A Jesuit novice experiment at the Lasalle House in Switzerland.

Fabian is a second year novice from Germany. His last experiment led him to the Lassalle House, a retreat house of the Swiss Jesuits. Here he talks about his experiences in front of and behind the scenes.

I already knew that Jesuits went to the Far East to inspire people in Japan and China with the Gospel message. But I hardly suspected that the novitiate would bring me very close to testimonies of Far Eastern culture. And that even in Central Switzerland, which I had previously associated more with raclette, church bells and cowbells than with incense sticks, gongs and singing bowls.

How did this come about? I was sent from January to the beginning of March to the Lassalle-Haus in Bad Schönbrunn in the canton of Zug to do my so-called "pastoral experiment" there. That means: I should get to know an institution in which the Jesuits offer retreats and educational work.

There I had the opportunity to get to know the community of seven confreres - inside this impressive building and outside during the typical Swiss hiking tour. One of my tasks was to help in the kitchen regularly in the mornings. So I was able to see the business, which serves up to 100 guests, from a completely different angle. The Jesuits take responsibility for many employees, but do not have to work here as lonely heroes. I am very glad that there are many highly motivated people here who support the ministry. That gives courage for the future, because even today the Jesuits are not left alone with their concerns. Here I have learned important things about the cooperation with non-Jesuits. For both sides it is helpful when mutual respect prevails and Jesuits sometimes "get their hands dirty" with simple, perhaps less attractive activities. Ignatius also wants obedience when working in the kitchen: "I do it the way the chef wants, because it goes faster and simply helps him more.

But peeling potatoes wasn't all I did. So I took part in different courses. For example, during the Hebrew week I worked with 35 other guests on texts from the Old Testament and experienced how Jesuits cultivate the interreligious dialogue with Judaism today. I also participated in an introduction to Zen meditation. Jesuits like Hugo Lassalle and Niklaus Brantschen brought it to Europe decades ago. These courses not only serve the dialogue with Buddhism, but are also elements of Jesuit pastoral care. It is not only in Switzerland that people are inspired to perceive the present in silence through these very old forms of meditation. I really like the fact that the Jesuits remain so courageous and eager to discover and offer us Westerners such opportunities for spiritual experience. At first it was strange to me and sitting still for hours is more difficult than it sounds - but with a little practice this form of meditation helped me to find myself again in the presence of God.

Of course the Jesuits in the Lassalle-Haus also cultivate their own spiritual traditions of contemplation and the Ignatian retreat. Many people come here to "order their lives" in various courses, as Ignatius says. Also in this area I was allowed to try myself a little: As an accompaniment to an introductory course for young adults. There I was amazed at how God works in the soul of each individual. The participants, although older than me, placed their trust in me and told me what was moving within them through the silence and prayer with the biblical scenes. I know from my own retreat experience how crucial a careful and attentive conversation about this is and have entrusted myself in prayer to God to guide the event.

From the beginning it has been one of the principles of the Jesuits' pastoral care to adapt their work to the present conditions. In Switzerland today, this means accepting the widespread religious disrootedness and still making trusting progress in the cause of finding God in all things. I have experienced that the confreres do exactly that and do not let themselves be discouraged by setbacks or worries. That is why I return to the novitiate with still living impressions of Jesuits who with all their heart "help the souls" strengthened.

Jesuits Germany