Dublin / Salamanca. The formation of a Jesuit takes a long time. It begins with two years of novitiate. This is followed by studies in philosophy and theology. At the end there is a "Third year of formation", a Tertianship. In some places in Europe, such as Salamanca and Dublin, a new year has begun.

Salamanca

On September 14, the Tertianship began in Salamanca for 10 Jesuits from six different countries: Brazil, Chile, Italy, the United States, Portugal and Spain. The COVID-19 pandemic has not prevented the beginning of the experience, although it will logically condition the performance of some of the planned activities.

During the first week, the group received the visit of Fr. Provincial, Antonio España SJ who welcomed them. He encouraged the participants to take advantage of this unique experience and showed them the welcome and availability of the Province of Spain.

This time the Tertianship program should make an effort to adapt to the health circumstances. Some of the training talks will take place through videoconference and the visits to Ignatian places as well as the experiences will be conditioned by the evolution of the pandemic.

The 10 participants have diverse profiles and have worked in the social, educational, university and even scientific fields. These first days are being dedicated to getting to know each other and sharing the context from which each of them comes.

Dublin

Last spring we took the decision to offer the European tertianship programme this year as well, and to stick to the original starting date of 21st September so as to minimise+ the risk of coinciding with the onset of the flu in autumn. Little did we know that by then we would be in the midst of the second wave, and that Dublin would have more restrictions than the rest of the country! At that time we had twelve possible tertians on our list, seven of whom needed a visa.

On Monday 21st, the feast of St Matthew the evangelist, the group that assembled in Dublin for their tertianship was made up of six: Michele from Italy, Julian from Germany, Lukas from the US, Eugene from Lithuania, Learoy from India and Roman from Poland.

Some had dropped out for health reasons, others because they could not travel from their country to Ireland. Others had had their visa refused, one just three days before we started. Two of the six came at the eleventh hour, for they were on the waiting list until less than a week before we started!

Since we share the grounds and certain services with the spirituality centre, we are very careful to follow the covid guidelines the house has developed over the summer.

For the first two weeks we are living a regime of ‘restricted movement’: we do not leave the grounds of the Manresa spirituality centre, we wear masks whenever we are together and have no contact at all with the Jesuit community at the retreat house next door.  But that will be over in a few days, and tertians can look forward to getting to know Dublin.

In the meantime we have already had our first zoom session on Transitions, and are into the week of sharing from the heart.

Do keep us in your prayers from time to time.

Paul Pace sj