The Jesuit week... it's dynamite!

At the beginning of 2021, the Saint-Joseph school in Reims hosted a five-day "Jesuit week". The aim was to make the children, their families and all the staff of the establishment better acquainted with who the Jesuits are and what they do. A week rich in meetings, in which 15 Jesuits took part.

Living this sixth Jesuit week at the Saint-Joseph school in Reims, from 11th to 15th January, was not at all obvious in the health context that we are familiar with. In spite of the restrictions, it was a beautiful festival of meetings and activities: introduction to Ignatian spirituality, intervention on "Internet, its assets and its dangers", a presentation on emotions, daily meditation sessions, discovery of the zither, board games, proposal of the sacrament of reconciliation and mass for the pupils, various magic tricks... without forgetting the surprise visit of Saint Ignatius in person, at the primary school during recreation!

This Jesuit week unfolded with generosity and was very dense, as can be seen from the summary in figures: 15 Jesuits spending from 1 to 5 days in the school, 6 gatherings, 7 hours of adult formation, 4 conferences, 60 visits to primary classes, 28 hours of witnessing, 52 hours of thematic interventions (internet, discernment, meaning of studies, living well together, courses), 10 hours of confessions, 12 hours of forum 'free questions on faith and the Church', 14 prayers/celebrations, 1 big game and even 6 magic shows.

A Testimonial: "To welcome fifteen Jesuits, to meet them, to laugh, to play, to hear their testimony, to discover the Society of Jesus, to pray together. What a gift! For each one of us, Jesuits today have a face, a history, a vocation, a mission, a word, unsuspected talents (music, magic, sculpture...) and are witnesses of Christ. Their simple, joyful and profound presence has sown little lights in the hearts of young people and adults alike.

So here we are, carried in this new breath, certain that we have a common DNA, that of the great Jesuit family and happy with all these treasures that we have received and shared with the Jesuits. A unanimous wish: to live a Jesuit week again. Thank you! »

Pascal Gauderon SJ