta Sanctorum—the vast, centuries-long scholarly endeavor produced by the Society of Bollandists.This Jesuit research network was founded in 1630 by the Liège-born Jesuit Jean Bolland for the scientific study of the lives of the saints. This event marks only the eighth such recognition ever awarded to Belgium. In attendance, alongside other prominent civil and ecclesiastical authorities, were Robert Godding SJ, Director of the Bollandist Society; Mark Rotsaert SJ, former President of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) and current President of the Board of the Society of Bollandists; Mark Lewis SJ, Rector of the Gregorian University; Dalibor Renić SJ, President of the JCEP; and Grégoire Le Bel SJ, Socius of the French-speaking Western Europe Province. .The mission of the Society of Jesus in Europe has long been marked by intellectual collaboration and the patient building of networks that transcend borders and generations. The recognition of the Bollandists’ archives - a work that,  by its very nature, transcends individual provinces and necessitates supra-provincial cooperation - by UNESCO highlights the enduring value of this shared scholarly tradition, rooted in rigorous research and sustained through international cooperation. This distinction not only honours a historic Jesuit work but also underscores the importance of preserving and connecting Europe’s intellectual and spiritual heritage through collaborative networks that continue to serve the universal Church and the wider world. UNESCO has inscribed the archives of the Bollandists on the Memory of the World Register. Founded by a Jesuit, the Society of the Bollandists brings together thousands of texts on the lives of saints from all over the world. This official recognition highlights the universal value of these collections, preserved by the Society of Jesus since the seventeenth century. Founded in 1630 by Jean Bolland within the Society of Jesus and still active today, the Society of the Bollandists is responsible for the Acta Sanctorum, one of the greatest scientific and editorial enterprises carried out in Europe before the French Revolution. This vast encyclopaedia on the lives of saints who lived between the second and seventeenth centuries is based on extensive documentation made possible by the collaboration of a wide network of scholars from across Europe. Preserved by several generations of Bollandists, this treasure includes more than 300 archival collections, thousands of ancient manuscripts, drawings, plans, and 750 copper plates used for printing. A Global Recognition for the Jesuits of Belgium UNESCO is the United Nations organisation that promotes cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication in order to foster peace worldwide. On 17 April 2025, UNESCO inscribed the unique religious, intellectual, and scientific heritage of the Bollandists in Europe on its Memory of the World Register. Through this programme, launched in 1992, the organisation works to safeguard, disseminate, and ensure access to the world’s documentary heritage, aiming to preserve and promote rare and often endangered documents produced by peoples across the globe. “I am particularly proud and pleased to welcome the recognition granted by UNESCO, under the Memory of the World programme, to the work carried out by the Bollandists. Since the beginning of the seventeenth century, they have accomplished pioneering work of great historical and scientific value. The documentary heritage they have played a decisive role in preserving constitutes a major contribution to the heritage of humanity. It is a well-deserved recognition for one of our most brilliant learned societies,” said Elisabeth Degryse, Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The Bollandists’ archives represent the eighth Belgian inscription on the Memory of the World Register, alongside collections such as the archives of the Catholic University of Louvain. Officially honoured on 29 January during a ceremony at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), in the presence of the Jesuit rector of the Gregorian University, the Society of the Bollandists expressed its pride in this distinction and reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying its efforts—now more than ever with the support of friends and benefactors—to promote and preserve these documentary treasures.

In 2025, the EOF Jesuit Province carried out its carbon footprint assessment for the second time. This initiative is significant for Jesuits in Europe, as it demonstrates how the Province is actively translating the Jesuit commitment to care for our common home into concrete, measurable actions that can inspire responsible ecological practices across Jesuit communities. This exercise helps identify which aspects of Jesuit lifestyles contribute most to climate change, with the aim of informing concrete decisions on how to evolve our ways of living in order to care for our common home. This initiative is rooted in the Fourth Universal Apostolic Preference, which has guided the mission of the Society of Jesus worldwide since 2019: “to collaborate in the care of our common home.” It also follows the ecological transition roadmap adopted by the Francophone Western European Jesuit Province in 2020. Methodology To estimate its carbon footprint, the Province drew inspiration from “Nos Gestes Climat”, the carbon footprint calculator developed by ADEME, the French Agency for Ecological Transition. An individual questionnaire was designed for Jesuits, collecting data on: food consumption, travel and mobility, and personal consumption habits (clothing, digital equipment, etc.). In parallel, data on energy and water consumption were gathered from the administrator of each community (referred to in Jesuit terminology as the minister), along with additional information related to community life. The emission factors provided by ADEME were then used to convert this data into CO₂ emissions. This made it possible to calculate: the individual carbon footprint of each Jesuit, the carbon footprint of each community, and finally the overall footprint of the Province, by aggregating data from all communities and extrapolating results to include Jesuits who were unable to respond to the questionnaire. Partnership with the Jesuit European Social Centre The carbon footprint assessment tool for Jesuit communities was developed in partnership with the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC), an apostolic work under the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP). This partnership demonstrates again that even robust provinces like EOF find their apostolate profoundly enriched by adopting a Conference-level perspective on the mission. Based in Brussels, the JESC is a European Jesuit institution that reflects on and contributes to European public policies, with a particular focus on ecological and social transition. Since 2022, building on the work carried out with the EOF Province, the JESC has supported other Christian organisations in developing their own carbon footprint assessments. Read more here.  