NEWS

From May 4 to 7, the annual meeting of the Jeswebcom group of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials took place at the European Center for Culture and Communication in Falenica (Warsaw, Poland). This group is responsible for coordinating communication across the provinces within the Conference. The meeting brought together representatives from 11 of the 16 Provinces that comprise the conference, as well as representatives from the JCEP in Brussels and the communications office of the General Curia in Rome. We particularly felt the absence of our colleague from the Province of the Near East, who was unable to attend due to travel restrictions from Lebanon. We kept the situation in that region especially close in our prayers. The meeting began with a round of sharing about the current state of each communications office, allowing us to follow their activities and learn about the challenges each one faces. We dedicated several extensive sessions, led by Wojciech Żmudziński SJ and Olena Tkachuk to learning about the communication work being carried out in the Polish provinces, where very valuable digital communication initiatives have been developed in recent years (website, YouTube channel, Deon, Pray as you go...). There was also a very interesting moment during a workshop with Ewa Novak, a young Polish Christian influencer, who shared with us how she approaches evangelization on social media. We also had the opportunity to present and discuss a joint training proposal for the Jeswebcom group, prepared by Laura Galimberti, as well as to organize the group's activities and the structure of its steering committee for the coming year. A particularly impactful and stimulating moment was our time with several Jesuits from the Russian region (part of the North Poland Province); they shared the current situation of the region and how they perceive their presence in the media. These moments of intense work were balanced by a wonderful historical visit to Warsaw and the Jesuit Church in the city center, which finished with a great Polish dinner of pierogi. It has been an extraordinary opportunity to continue our ongoing training in current communication trends, learn about the work being done in each province, and better organize our joint efforts. The shared feeling was that of a very enriching time of exchange, learning, and common projects for the future. We experienced again how a coordinated approach to the mission from the perspective of the Conference level enriches the work of each province, gives them a deeper strategic insight and help the Society of Jesus in Europe to reach a higher level of apostolic agency. Special thanks must be given to Wojciech Żmudziński and the entire team at the European Center for Communication and Culture in Falenica for the splendid organization of the meeting program and for such a warm, attentive, and detail-oriented welcome.

From May 18th to May 23rd, the members of the JCEP Groups on Vocation Promotion and Young Adult Ministry gathered together in Son Bono, the Jesuit retreat house in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 22 participants from both groups, representing the majority of the provinces in Europe, came together to discuss the situation of these two strategic fields of apostolic work. Among the participants there were Jesuits but also some lay people, which made the group very rich and lively. The meeting had been prepared by the members of both steering committees: Benoît de Maintenant SJ, Fonfo Alonso Lasheras SJ, Duarte Rosado SJ, and Mislav Skelin SJ, from the Vocation Promotion Group; and Walter Ceyssens SJ and Leonardo Vezzani SJ from the Young Adult Ministry Group. Young Adult Ministry and Vocation Promotion are two clear key apostolic fields for the Society of Jesus, and experience shows the need to approach them in a more global way rather than separately in each province. Young people travel more and more, and their concerns and questions have today a larger scope than just local problems. A Conference approach to these topics proves, therefore, to be essential today. The meeting started with a time of sharing the joys and challenges of each member of the group, which helped the group to realize the personal moment of each one. We also had a workshop on the vocation of the Jesuit brother with José Mª Tejedor SJ and Théophile Desarmeaux SJ for the Vocation Promotion Group; and a workshop on the religious situation of contemporary youth by Sergio Gadea SJ, professor of philosophy at Comillas University. We also took some time to answer the JCEP President's question about the implication of the thirst for God that appears now in Europe as a means to contribute to the apostolic planning of the Conference. Finally, we had a time to think together about the future of each group and their developments, and to choose the new members of the steering committees. Maybe one important topic that was present as a bottom line in all our encounter was the experience of the present revival of religion among young people – a new thirst for God –, a phenomenon always complex and with many ambiguities. The general impression among us is that, being conscious of its limitations, it presents an important call for the Society of Jesus that we should answer. The meeting included also very nice fraternal moments, taking advantage of the deep Jesuit roots in Mallorca. We tend to think of Mallorca as a paradisiacal place for holidays and we forget that it is a place deeply present in the origins of the Society of Jesus. In this sense, we visited the town of Valldemossa, a small village in the mountains to the north of the island, 30 minutes away from Palma. Not only did this town have a Carthusian monastery in the past, but there is also a functioning hermitage in the mountains next to the sea. Jerónimo Nadal, a famous Jesuit of the first moments and the one who contributed to the implementation of the Constitutions in the early days, lived as an hermit in Valldemossa for some time until the reading of the letters by Saint Francis Xavier gave him the strength to decide to go to Rome and enter the Society of Jesus. We also visited several places related to Saint Alonso Rodríguez, the great Saint and Jesuit brother, to whom Hopkins dedicated a famous poem, and who, among other things, helped Saint Peter Claver to find his path in the Society. We celebrated a Mass in the shrine where he had a vision of our Lady, and we had a prayer at his tomb in the Jesuit Church of Montesión. We also had the opportunity to meet the lay people who are now in charge of the significant Jesuit presence on the Island, particularly in Montesión School, where we could spend some time with the pastoral team and some students. This was a strong sign of the enormous possibilities of collaboration in the mission when we put in place the proper formation and support for lay people. We are particularly thankful to the local lay people, Rafael Mas and Emilia Torres, who, with Fonfo Alonso Lasheras SJ, ensured that all the details were perfect during our stay in Mallorca. It is also important to stress the beauty and quality of the Jesuit retreat house in Mallorca, Son Bono, that created the perfect setting for our exchanges.      

