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.