Key Findings of the 2025 Carbon Footprint The 2025 carbon footprint assessment (based on 2024 data) shows an average of 7.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per Jesuit per year. This figure is: lower than the national averages of the countries where the Province is mainly present (France, Belgium and Luxembourg), yet higher than the emissions of the poorest populations in those same countries, and far above the global target of 2 tonnes per person per year by 2050, as set out in the Paris Agreement. These findings provide both encouragement and a strong incentive for continued action, reinforcing the Province’s commitment to progressively changing practices in response to the climate crisis. Between 2022 and 2025, the Province’s overall carbon footprint declined slightly. However, this average masks contrasting trends: Transport-related emissions increased significantly, largely due to the resumption of travel following the Covid-19 pandemic — a clear call for greater attention in this area. Emissions linked to food and buildings decreased markedly, confirming that the steps taken in these domains are moving in the right direction. From Assessment to Action The Province uses this carbon footprint assessment to identify priority areas for action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Guiding principles have been shared by the Provincial with all Jesuits, encouraging more responsible practices in areas such as travel, food choices and heating. The results of the assessment will also inform the revision of the Province’s ecological transition roadmap, currently under review. This updated roadmap will shape the action plan guiding the Province’s ecological transition in the years ahead. Want to Calculate Your Own Carbon Footprint? It’s easy to get started using ADEME’s “Nos Gestes Climat” calculator — a practical tool to better understand the impact of everyday choices. Calculate your carbon footprint here.

On 13 December 2025, 50 French martyrs were beatified at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, representing Pope Leo XIV. Among them are 33 young people belonging to the Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne (JOC –Christian Workers’ Youth) or to the “Scouts of France”, three seminarians, nine diocesan priests, four young Franciscans, and one Jesuit: Fr Victor Dillard – the oldest of the 50. All of them were subjected to forced labour in Germany in 1943 under the Service du Travail Obligatoire (STO –Compulsory Work Service) and were later arrested for their involvement in clandestine pastoral activity under a Nazi decree. Most were transferred to concentration camps, where they died in 1944 or 1945 out of hatred for the faith. Fr Victor Dillard was born in Blois on 24 December 1897. His nine siblings, among whom was a nun, received a good education. At the end of his secondary school in 1914, he entered military service, following the example of two of his brothers. He completed the First World War as a lieutenant and was noted for his courage and leadership. In 1919, while serving with the French Army in Włocławek (Poland), Fr Dillard underwent a decisive spiritual moment. Before a statue of Christ, he promised chastity and expressed his desire to become a Jesuit. He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in November that same year. In 1921, after pronouncing his vows, Victor Dillard began a long career as an educator. He taught in five colleges, especially at Sainte-Geneviève in Versailles. He studied theology at Lyon-Fourvière and later in Innsbruck (Austria). He was ordained a priest in Blois on 29 June 1931. During his Tertianship at Paray-le-Monial (1934-1935), he completed his first book, Au Dieu inconnu (To the Unknown God), a volume of spiritual and theological reflection drawn from his personal experience. Already before his philosophical training, Fr Dillard showed strong interest in the social doctrine of the Church, international law, and political economy. In 1937, he was assigned to Action Populaire (Popular Action) in Vanves (Paris), a Jesuit centre dedicated to social research and formation. During this time, he became acquainted with the world of workers and the Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne. After a stay in the United States in 1938, he wrote two books on young students and on workers in that country. Back in France and once again mobilized into the army, he was captured by the Germans in 1940 but still managed to give retreats and social courses for officers. He escaped and was assigned to Vichy, where, for three years, he was involved in spreading social formation and denouncing Nazism, Communism, and anti-Semitism. In March 1943, the laws of the Service du Travail Obligatoire were applied, sending men aged 21 to 23 to work for Germany. The French Church then chose to accompany them in their Christian life. At his own request, Fr Dillard was assigned by his Provincial to go to Germany as an underground priest. Under the guise of a worker, he was sent to Wuppertal, where he worked as a labourer but still managed to be present in industrial districts among young Catholics. Seven months later, he was denounced, imprisoned, abused, and finally deported in 1944 to the Dachau concentration camp near Munich. In Dachau, Fr Dillard contracted a generalized infection after the amputation of a leg. He died on 12 January 1945. Throughout his life, Fr Dillard was an educator at the service of young people. He always sought to ensure that school discipline was accepted by students, rather than imposed by force or punishment. As an intellectual, he authored six books and several hundred articles within a relatively short ministry. His intellectual activity was nourished by his contacts with the Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne and the working class, whom he accompanied until the end. His last annual Spiritual Exercises in September 1943 reveal a clear awareness of the danger he faced, but without fear of death, he reaffirmed that his life had already been given once and for all. He was arrested on Good Shepherd Sunday, and he noted that the Good Shepherd – with whom he identifies – must give his life for his sheep. In one of his letters when he was about to be taken to Dachau in November 1944, he confesses that he has given his whole life to God and that God will do as He pleases. And he exhorts his friends: “Remain steadfast Christians and love Christ with all your strength. He is the foundation of everything and the solution to all problems. It is He who will be victorious.” The example of Fr Victor Dillard places before the Church a Jesuit who united intellectual rigor with social engagement and pastoral courage. May his example continue to inspire us all!