As the Society of Jesus continues to deepen its commitment to synodality, collaboration, and apostolic planning, the ability to discern together is becoming increasingly important. On May 8-15, participants from across Europe and beyond gathered in Dublin for a workshop on Ignatian discernment in common (DICAP), exploring how groups can listen to the Holy Spirit and make decisions together in a spirit of freedom and trust. This formation was organized by the ESDAC group. ESDAC is an international Christian association dedicated to fostering communion and discernment within groups. It has been developing in Belgium and other countries since 1995. It views discernment as a skill to be cultivated from a young age and practiced at all times and in all places: alone, as a couple, with family, in the classroom, in communities, in teams, on boards of directors, in pastoral units, and so on. The following reflection was originally written by Brendan McManus SJ and complemented by other participants of this ESDAC formation.   It shouldn’t have worked at all: getting a group of 36 people from 15 countries and diverse backgrounds and ministries to come together for 7 days and find common ground was quite a feat. Outside in the world divisive narratives, political machinations and lack of dialogue prevailed, communal discernment and making group decisions seemed like an impossible dream. Until this workshop, that is…. The Ignatian tradition was central here in offering another way to interact as a group. It was broad enough to encompass different spiritual traditions and backgrounds, that is ecumenical in character. The method was a genuinely spiritual process of ‘listening together’ for the movement of the Holy Spirit. The workshop was based on the ESDAC method of communal discernment and developed into this practical framework for decision making and planning that is DICAP. It is firmly rooted in the wisdom of St Ignatius Loyola, with references to the Spiritual Exercises everywhere, and adapted for contemporary groups seeking to discern God’s will together. At its heart, communal discernment begins with an insight from the Spiritual Exercises: God is already at work in each individual and therefore in the group itself (St Paul’s concept of the ‘body of Christ’). I’ve been guilty myself of focusing on individual discernment almost exclusively, missing out on the gift that it is group work, not to mention the greater impact and enhanced decision-making capacity. It has a world changing insight at its core: groups can find a way through conflict to consensus. The invitation is not to see decision making as authoritarian or directive, as is too often the case, but to trust in the gentle action of grace. This changes the dynamic completely. The emphasis moves from imposing one’s will or winning arguments to attentive listening; from anxious posturing to trust; from rigid control to openness to the Spirit. The ESDAC process with its three rounds of group sharing creates a safe, structured space where people can speak honestly, pray together, and identify the Ignatian ‘movements’ within themselves and within the group. It differentiates the ‘still, small voice’ of the Holy Spirit that speaks through consolation: peace, openness, vitality, or a growing sense of coherence (the movement towards God; the right direction). Equally, desolation shows up as agitation, unease, or heaviness, normally indicating a wrong direction (counter movement). The discernment process and what plays out in the group a growing sense of a consensus and an invitation to spiritual freedom, the letting go of individual agendas. We were introduced to the ESDAC method of Ignatian communal discernment structured around three questions “Who? What? How?”. These can be summarised in order of importance as first a focus on identity (“Who?”), then objectives (“What?”), before finally arriving at the practical implementation (“How?”). It is always tempting for groups to start with the practical ‘How’ but the other levels often need attention first and are harder but more worthwhile work. We need to ask who the community is becoming before God (i.e. grace, charism, purpose) through dialogue and clarifying questions around identity; Then the ‘what’ comes into play, strategic or apostolic ‘calls (take the Jesuit UAPs, for example, which offer orientations or priorities)’, this is effectively a vision of where we want to go; Finally the ‘how’ in terms of concrete action or mission that God may be calling the group toward, that is: structures, programs and resources. This process ensures that discerned decisions emerge not merely from expediency or efficiency, but from a shared spiritual focus that seeks coherence, Ignatian freedom, and a genuinely Spirit-led apostolic mission. A key feature of the process was the Ignatian method of deep listening, based on ‘spiritual conversation’. Participants were invited to listen not only to the words being spoken, but also to what stirred within them as others spoke. Ignatius believed that God communicates through our deepest desires and affective movements. In communal discernment, this became a shared spiritual practice. Typically, the breakthrough came not through the loudest voice, but through the quiet emergence of a common ‘echo’. Silence was crucial, both in our personal prayer and in group spaces. Often silence can feel awkward or unproductive; but here it was a way of remaining connected to the source and creating sacred space. Silence allowed reactions to settle, the ego to loosen its grip, and deeper wisdom to surface. We discoved that clarity emerged gradually, largely organically, when enough room was given for reflection and prayer. It does take