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The last book of the Old Testament. A new version of the Book of Wisdom has been published:  the last Book of the Old Testament is written in Greek towards the end of the first century B.C., perhaps when Jesus was already born.  Philo of Alexandria highlights it, Flavius Josephus knew about it and the New Testament quotes it.  The novelty and strength of the book do not only derive from its chronological position, but from the fact of it being a bridge between the two Testaments.  The Book of wisdom is therefore an interpretation of the whole Old Testament within the perspective of the internal transformation which was developing in the biblical tradition before the novelty of Christianity.  During the formation process of the biblical canon, the pharisees – the only group which remained existing after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. – eliminated some recent texts, or those judged to be so,  from  the  sacred books. These had been imbued with a diverse and new spirit different from the Pentateuch and show a closer affinity to the announcing of the Good News.  The version which was edited and commented upon up to chapter 12, by Fr.  Saverio Corradino, was completed by Fr. Giancarlo Pani and was given to the editor Vittorietti of Palermo to publish it. 

November, 7th-9th - The VII Meeting on Christian Welcome on the Camino of Saint James of Compostela was held in the International Pilgrim Welcome Centre, in Santiago de Compostela. The main theme this year was young people and the Way, Four Jesuits attended the meeting (Francisco Cuartero, Salvo Collura, Jean-Paul Hernandez and Sergio Garcia) and talked about accompanying young people on the Way and their pastoral challenges, in the framework of the synod about Young People.

The Secretary for the Service of Faith, Fr James Hanvey, prepared a prayer for the Advent time on the UAPS. You can download it from this location in English, Spanish and French. Although the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) may inspire us to confirm current ministries or lead to new ones, they are not primarily about things to do. They represent four ways in which we are searching to discover the signs of the Spirit at work. In a sense, we may see the UAPs as four roads on which we are invited to walk with others. As we do so, we will discover new apostolic companions, many of whom may often be ahead of us. It is also a source of consolation for us that the UAPs express some of the key directions the Church has also identified as part of her mission. At the deepest level, they speak of our desire to be drawn more closely to God and to discern the ways in which God is working in our world. The UAPs are part of our own process of renewal. They will become important ways into our processes of discernment. If they are to touch us in these ways, it would be good if we could first let them become part of our prayer. The liturgical season of Advent gives us a natural opportunity for this. With Lent, it marks out a time when the Church desires to prepare herself to enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s incarnation and his work of redemption. In Advent we can let our prayer illuminate the UAPs, asking that we may be open to whatever graces of renewal, insight and understanding God wishes to offer us. What follows are suggestions for individual and community prayer. In so far as they help, then they will serve our purpose. But they may also stimulate further ideas and reflection at a personal, community or group level.

Fr Emilio Moscoso SJ has been beatified on November 16 in Riobamba, a city in Ecuador where he bore ultimate witness to his faith on May 4, 1897. In a letter to the whole Society on November 8, Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ lauded the life and brave martyrdom of Fr Moscoso, pointing particularly to “his deep devotion to the Eucharist and to Mary; his witness of poverty and obedience as he faithfully fulfilled his daily obligations; the simple and orderly community life of his day; his bravery in defending the faith and the Church; his steadfast solidarity with the citizens of Riobamba; his care for the body of the Society as he visited his companions in prison and returned to the college to share the fate of his community”. The Blessed was born in Cuenca, Ecuador on April 21, 1846 to a profoundly Catholic social and family environment. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at the age of 18 and studied humanities and philosophy in Quito. He taught at the national colleges of Riobamba and Guayaquil and was ordained a priest in 1876. He was sent for Tertianship to Manresa, Spain in 1878 where he was immersed in the very sources of the spirituality of St Ignatius as he was trained in the school of the Exercises and the traditions of the Society. He returned to the Americas in 1879, serving in the Society’s residence and in the Colegio de la Inmaculada in Lima, Peru until 1882 before being transferred to Quito. In 1889 he was assigned again to Riobamba, where he began teaching at Saint Philip Neri College. He was named rector of the college and superior of the community in 1893. The Liberal Revolution of 1895, which restricted the Catholic Church in Ecuador, brought the Jesuits to the front lines in the defense of the Church. Under pressure from the regime, the easy option would have been to close the college and abandon the city, but Fr Moscoso and his companions stood firm in their commitment to serve the youth of Riobamba, which resulted in their imprisonment on May 2, 1897. Fr Moscoso showed great serenity as he consoled his brothers who were threatened with expulsion. When he was released from prison, he tried to calm the angry crowds who were protesting the arrest of the Jesuits and tirelessly sought the liberation of his companions still in prison. Two days after, on the dawn of May 4, while repelling an attack by a rebel group, government forces violently profaned the Eucharist in the college chapel. Fr Moscoso was in his room praying on his knees before the crucifix, rosary in hand when two officers shot him at point-blank range. The people of Riobamba lamented and protested the profaning of the Eucharist and the murder of their beloved Fr Moscoso. “After many years dedicated to teaching and the apostolate of prayer, Emilio Moscoso came face to face with persecution,” wrote Fr General Sosa. “I desire that all of us, strengthened by the Eucharist as he was, may show ourselves to be in solidarity with those living with conflict, especially with the most vulnerable and disregarded of our society.”

