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7000 people gathered in Marseille for the Ignatian Year. At the heart of this anniversary year for the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits of the EOF and the whole Ignatian Family met in Marseilles, on All Saints Day, for the great gathering on the theme "In the deep, with Ignatius! For three days, 7000 pilgrims - including nearly 2000 young people - from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and even further afield, experienced unforgettable times of recollection, celebration and festivities. Three days in which everyone was able to see the different faces of the great Ignatian Family. Jesuits and lay people reflect on what they experienced during this strong time of open and joyful Church. Recognition and wonder: all the participants underline the exceptional quality of the organisation which required audacity, creativity but also professionalism to welcome so many participants and to offer them a rich and varied programme, in the difficult health context. There was also a formula for families and programmes for the 2,000 young people who came with the Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM), the Jesuit schools and the young adults of the Magis Network. On Saturday, 500 small groups from 17 locations braved the rain and wandered through the streets of Marseille to discover its treasures and committed actors. In the evening, 14 evening events were offered: round tables on the Church of tomorrow, integral ecology, inter-religious celebration, theatre, concert, testimonies... The highlight of this day was the Rejoice concert-show of the gospel group Dionys' Voice directed by the Jesuit Louis Lorieux. On Sunday morning, the pilgrims went to meet the Christians of Marseilles: they were welcomed by 30 parishes in the city to celebrate the Eucharist and then share a convivial lunch. The mass celebrated in the church of Saint-Ferréol, entrusted to the Jesuits, was broadcast live on the national television channel France 2. It was presided over by Fr François Boëdec, Provincial of the Jesuits. In the afternoon, the "Festival of the Ignatian Family" was a great time of exchange and encounter. On the programme: 50 stands, conferences on ecological transition, spiritual life, service of the poorest or pedagogy, workshops on initiatives and projects carried out by congregations, movements and associations of Ignatian spirituality... A round-table discussion particularly attracted attention: "Which hope after the CIASE-report on abuses in the Church? In the evening, after a festive meal, a great vigil brought together the 7,000 participants. Introduced by a concert of the EYM, the show was one of the highlights of the gathering. It evoked the life of the fiery Ignatius and his inner journey: taming his emotions, he is touched by grace and chooses to follow Christ.   The vigil continued with a common prayer, introduced by the Pope's words to the whole Ignatian Family. On the last day, the participants began the day with a time of reflection to gather the fruits and to hear the message of Fr Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Jesuits. The All Saints' Mass, broadcast live on the KTO TV channel and RCF radio from the Palais des Congrès, closed this great Church event. To go further Photos, videos (of the show and of the Masses in replay) and echoes of the Jesuit reporters, texts of the homilies, meditations and speeches, the video message of Pope Francis and the press articles and broadcasts on the gathering "Au Large avec Ignace". www.jesuites.com  www.ignace2021.org 

Dr Ciara Murphy, Environmental Policy Advocate at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, reflects on her experience as an observer at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) summit in Glasgow. She discusses whether or not the summit met its aim to bring parties together to accelerate climate action and she speaks of her experience collaborating with other Jesuit organisations and faith groups. Dr Murphy also participated in a pilgrimage from Edinburgh to Glasgow which culminated in a march for climate justice. Click here for the previous story ». One question of a large and interesting interview: What was your experience of collaborating with other Jesuit organisations and faith groups? During my time in Scotland I had the opportunity to work alongside and get to know other people working in Jesuit organisations and faith based groups as well as Jesuits and novices from the UK and Indian Provinces. The Pilgrimage between Edinburgh and Glasgow, organised by Jesuit Missions UK, provided ample time to meet others who are experiencing an ecological conversion as part of their faith. Arriving in Glasgow and joining the climate justice march in the faiths block was an incredible experience. The sheer number of people who are active in the climate movement because of their faith is a sign that the climate movement is one that can be inclusive and diverse, gathering people of all faiths and none together to care for our common home. EcoJesuit played an important role in the preparation for COP as well as the amplification of the climate justice message throughout the duration of the summit. The online event ‘Faith at the Climate Frontiers’, which took place on Monday 8th November was an exemplar of collaboration between the EcoJesuit team based in the Philippines and the delegates in Glasgow. Not only did Jesuit Missions UK organise a lot of these events but they also obtained badges into the blue zone as official observers. As part of their delegation I had the opportunity to attend events with those from Jesuit Missions who are working on similar areas to me. This familiarity will enable us to collaborate more closely together on future projects. Read the complete interview with Dr. Ciara Murphy Jesuits in Ireland

Eucharistic Youth Movement meets again.   Limited numbers, one day less than in previous meetings and an organization aimed at guaranteeing the safety of all participants as much as possible. This was the setup of the national conference entitled "As I have loved you" in Frascati between 30 October and 1 November. The theme that the Movement will delve deeply into this year is fraternity. "Perhaps everything we have experienced during the last two years has been a blessing," Adriano says. "It has given me the opportunity to live every moment, experience every encounter, every smile I receive as a gift that I am not sure I deserve. The meeting consisted of assemblies, times of prayer and sharing in groups and moments of celebration. Mariachiara, a PRE-T from Milan, wrote that "the Convention was a moment of joy, sharing, and fraternity. It's a discovery that God is your friend and brother, it's "returning home", at the place where you always feel welcomed and loved just as you are. I felt the Lord taking my hand and lead me into the midst of wonderful brothers". Moussa, a young man from Mali, was one of them. We met him through the Jesuit Refugee Service in Italy, the "Centro Astalli", and he came to visit us to describe his difficult story with simplicity. He concluded his speech by deeply touching the hearts of those listening, telling us precisely that "brother is anyone who gives you his time, who knows how to listen to you". Music as usual was a means of prayer and a privileged channel of emotions and desires. In particular, this year's hymn entitled "One", was sung many times throughout the days and was a great stimulus to that desire to be together with the Lord and with each other. Elisa, one of the voices of the MEGband, commented: "In Frascati, I was the voice that sang His words, hoping to get right to the heart of those who were listening and to become, together with them, a single voice. It was a single melody that expressed and shouted all the love, joy and beauty of finding each other, of being together and of finding a brother in each of those who sang with me. I really felt the strong emotion of becoming 'ONE' in Him: This is the only way we can be forever.’ The Movement, which is a section of the Apostleship of Prayer for youth, initiated in France and was promoted by the Jesuits at the beginning of the last century. Its aim is to accompany and educate young people between 8 and 24 years of age to make mature choices during important stages of their life. Approximately 3500 young people in the Province are members of this Movement.  Jesuits EUM