huge chunks of time and energy. The ESDAC approach also celebrates difference and helps move from the ego to humility. What we witnessed was that each person had something to offer and the method allowed all voices to be heard equally. Rather than one person dominating and dictating, communal discernment worked through the three rounds of sharing that used listening and cooperation to create mutual trust and vulnerability. This took a lot of effort, and we had to learn to be open to the Spirit working in another, even when they were from a very different cultural background. Communal discernment asks each person to go on a journey with the others towards the greater love, a deeper freedom, and a hard won but fruitful dialogue on incarnate ways of building the Kingdom. We discovered that group discernment does not guarantee an easy answer. Rather, the process is a container for the ‘death-resurrection cycle’ that goes deep, surfacing fears and doubts (a downward movement), and building consensus (an upward movement) with the Spirit’s help. Often, the process revealed complexity rather than certainty. There was one clear moment when the group experienced a profound shift: we had run aground trying to force an artificially agreed shared mission. There was huge learning in the common experience of desolation, unease and too-hard struggle, and the subsequent return of consolation, light and freedom, in letting go of this forced ideal. There was a palpable sense of group ‘movements of the Spirit’, getting a feel for how genuine discernment works experientially and how we can read what is going on within ourselves and the group. One of the most memorable group exercises was called the Museum of Shadows, a powerful experience of reconciliation of communal sin. We began with a prayer sheet, then personal prayer and finally small group sharing on what paralyses us and prevents us as a church from moving forward. Meals were taken in silence that day. Then each small group was invited to name a sin, a common paralysis, and to represent it as a group statue. There were no words spoken, just a word written large at the foot of the statue to name the particular paralysis. Some themes were: closed hearts, self-centredness, washing our hands, and miscommunication. When the statues were ready, the other half of the groups contemplated this ‘museum of shadows’. We walked silently between the statues, observing the ‘frozen’ bodies, hands, faces, in order to feel what the statues-people were feeling in their paralysis. It was hard to communicate just how powerful this was, a visceral embodiment of sin and its paralysing effects, inviting repentance and renewal. In Manresa, Spain, Ignatius experienced profound spiritual development, including the integrating illumination by the River Cardoner, which was central for seeing God active in all things. Similarly, Ignatian communal discernment is points to a ‘group’ spirituality, a way of finding God’s will together. It is a way of proceeding communally, just like the early companions of Ignatius in 1539; being prayerful, attentive, respectful, and constructive. It is a dramatic counter witness to a divided, fear-filled world, and constitutes a real personal and communal transformation. This is what we experienced together during those precious days in Manresa, Dublin.

Located in the European quarter of Brussels, the Chapel for Europe has become a unique place of prayer, dialogue, hospitality, and encounter at the crossroads of cultures, languages, and institutions. In a city shaped by political decision-making and marked by constant international movement, the Chapel seeks to offer a spiritual home open to Europeans from many backgrounds, as well as to all those searching for meaning, silence, and community. Entrusted to the Society of Jesus, its mission reflects an Ignatian vision of accompaniment, reconciliation, and service in the public sphere. In this context, we spoke with Bernd Günther SJ, director of the Chapel for Europe and superior of Saint Benedict Community, the residence of the European Jesuits in Brussels. He reflects on the mission of the Chapel in today’s European context, the challenges of building Christian community in an international environment, and the importance of creating spaces where spirituality, culture, and dialogue can meet. 1 – To begin, could you tell us a bit about your personal background and your journey into the Society of Jesus, and eventually to Brussels? I am Bernd Günther sj, a German Jesuit. And I am since 2023 in Brussels at the Chapel for Europe. I have served in different ways as a Jesuit. After my regency in the youth apostolate I got my first mission as priest working for refugees. In the 90s we were just building up the first German office of the JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service) in Berlin. After my tertianship in Chile I joined the mission office in Nürnberg. We had the contact and did the fundraising for Jesuit projects worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia. Later the provincial asked me to become his socius. But finally I was happy to get out of more administrative jobs into a pastoral assignment. I was for 10 years in charge of the Jesuit parish St. Ignatius in Frankfurt and I loved it. These quite divers experiences made me curious to accept the mission to Brussels to the Chapel for Europe.  