To pray at the foot of the wall surrounding a Foreigners Detention Centre (CIE) on “Isla de las palomas”, at the southern tip of Europe. This was a proposal by Pastoral MAG+S Zona Sur, with the collaboration of Asociación Claver-SJM, which brought together 60 university students from Seville, Úbeda and Málaga. They joined their prayers to the anguish and hopes of the 40 inmates awaiting their return to Morocco or their release. The spotlights illuminated intensely the CIE barracks while the Tarifa lighthouse distributed its powerful light. Beyond the Strait, the powerful lighting of the port of Tangier-Med brought the African coast even closer. Meditation at the foot of the wall was brief: the blasts of the Levant loaded with saltpetre did not invite them to stay. The parish priest Don Juan Pedro Baro offered his hospitality, giving them the church of San Francisco for the initial points and the final Eucharist. As a colophon, they went to the beach again to pray an Our Father.

“The ecology tagline: The system debate is not over." With this statement Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, coined the two-day conference "Integral Ecology in the Digital Age" at the Munich University of Philosophy. A striving for progress, which defines prosperity only through material prosperity, endangers the cohesion of many societies and the future of the entire planet. Concepts such as capitalism or socialism were no longer helpful and, according to Marx, belonged "in the archives of history" - a new idea of progress was necessary for this, in which not only ecology but also human "culture, identity, one's own self-confidence and the dignity of the human being" had a special significance. But what could such an idea of progress look like? In order to pursue this question, the Pontifical Foundation "Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice", the the Hochschule für Philosophie and the network "European Liberal Education Alliance" invited top-class representatives from science, business, politics and society to an intensive exchange of ideas. Father Bernd Hagenkord SJ, former head of the German department of Radio Vatican, who now accompanies the synodal path of the German Bishops' Conference, provided important impulses: according to Hagenkord, this process is also an example of the application of the encyclical Laudato Si'. "Conversion" is a key term of Pope Francis' doctrine: "Conversion" as refusal of ecclesiastical, social or economic fantasies of omnipotence - but also a refusal of a leisurely continuation-so! The basic prerequisite for this is an open and appreciative dialogue: "and one cannot dispose of a dialogue, one has to get involved with it". This was also underlined by the education expert Barbara Schellhammer, recently the first professor at the Hochschule für Philosophie and head of the Centre for Global Issues, and Sascha Spoun, President of Leuphana University Lüneburg.  The refusal of many populists to engage in discourse is particularly dangerous, as they do not address individual concrete mistakes, for example in climate protection measures, but declare their discussion partner a liar: "They want to destroy social discourse because they do not master it". But education is not only an "acquisition of knowledge and abilities", it also means an equally active "leaving behind and letting go" of prejudices and half-truths, added Friedrich Bechina, who as Undersecretary of the Education Congregation is jointly responsible for more than 220,000 Catholic schools worldwide. The host of the event, University President Johannes Wallacher, underlined that an appropriate CO2 tax, which was demanded by numerous participants, was a central element of such framework conditions and made it clear: the pricing of carbon dioxide was not a tax, but a necessary compensation, which makes the damage potential of climate gases visible where they arise To ensure that the important idea of an integral ecology does not become a "non-binding broadband concept", as the social ethicist Markus Vogt warned, the interdisciplinary and social discourse is of enormous importance, a special guest from the Vatican underlined: Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the "Dicastery for the Holistic Development of Man" created by Pope Francis. Peter Cardinal Turkson was born the son of a simple miner in a mining settlement in Ghana. Now he is conducting talks in the Vatican with oil companies and mining companies in order to involve them in the necessary dialogue - because everyone is called upon to turn back and to support the necessary socio-ecological change.  Stefan Einsiedel (Center for Global Issues, Environment / Postal Growth Project)

