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Portuguese Provincial presents Apostolic Preferences to Social Assembly.

"More than a list of things to do, the Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP) should indicate a different way of doing things" and to act throughout the Society. This was the challenge left by the Provincial at the start of the Fifth Ignatian Social Assembly, which had taken place taking in the end of March at in the Almada Seminary (other side of the river from Lisbon)  The meeting of the collaborators of the 26 social institutions linked to the Jesuits,  was a time of debate, reflection and sharing.

Father José Frazão Correia referred to the four apostolic priorities that were announced  by the General Curia of the Jesuits and which give indications for the action of the entire Ignatian community over the next ten years. And that are: "Show the way to God through spiritual exercises and discernment; To walk with the poor, the discarded of the world, the violated ones in their dignity; Accompany young people in creating a promising future; Collaborate in the care of the Common House ". These general orientations result from a long and profound process of discernment, which began in the local communities, and even went to the Pope, who validated the path that the Company intends to make.

"More than doing something, it's about doing it in a certain way. The preferences indicate a way of proceeding, not only the fields of work in which we want to act, but a style that is born of the intimacy with the style of Jesus. The  UAP reminds us, not what is done, nor for who does it, but a way of doing, "said Father Provincial, before several dozen collaborators  who share the mission of the Company.

Of the four, Fr. José Frazão, following the interpretation of Father General and of Pope Francis, underlined the first, which focuses on the importance of spiritual exercises and discernment. "Without this, other preferences do not work," he said, "without this prayerful attitude," all the work that can be done can be summarized only as an ideological work or achievement. "

The provincial of the Jesuits also stressed the urgency to welcome, naturally, the secular and plural time that we are given to live, in which the Church is no longer heard as a relevant voice. "It is up to us to accomplish the mission of the Lord in the time that we are. The people of today are the people to whom we are sent, "said Fr. José Frazão Correia.”There is another that is not us, which is the center, the motor and the horizon of what we do. Our horizon is not the Church, the Company, the work in which we work. It is the Lord, it is for Him that we have to indicate the way. "

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