How nice to be able to just take a breath in the hustle and bustle. One year after its opening, the Christian chapel and the Room of Silence at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) were ceremoniously inaugurated with an ecumenical prayer service. In addition to the Catholic Archbishop Heiner Koch and the Protestant Bishop Christian Stäblein, Cantor Esther Hirsch from the Jewish Sukkat Schalom congregation and the head of the Muslim pastoral care telephone, Imran Sagir, also took part. Both 25-square-metre tent-like rooms made of dark bricks belong to the ecumenical airport chaplaincy and have already been accessible for a year. They are run by the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia and the Archdiocese of Berlin. Together with around 30 volunteers, the Jesuit Fr. Wolfgang Felber SJ and the Protestant pastor Sabine Röhm offer pastoral care to travellers and airport employees regardless of their religion or ideology. They cooperate with a social worker from the Catholic Welfare Work Association “In Via” for Girls and Women. "A very successful room," says Kirsten Specht. She looks at the dark bricks that structure the wall in the chapel of the new Berlin-Brandenburg airport BER. "But it could have been more color," says the alternative practitioner from Braunschweig. Only a square opening on the ceiling of the five-metre-high, tent-like construction, light strips and a recess in the wall in the shape of a cross illuminate the semi-darkness. Specht has taken a seat on one of the few chairs. "I totally enjoy the peace and quiet here," says the 53-year-old. She discovered the simple chapel with altar table, Bible and reading desk by chance, as well as the neighbouring "Room of Silence", an almost identical room also covering 25 Square Meters. On Friday, Berlin's Catholic Archbishop Heiner Koch and the Protestant Bishop Christian Stäblein, together with the cantor Esther Hirsch from the Jewish community and Imran Sagir, the head of the Muslim chaplaincy telephone, will ceremonially inaugurate both rooms. "We are in the center of the airport," Sabine Röhm and Wolfgang Felber are pleased about the location of both rooms in Terminal 1. The Protestant pastor and the Catholic Jesuit priest are the main airport chaplains at BER. "From our point of view, it could have started earlier," they assure us. But the opening of the airport had been postponed several times since 2012. It wasn't until a year ago that the time had come. Until then, both were involved in the now closed Tegel and Schönefeld airports. A team of 30 volunteer chaplains Röhm and Felber also used the time to train a team of now 30 volunteer chaplains, among them teachers, judges, police officers and nurses. "They are indispensable for us," emphasizes the 53-year-old Röhm. With half a job, she is also responsible for the Berlin fire brigade. "Compared to other airports, we have a particularly large number of volunteer airport chaplains," says 60-year-old Felber. He also works part-time at BER and is otherwise a chaplain in a hospital. Both are particularly attached to the service at the capital's airport. With their purple waistcoats, on their backs a white ribbon with the inscription "Flughafenseelsorge - airport chaplaincy", they stand out even among colorfully dressed tourists. After months of the Corona pandemic, their numbers have risen sharply again. A watchful eye As always, Sabine Röhm keeps a watchful eye on the people she passes on her tour of the wide halls. One of them has tears in his eyes. "Can I help you, may I help you?" the chaplain asks. Shaking of the head. So this time it remains open whether joy or sadness is the cause. "Anyone who wants to pour out their heart can trust in our duty of confidentiality," she explains. Often it is small problems that the chaplains encounter, but sometimes not. Heinrich Becker, one of the volunteers, remembers an airport employee who could not get the open eyes of a traveler who had suddenly died out of his mind. "Only when he was able to talk about it with us did he feel better," says the 72-year-old, who used to manage a nursing home. Like his colleagues, he also has an open ear for the worries and needs of the airport staff. Even though operations are starting up again, some are on short-time work or even threatened with dismissal. Prepared for extreme cases The chaplains also have to be prepared for extreme cases like plane crashes. "Although they are rare, they have a long-lasting effect," explains Father Felber. For example, friends and relatives in Berlin-Schönefeld regularly remember the 189 people who died in a crash in the Dominican Republic in 1996. Far more common, however, are practical difficulties that travelers turn to the chaplains with. They can then call in Friedemann Müller, with whom they share a common counter not far from the chapel. On behalf of the Catholic In-Via Association, the 45-year-old becomes active when a social worker is needed. "If someone misses a flight and has no money for another one, I see what can be done," Müller explains. Open to visitors of all religions Kirsten Specht has finished her little sabbatical at the chapel. "How nice to be able to just take a breath in the hustle and bustle," she says before heading off to a seminar on the Greek island of Corfu. Meanwhile, in the "Room of Silence" next door, some of the airport's Muslim service staff have rolled out their rugs to pray. A metal plate embedded in the floor points out the cardinal directions and helps them face Mecca. "We are open to visitors of all religions and world views," emphasizes Father Felber.