18-Year-old Gabriele wins the essay competition promoted by  the Astalli Centre with “There is always a door that opens and you can choose to enter or not.” The competition saw a thousand participants. This intense and emotional story is inspired by the story of Yusra Mardini, a Syrian girl who started practicing swimming at the age of 3. Then she escapes civil war with some family members. First, they arrive in Lebanon, then in Turkey where they paid the smugglers and set off for Greece on an August night. The vessel begins to take in water. Yusra, her sister and another girl who can swim start to pull the boat towards the shore while the others throw their luggage into the sea. "There were 3 of us in the water and 17 on the boat. I started moving my feet like crazy. The more I pushed, the more the fear disappeared ". Arriving on land, they journeyed to the Balkans on foot and then took a train to Berlin where, welcomed as refugees, they took up swimming again. In 2016 she was chosen to form part of the newly set up team of the Refugee Olympic Athletes of the XXXI Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. From the starting position of the race Gabriele began interpreting the past. "Winning? It is just one detail ".  This is how 17-year-old Gabriele concludes his story entitled " All the dreams of the world "with which he won the XIII edition of the essay competition entitled "Writing never goes into exile" promoted by Centro Astalli. "It is an extraordinary story that I discovered some years ago, and I have made it the banner of all the dreams that those who leave on a journey, carry with them," he explains. "I had the opportunity to meet on a personal level and also with my school colleagues, refugees and migrants. In particular, passing by the Termini station on several occasions, I recognized stories and glances that revealed a world of crushed dreams that I tried in a really small way to support with a look, a word, a little time or some bread ". "Writing never goes into exile" and 'Let's write in colour" This competition entitled "Writing never goes into exile" for high school students and another one entitled "Let's write in colour” for middle school students for which a thousand students from various Italian cities participated is an instrument, adopted by Centro Astalli to encourage and give value to the attitude of sensitivity. This was a celebration for the students and institutes involved in the educational projects "Windows" and "Encounters" which address the right to asylum and the interreligious dialogue and through which the Center comes into contact with over 27,000 students in 15 Italian cities each year.  This is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of encouraging encounters with those different from us and to acquire mutual knowledge in order to create a more inclusive and welcoming society, free from racism and xenophobia. There were representatives from the world of culture, journalism and entertainment who took turns on the stage of the Auditorium of il Massimo in Rome, to reward the young winners of the literary competition.  Present among them were, Fr. Camillo Ripamonti (President of Centro Astalli), Flavia Cristiano (Director of the Book and Reading Centre - MiBAC), Andrea Monda (Director of L'Osservatore Romano), Fr. Giovanni La Manna (Rector of the Istituto Massimo ), Melania Mazzucco (writer), Aboubakar Soumahoro (trade unionist and writer), Sabika Shah Povia (journalist, member of the Associazione Carta di Roma), Takoua Ben Mohamed (graphic journalist), Phaim Bhuiyan (actor and director), Sara Jane Ceccarelli (singer and author), Paola Michelini (actress), and many others. The event was also an opportunity to deliver the award “A School that is a friend of refugees ", to educational institutions that are committed to promoting the creation of programs of active citizenship among students for the establishment of a more just, more open and more welcoming society. This is an initiative of Centro Astalli in collaboration with ASCS - Scalabriniana Agency for Development.

The start of the Congress, with the commemoration of the Martyrs, was strong for us. This could sound depressing, but on the contrary they are a sign of hope for us. They gave all the participants a sense of hope and renewed energy to continue being involved in Justice and Reconciliation.¨ Father Franck Janin SJ, the President of the Conference of European Provincials, gave his thoughts on the Jubilee Congress in Rome on the 4th to the 8th of November on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Secretariat of Social Justice and Ecology. The JESC team interviewed him to collect his impressions on the importance and impact of the Congress. Alba Requejo: Thank you for accepting the JESC team invitation to interview you on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Jesuit Secretariat of Social Justice and Ecology. Before moving into more specific areas, we would like to know your impressions of the Jubilee Congress and the participants involved. Franck Janin SJ: The most impressive thing about the Congress was the involvement of the participants. There were more than 200 participants, Jesuits and lay collaborators. Meeting them and realising that they are very devoted people, some of them untiringly involved in social affairs and justice and others strongly committed to helping refugees, migrants and prisoners. There was even one of them working with gang members in Los Angeles. This full encompassing experience gave me a feeling of joy and a sense of hope. Moreover, one hundred invitations were sent out, however double that number of participants attended the Congress and this further reflected the widespread interest in creating a better future for our world. As the conventional saying goes: Good does not make noise and hence, those congregated in Rome are not part of the newspaper headlines. However, they make a big difference for many people. Another highlight were the testimonies of social justice activities and the personal testimonies and reflections about daily endeavours that follow the good will. Besides, we were lucky to have a special audience with Pope Francis. He remembered Father Pedro Arrupe SJ, our Spanish Basque Jesuit priest, who served as the twenty-eighth Superior General of the Society of Jesus (1965–83). He started the Secretariat for Social Justice and Ecology 50 years ago. However, the concepts Justice and Reconciliation are not newly mentioned within the Society of Jesus. They date back to our Society of Jesus Foundational text ‘Formula of the Institute’, where our founding Father St. Ignatius of Loyola speaks about Reconciliation.  Read more on the JESC site

