Formation in Leadership, Discernment in Common and Apostolic Planning have gained particular attention in the Society of Jesus in the last years. The European Conference organized the Ignatian Leadership Programme (ILP) between December 2015 and June 2017 and a workshop, in Rome in September 2019, on Promoting Discernment in Common and Apostolic Planning (DICAP). Other similar programmes, at sectorial or regional levels, have followed.

With the goal of sustaining its continuity and expand its reach, about a dozen of practicing formators in these areas, Jesuits and lay collaborators, have been meeting online. The idea is to create a structure that can promote, develop and support varied offers of Ignatian formation in Leadership and DICAP in the Conference.

After a first meeting in December 2020, the group met again in May 2021. In between, surveys were sent to all Provincials and Formation Delegates to identify priorities in terms of topics and target groups for Ignatian formation. All the alumni of past formations were also questioned about how they are implementing what they learned. The results were presented in the meeting.

A second topic was the discussion of a draft document about the context, purpose and objectives of this group. It states its purpose this way: “This Learning Community and community of practice gathers participants in those formations [in Ignatian Leadership, Discernment in Common and Apostolic Planning] who are experienced as formators and available to help the Conference to continue this mission of promoting discerning leadership in its works and in the Church”.

An online meeting with the alumni of past formations and of the Learning Community will take place in October.