A Jesuits Heritage Revisited At the end of February 1675—exactly 350 years ago—the Jesuit from Lyon Claude La Colombière SJ was sent to Paray-le-Monial, entrusted among other missions with serving as confessor to the Visitandine sisters. He soon met the young Visitation nun Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, who was experiencing the major apparitions of the Heart of Jesus. While the community’s superior and novice mistress questioned the psychological and spiritual balance of their sister, La Colombière quickly reassured her and confirmed the authenticity of her experience. His discernment did not stem from extraordinary graces, but from the light of the Spiritual Exercises and the deep interior formation he had just completed during the Third Probation, including the full 30-day retreat. It was this Ignatian grounding that allowed him to accompany her with clarity and assurance. By the end of the 17th century, Claude La Colombière had become known as “the apostle of trust” and “the apostle of the Heart of Jesus.” Thanks to his discernment, the decisive spiritual experience of the young Visitandine was recognised; and after his death, his spiritual notes helped to spread the messages and calls of the Lord transmitted through St Margaret Mary. A Renewal of Jesuit Commitment to the Sacred Heart In 2024, two major events highlighted once again this spiritual dynamic so deeply rooted in the Society of Jesus and still relevant for JCEP and the wider Church today. On 22 September 2024, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, made a pilgrimage to Paray-le-Monial. In the Chapel of the Apparitions, he renewed the consecration of the entire Society to the Heart of Jesus, a gesture that resonates deeply with the European provinces and their mission of reconciliation and hope. One month later, Pope Francis published the encyclical Dilexit nos, a landmark document reminding the whole Church of the fundamental importance of the Heart of Jesus. The Pope explicitly highlights the intrinsic connection between Ignatian spirituality and the spirituality of the Heart: “It is important to note how, in the spirituality of La Colombière, we find a beautiful synthesis between the rich and magnificent spiritual experience of Saint Margaret Mary and the very concrete contemplation of the Ignatian Exercises.” (Dilexit nos, §128) A Spiritual Heritage for Today’s Mission This link—often unknown today—offers a fresh opportunity to rediscover a rich spiritual tradition meant for everyone and oriented toward the good of all. For JCEP and the European Jesuit provinces, this anniversary is an invitation to revisit a heritage that continues to nourish discernment, accompaniment, and mission in an increasingly complex world. As the Vatican wrote in a message to the bishops of France gathered on 4 November 2024, the Heart of Jesus remains “the only key to the future.” This providential convergence of events and anniversaries invites us, once again, to draw from the same source.

On October 11, CriaBD celebrated its 40th anniversary by launching the first-ever Christian Comics Festival in Brussels — a joyful success that brought together more than 600 visitors at Collège Saint-Michel. A Celebration of Faith and Creativity For its anniversary, CriaBD gathered artists, publishers, and comic enthusiasts from Belgium, France, and Switzerland. The day’s programme featured panel discussions, exhibitions, book sales, author signings, and drawing workshops for children. The event exceeded all expectations, with 18 authors present and hundreds of albums sold. More than a commercial success, the festival highlighted how the ninth art can be a living medium for sharing faith and inspiring hope. Honouring the Best in Christian Comics During the festival, three awards were presented: European Gabriel Prize 2025: Nathalie Fourmy for Nagasaki 1945 (Éditions Plein Vent) European Gabriel Youth Prize: Geert De Sutter for the Cherche et Trouve series (Mame) CriaBD 40th Anniversary Award: Jean Dufaux and Martin Jamar for their trilogy Vincent, Charles de Foucauld, and Matteo Ricci (Dargaud) The day concluded with a Mass of Thanksgiving, presided by Archbishop Luc Terlinden of Mechelen-Brussels, and concelebrated by Fr. Thierry Dobbelstein SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Francophone Western Europe. CriaBD: 40 Years of Faith Through the Ninth Art Founded in 1985, the Centre Religieux d’Information et d’Analyse de la Bande Dessinée (CriaBD) is an ecumenical Belgian association that promotes Christian comics across Europe. The idea was born after an exhibition of Christian comics at the Abbey of Maredsous attracted over 5,000 visitors. Convinced that comics could be a tool of evangelization, Br. Francart established CriaBD the following year. Since then, CriaBD has been a Christian voice in the world of comics, supporting artists and publishers who convey the Gospel message through their work.