“Jesuit Schools: a Living Tradition in the 21st Century – An Ongoing Exercise of Discernment, provides 10 key identifiers of Jesuit Schools. These are another important element to help in the reflection about what makes a Jesuit school today Jesuit, enabling us to navigate the challenge of keeping our identity to serve our mission of reconciliation and justice central to what we do and who we are.” Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General, Rome, November 5, 2019 Feast of All Saints of the Society of Jesus Open the document   In this video published on the Feast of All Saints of the Society of Jesus (November 5th) Fr. General Arturo Sosa SJ presents a new document on education: “Jesuit Schools: A Living Tradition in the 21st Century – An Ongoing Exercise of Discernment”. “Jesuit Education, as human history itself, is a living tradition that calls for open eyes, ears and hearts. This document wants to be an invitation to continue this conversation at all levels in our schools and school networks. We are, at ICAJE, even hesitant to call it a document since we want this to be a living text that can help us keep pace with our era in which fast change is the new normal, with all the positive and problematic aspects this entails.” José Mesa SJ. Worldwide Secretary for Education. Society of Jesus In this video Fr. José Mesa SJ introduces the new document “A Living Tradition” and explains its three interrelated parts. The first part is a reflection on the foundational documents of Jesuit Education, the second part is the new global reality, the third part offers 10 Global Identifiers that should be present in any Jesuit School. 

As an innovative pastoral project, the online format of young German-speaking Jesuits "One Minute Homily" has been awarded the Bonifatius Prize. The “Bonifatiuswerk” (from the name of Saint Boniface, "The Apostle of the Germans") of German Catholics awards the prize for missionary projects every three years as part of the Opening of its annual Campaign. The motto of this year's Campaign was: "Adventure Faith. Discoverer wanted". With the "One Minute Homilies", the young German-speaking Jesuits bring the Gospel of the Day to the point in one minute on Sundays and church holidays. In short video clips they translate the message of the biblical text into the everyday world of the people in understandable language. For the prominent jury around Bishop Peter Kohlgraf (Mainz), this was one reason why the video format was able to assert itself among the 220 entries. "With your weekly impulses you again find a place for the message of Jesus in the language of the people, also for people who are outside the church, but are nevertheless searching for spiritual fulfilment", Bishop Kohlgraf, as a member of the jury, explains the decision for the first prize. "The initiators courageously leave the usual church environment and show how the Gospel can be proclaimed in a pluralistic and differentiated society in a contemporary way". The jury also included the Federal Minister Julia Klöckner, the Bishop of Mainz Prof. Dr. Peter Kohlgraf, the journalist and presenter Gundula Gause, the President of The Alliance of the German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) Lisi Maier, the Franciscan Sr. Maria Magdalena Jardin (Münster-Mauritz), Prelate Erich Läufer (Köln) and the General Secretary of the Bonifatiuswerk, Monsignor Georg Austen. The prize was awarded on  November 3rd parallel to the opening of the Opening of the annual Campaign in Mainz. German Scholastic Dag Heinrichowski SJ (actually studying in Paris) brought the project from America to the German-speaking provinces of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Together with Jonas Linz SJ and Pia Dyckmans, Public Relations Officer of the German Jesuit Province, he accepted the prize for the team of young Jesuits. "It was quite a surprise when I received a call from Paderborn. The award is a great appreciation and recognition for our project and makes us very happy. It is good to know that we are supported! At the same time, the award encourages us to try even harder to leave the Catholic filter bubble," said Dag Heinrichowski SJ. The Bonifatius Prize is endowed with 3,000 Euros and honours the commitment of people who pass on faith in a committed and extraordinary way in their Catholic parishes, in institutions and associations or as individuals.