2 – Many of our readers may not be familiar with the concept of the Chapel for Europe or with its role within Brussels’ pastoral, political, and cultural landscape. How would you describe its mission today? The Chapel is a small church in the middle of the European Quarter in Brussels. It is a visible sign of the presence of Christian faith in this Europe of today, not only as a historical root, but as a living community of believers. It is a place of prayer and sharing, of reflection and dialogue. Its mission is the pastoral and spiritual care for those European who are living and working in the offices around the Chapel. A general reflection of the values and perspectives of the European Union encourages in difficult times.  “Europe needs a soul”, this word of former EU commission president Jacques Delors is an inspiration for the Chapel. And at the Chapel this goes always in an ecumenical cooperation and by promoting interreligious dialogue.  3 – The Chapel for Europe is, ultimately, an apostolic work of the Archdiocese of Brussels-Malines. How do you see the Jesuit identity of the Chapel and how does it play out in this experience of collaboration with the diocesan church in Brussels? The Chapel is an initiative of lay people and the Jesuits. It was founded 25 years ago when high ranking civil servants together with Belgian Jesuits and Belgian lay persons put everything into motion to save a small, already existing but derelict Chapel and to transform it into a vibrant place of worship, reflection and dialogue within the newly restructures European Quarters of Brussels. Until today the Chapel is an ecclesial association of lay people together with the Jesuits. The archdiocese is very cooperative and considers it part of their pastoral presence towards the big European community in Brussels. 4 – The Chapel for Europe had a very clear ecumenical purpose from its very beginning. Tell us something more about this essential ecumenical feature of the Chapel and how Ignatian spirituality can contribute to it. If we are working for a united Europe here in Brussels, the churches have to work on their own unity. Catholic, protestant, anglican , orthodox , evangelical churches from all over Europe have their representation and communities in Brussels. The Chapel for Europe is a place where many can come together. Every week we have an ecumenical Prayer Lunch with prayers from different denominations. Cooperating has become a normality. The main goal is to be a common visible Christian presence and to inspire the many Europeans here to live and work according to their faith. 5 – In the apostolic ecosystem of the Society of Jesus in Brussels, particularly with those working in European institutions, the Chapel is clearly a purely pastoral work oriented toward explicit evangelization. It is, in this sense, the complement to other works like JESC (Jesuit European Social Centre) or JRS Europe. How do you experience the contribution of explicit evangelization – direct preaching of the Gospel – to the construction of Europe and the mission of the Society in Europe? In the last years we were able to reach out to the generation of the young European professionals. These are mostly those who are already Christians, but are searching how to live it in an environment where faith is no longer a normality and not necessarily welcome. We have built up a small community around a Sunday evening mass and other events for a mutual support. Through an Alpha course we reach out to those that are not yet sure about their faith. Also we have from time to time a preparation for an adult baptism. The retreat in daily life helps to develop in greater depth the personal spiritual life. We hope that also in the next generation there will a good group of Christians to continue to bring the Gospel and its values into the Europe of tomorrow. 6 – In the Chapel, you are very much  in contact with many public servants in the European Union and people working closely within that important political milieu. You should be, thus, particularly well aware of the socio-political situation in Europe. Europe is experiencing many tensions and uncertainties, from political polarization to questions surrounding identity, solidarity, and the future of the European project. How do you interpret the present situation, and how can places like the Chapel contribute constructively in such a context? In the first place I become aware of the “hopes and joys, sorrows and fears” of the Europeans working here in Brussels. The last years have been quite challenging. Many have a much bigger work load today. War and peace, a newly difficult transatlantic relationship, the Green Deal, the stronger presence of the far right, artificial intelligence,… many big topics are to be dealt with. I admire the many civil servants who are, despite the problems, committed to the project of European unity and its values. At the Chapel we try to encourage them spiritually, and through reflection on the Christian basics of a united Europe. 7 – You have now been director of the Chapel for Europe for almost three years. Looking back on this experience, what would you describe as your greatest consolations and your greatest desolations? I am still very much impressed by the way how people of so many different cultures and backgrounds come together to work for a common good that is beyond the interests of certain groups or nations. The biggest problem at the Chapel is at the moment the financial situation. We are mainly depending on donations. Although we have many faithful friends and donors, we still have to struggle to keep up. We are grateful for all support. 8 – Finally, what message would you like to share with the many people living and working in the so-called “EU Bubble” in Brussels? (1 sentence) Not only for those in the EU-bubble: It is worth working towards a united Europe that stands up for peace and freedom, human dignity, justice and our shared home. May God help us through his Spirit to bring us more together and to keep us united.