Founded in 1919, the Laennec Centre in Marseille, which supports nearly 1000 medical students according to Jesuit pedagogy, celebrated its 100th anniversary last October. The Laennec Centre in Marseille, which today hosts 980 students in medicine, dentistry, maieutics and pharmacy, celebrated its centenary on 18 October. It was the feast day of the evangelist Saint Luke, patron saint of doctors. On this occasion, many festivities took place in the Marseilles establishment. After an address by the President of the Laennec Centre Association, Professor Jean-François Mattei, former Minister and President of the Academy of Medicine, chaired a conference on the greatness and servitudes of medicine and care. The participants then shared in three forums for a moment of exchange and debate: tomorrow's medicine, health policy and access to care, health and the environment. At the end of the afternoon, Archbishop Aveline of Marseille presided at the Mass, surrounded by several Jesuits and in the presence of a large assembly. In his speech, the Provincial, François Boëdec, reiterated the challenges of the Jesuits' presence among medical students. "On this path between the doctor's consciousness and the patient's trust, everyone is encouraged to progress and give the best of themselves. The Centre aims to help overcome the careerist and individualistic aspect that too often prevails in medical studies and to support as much as possible the inner growth of tomorrow's health professionals. All this makes up the alchemy, the DNA, the treasure and the "soul supplement" to which the Laennec Centres, rooted in the strength of renewal that the Gospel brings to our lives and to the life of this world, are attached and on which they strive to watch." Guests - including many former students - were then able to (re)discover today's Laennec Centre, whose buildings have been significantly expanded. Turning a page after a period of 100 years means opening a new one where ordinary time takes back all its rights. After the celebration... will come, again and again: seriousness in work, kindness in relationships, mutual support in effort and correctness in behaviour. Pierre Clermidy S.J., Director of the Laennec Marseille Centre https://laennec-marseille.fr 

The Kairos experience in the Ignatian Schools. This experience aims at helping young people re-read and make peace with their life story, examine their  relationships, and grow emotionally. "Young people always live outside themselves," explains Fr. Renato Colizzi, Director of CIS. "The great emotional knots that mark their age are always left on the sideline of their education" Therefore we are proposing: "the experience of the spiritual exercises in a different form: this experience does not consist of prayer or meditating on the tenets of faith in the traditional way but consists of working on relationships with parents and siblings in  a simple way: this is the Kairos experience. Rather than concentrating on the academic profile, this program focuses on the relational and affective life of young people.  The method used for this journey is sharing between peers, as well as with teachers and Jesuits and a 3-day residential experience ". This is a journey that allows one to experience the depth and richness of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in a form suitable for high school students. This is a very significant initiative in the pastoral activity of the schools.  In fact 50 high school students coming from 8 different colleges of the Province took part in it in Susa from October 9 to 12. This is an opportunity to question and deepen even one’s personal relationship with the Lord. Doubts and questions come to light in the re-reading and in the recounting of their own experiences. "This experience," explains 17-year-old Federico of the Istituto Massimo di Roma "has given me a knowledge of myself that I was not aware of before. Through self-discovery and using my time well, I was able to reflect on subjects that were previously frightening. It will be useful for the future ". "This is not just a retreat, but an experience organized by young people for other young people" 18-year-old Alessandro, of the Social Institute of Turin highlights. "Before arriving, I had some prejudices," admits 17-year-old Nicolò, "I received a new awareness of the present and of myself that leads me to a deeper relationship with today and tomorrow." The young people who were the first to go through the experience during the scholastic year, will then accompany, as "Ignatian leaders", their other companions in this experience. Among the other programs planned in the schools’ pastoral activity, there is the experience of the spiritual exercises given to young people in the fifth year of high school, the prayer journey for the Ignatian movements - MEG and Student Mission League – and the prayer journeys and summer camps organised for service-giving.  About 8 thousand students attend the Ignatian schools of the Euro-Mediterranean Province.

On 5 November, the Jesuit review choisir celebrated its 60th anniversary in Geneva. The opportunity for its director Pierre Emonet SJ, and for the Provincial of the Jesuits in Switzerland Christian Rutishauser SJ, to pay tribute to all those who have enabled the journal to become what it is today. This special event also saw the launch of a short story competition for young writers which will result in the publication of a collection of fifteen of the best original texts co-published with Slatkine. To mark this anniversary, choisir’s editorial team, headed by its editor-in-chief Lucienne Bittar, decided to shake things up a little and entertain the hundred or so guests with two hours of literary readings interspersed with music. As most of the guests were friends and loyal readers of the journal, and equally passionate about literature, the result was an evening filled with pleasure and sharing. The fact that the writers themselves were there to lend their own unique voice to their prose added extra soul to the stories and won over the audience’s hearts. Thank you viele male! Having travelled from Zurich especially for the occasion, Provincial Christian Rutishauser SJ used his speech to highlight the importance of a strong Jesuit presence in Geneva. For him, the launch of the journal in 1959 was a judicious choice. He noted that Jesuits in French-speaking Switzerland were quick to pick up on the changes taking place within the Catholic church which was “no longer seeking to act as a bulwark against modern times, but to support believers” in the changing society. Geneva’s Fathers listened to their contemporaries’ needs and reacted by launching a journal offering guidance, discernment, information and fundamental knowledge. Tools which are still very much needed today to help us “live in a responsible and free manner, as Catholics, and as citizens, in a multicultural society.” Be bold Speaking just before the Provincial, the director of choisir, Pierre Emonet SJ, also made reference to the founders’ perspicacity in their desire to “provide French-speaking Switzerland with a journal of Ignatian inspiration which is neither strictly confessional nor a simple mouthpiece for directives from the Catholic hierarchy, but ecumenical, which encourages readers to think about their own responsibility, their freedom, by sharing thoughts and analysis, to help them make choices. In a word, a journal for discernment.” He went on to say, not without a touch of humour, “The main thing is not to wallow in or lament the past, but to envisage the future with realism and gain new momentum, without thinking too much about retirement, even though we are 60.” He thereby expressed the wish that in the future, as in the past, Jesuits are able to adapt and show flexibility by working alongside laypeople to guarantee the longevity of a publication as important for the formation of adults as the journal choisir. Showcasing the young generation Before moving on to the recreational part of the evening, Pierre Emonet SJ and Céline Fossati officially launched the “Short story competition for young authors” open to all writers under the age of 35, Swiss or living in Switzerland, writing in French and having been commercially published no more than once (full rules are available on the journal’s website www.choisir.ch). They were delighted to announce that a jury of professionals from the world of publishing and books will select the fifteen best stories. An exciting project enthusiastically welcomed by the writers present as well as by the Provincial and the guests. Let the celebration of words continue!

New Cristianismo y Justicia (CJ = Christianity and Justice) CJ booklet in English: “Believing in sustainability. Religions facing the environmental challenge”. In this essay the author proposes ten reasons for involving the world’s religions in the environmental debate. The ten reasons offer important keys for understanding the religious declarations of recent years as valid strategies for personal, institutional, and social transformation. The author seeks to open up the prophetic, ascetical, penitential, apocalyptic, sacramental, soteriological, mystical, wisdom, communitarian, and eschatological dimensions that pervade the spiritual experience of humankind. The articulation of these ten elements allows us to elaborate an environmental proposal of an interreligious nature. The author is Jaime Tatay Nieto, jesuit. He has a forestry engineering degree from ETSIM-Universitat de Lleida. He holds a licentiate in theology from Boston College and a doctorate in theology from Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid, where he is currently a professor. He is also director of the journal Razón y Fe.

For 150 years, the NRT (New Theological Review) has been involved in theological reflection and dialogue. A jubilee symposium was organized in Brussels on 10 and 11 November to review the main moments of this Belgian (and somewhat French) history and discuss current theological topics: the place of the Bible in dogmatic reflection, bioethics or the relationship between philosophy and theology. Created in 1869, the NRT have had as first mission to make known in Belgium the canonical decisions taken in Rome and to report on pontifical discourses. In 1921, when the reins were entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits, the magazine became a place for reflection and debate among theologians. The specificity of the NRT is to study religious questions from a strictly theological and ecclesial point of view, according to Christian Revelation, as well as according to the sciences of religions or other human sciences. In each issue, the NRT also includes an impressive number of reviews of recently published books: it is undoubtedly the only theological journal to offer such a broad and sustained overview of publications in the field of religious sciences. If this review, halfway between the magazine and the book, is not really intended for the general public, it is nevertheless addressed to any Christian who wishes to be trained in the theological questions of our time. The conference: 10-11 November in Brussels During two days, historians, philosophers and theologians spoke on different issues. The first day was devoted to the memory of the journal. Historians Bernard Joassart S.J. and Guillaume Cuchet have demonstrated how modernism and the affair of "new theology" have given the NRT its distinctive marks of universality and moderation. The former directors also discussed key points in the history of the journal, such as the appropriation of Vatican II or the still topical issues of bioethics. The next day, a dozen speakers followed one another to lead the dialogues on the main themes of the review today: exegesis and dogmatism (notably by Jean-Louis Ska S.J., Biblicum); the place of the mystery of Israel in Christology (Michel Fédou S.J, Centres Sèvres); the role of the Bible in solving problems of moral theology (Alain Thomasset S.J., Centre Sèvres; Sr Noëlle Hausman, NRT); finally the relationship between theology and philosophy (by Pierre Piret S.J., Forum Saint-Michel). This conference was the occasion for a prayerful thanksgiving, under the chairmanship of Bishop Lode Aerts of Bruges, and a celebration around a large birthday cake... decorated with the names of the 9000 authors of the magazine! NRT in figures - 106,000 pages published since 1869 - 400 books reviewed every year - 1850 subscribers in 2019, living in 85 countries - 2911 articles published on the website www.nrt.be Alban Massie S.J., Director of the NRT

The third Steering Committee of the HEST (Higher Education for Social Transformation) project took place on 25 November 2019. The coordinators of the different clusters of the project, together with representatives of the JCEP, JESC and the Kircher network took part in it. Specifically, we met:              - Franck Janin SJ: President of the JCEP              - Peter Rozic SJ: Director of JESC              - Philip Geister SJ: President of the Kircher network              - Susana Ditrolio: Executive Secretary of the Kircher network              - Pedro Linares: Representative of the ecology cluster              - Ricardo Aguado: Coordinator of the economy cluster              - Gonzalo Villagrán SJ: Islam Cluster Coordinator              - Jacek Poznansky SJ: Outgoing Coordinator of the Science and Religion Cluster              - Josef Quitterer: Incoming Coordinator of the Science and Religion Cluster              - Eric Charmetant SJ: Anthropology Cluster Coordinator              - José García de Castro SJ: Coordinator of the Ignatian Studies Cluster              - Philip Endean: Collaborator in the Anthropology, Ignatian Studies and Islam Clusters              - Rafael Silva: Assistant at the JCEP              - Checa Romero: Coordinator of the HEST project The meeting was held in a climate of trust and companionship fruit of the work done in the last 3 years in the project. In relation to the content, the meeting had two clearly differentiated parts: in the morning we dedicated to review what had happened in the last year in each cluster along with a brief evaluation of the project to date. The Afternoon, however, focused on looking together towards the future and proposing action plans that could be constituted as the network's strategic plan for the new 2020-2022 period. The meeting ended with a brief sharing in which both the magnitude of the challenge before us and the illusion of facing it were realistically demonstrated. May God bless these efforts and give us all the wisdom and energy to continue building these minimal research communities for the common good.

The Conference of Jesuit Provincials of Latin America and the Caribbean - CPAL, the Central American Province of the Society of Jesus, and the Association of Universities entrusted to the Society of Jesus in Latin America - AUSJAL, uniting our voices to that of the Bishops of Nicaragua and many other social actors, we urgently call on the international community to firmly express its rejection of the way the Nicaraguan government, through its security forces, has been disrespecting Civil rights enshrined in the national constitution: repressing the manifestations of peaceful protest provoking opposition people and groups to justify their own violence, preventing the rights of religious freedom and assembly, capturing and disappearing opposition militants, accusing their opponents of crimes not committed, preventing humanitarian work and acts of peaceful civil disobedience, falsely and slanderously accusing authorities of the Catholic Church, among others. We declare our special solidarity with Fr. Edwin Román and with all the mothers who fast in Masaya to ask that their imprisoned children be released, as well as with the 13 activists recently arrested for bringing them water to alleviate their hunger strike. We condemn the capture of the Managua Cathedral and the attacks against the Fr. Rodolfo López and Sr. Arelys Guzmán, as well as the siege against various parishes. We condemn the provocation of government riot groups to the students of the Central American University - UCA, which, once again, yesterday, November 19, 2019, suffered their siege at the facilities of the Central American University in Managua. We reject and condemn the attempt by these government-controlled groups to violate the University campus. We ask Mr. Daniel Ortega to immediately order the cessation of harassment, aggression and violation of the human and civil rights of the members of the opposition, and we urge all those responsible for these sieges to depose their position. “It is too much pain that Nicaraguans have suffered. Families that are besieged carry double suffering; the lack of freedom of his imprisoned relatives and, now, the state of siege that threatens their lives” (statement of the Episcopal Conference). To the INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY in religious and humanitarian organizations, international organizations, democratic governments of the world and, particularly in Europe and America, we ask you to exercise your best offices to guarantee Nicaragua's return to the democratic system through: - the public demand for immediate respect for civil rights enshrined in the Nicaraguan national constitution: freedom of worship, freedom of mobilization, freedom of peaceful protest, freedom of political organization, freedom of the press and information, freedom of research and teaching; - the public international condemnation of the methods of repression that have resulted in more than 300 people killed, more than 2,000 Nicaraguans injured and more than 700 political prisoners, of which more than 150 remain in prison; - the activation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter (OAS) to prevent further bleeding among the Nicaraguan people tired of such oppression, misery and manipulation by the regime, as well as to prevent the intervention of foreign powers that want to benefit at this time of very serious political crisis We send a special greeting and our solidarity to all the victims of violence in Nicaragua. We assure you of our fraternal support and our willingness to continue fighting for a more just and democratic society. We implore God's blessing on all, so that we know how to be agents of reconciliation in justice and truth. Rolando ALVARADO, S.J., Provincial Central American Province Ernesto CAVASSA, S.J., President AUSJAL (Association of Jesuit Universities in Latin America) Roberto JARAMILLO, S.J., President CPAL (Jesuit Conference of Latin America)

Since the end of October, the Province of Spain has a new configuration of its Apostolic Platforms. Now, the map of the Province has 10 platforms and 3 hubs. Instead of the previous situation of 25 Apostolic Platforms and 2 Territorial ones. This change is a better response to our apostolic and community reality. The Provincial, Antonio España, communicated the new configuration of the Apostolic Platforms to Jesuits and project managers. After a long process of clarification, the last step - which was the approval of Father General - has been completed. From this moment on we will have a map with ten platforms and three nuclei, which tries to respond better to the apostolic and community reality. In his explanation, besides describing the process followed until arriving at this new map, the provincial points out some of the criteria and lessons learned that are behind the decisions taken. Diversity of ministries within a Platform, which make possible collaboration and a sufficient critical mass of people, works and communities. The reduction of the number of PA will allow a better coordination between Platforms and Sectors. Sustainability in the medium term, taking into account the redimension that we will have to face in the coming years The creation of apostolic nuclei is restricted, and it is thought for Platforms of great geographical extension. Thus, the new configuration allows many different ministries on each platform, facilitating collaboration with a sufficient critical mass of people, works and communities. The map of the new Apostolic Platforms can be found here.

God keeps calling young people to start a spiritual journey of faith and service. This year, the European Jesuit novitiates welcomed 51 new novices with a big desire to start this journey. 51 young blooded men with very different backgrounds, but all with the same desire of following the steps of Jesus Christ. In a time when the number of consecrated people is getting lower and lower it is a big blessing to see that these young Jesuits left all behind to aim a priest or brotherhood life. But not everything is a piece of cake. Entry into the novitiate implies a preliminary program that brings together candidates with Jesuits who are experts in discernment. The goal is to grow in freedom before God to discover all the dimensions of the Jesuit vocation. This process involves doing spiritual exercises and placing oneself completely in God's hands to choose freely and generously. You want to know more about how to become a Jesuit? Check our page: https://jesuits.eu/join-the-mission/become-a-jesuit All together there are 82 novices in the ten European novitiates, 51 in first year and 31 in second year. A novice learns to create a community of brothers who grow in prayer, knowledge of the Society, apostolic work, and personal enrichment. He meets the Lord through the 30-day Spiritual Exercises retreat. At the end of these two years, he pronounces vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In the Jesuit Conference of Europe and Near East there are ten noviciates. These are the details from each one:   Birmingham (U.K.) BRI-HIB First year: 2 Novices Second year: 4 Novices Total novitiate: 6 (all of them on the picture)           Cairo (Egypt) PRO First year: 4 Second year: 0 Total novitiate: 4   Coimbra (Portugal) POR First year: 4 (on the picture) Second year: 5 Total novitiate: 9          Gdynia (Poland) PMA – PME - RUS First year: 14 (on the picture) Second Year: 4 Total Novitiate: 18        Genoa (Italy) EUM – HUN - SLN First year: 10 (on the picture) Second Year: 8 Total Novitiate: 18       Lyon (France) EOF First year: 5 (on the picture) Second year: 4 Total Novitiate: 9         Nuremberg (Germany) ASR – GER - LIT First year: 3 (on the picture) Second year:2 Total Novitiate: 5        Ruzomberok (Slovakia) BOH - SVK First year: 2 Second year: 0 Total Novitiate: 2   San Sebastián (Spain) ESP First year: 4 (on the picture) Second year: 3 Total Novitiate: 7         Split (Croatia) CRO First year: 3 Second year: 0 Total novitiate: 3     Read also What the Jesuits of the future are dreaming of

First vows, last vows, diaconal ordinations and priestly ordinations.