EOF 2022 Province Assembly in Versailles. 

The yearly assembly of the Province of French-speaking Western Europe took place from December 27 to 30. Unlike other years, it brought together not only 130 Jesuits, but also 50 lay people from France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The theme of the assembly was collaboration in mission. 

These few days were an opportunity to discuss the theme of collaboration, to relax and to pray together. 

The participants talked of the links between Ignatian spirituality and collaboration, and shared their experience of collaboration in their various missions – places of collaboration, gratitude and difficulties, hope for the future. 

Many lay people underlined the great trust placed in them in the frame of their work. The Jesuits emphasized the importance of the presence of lay people working alongside them or within organisations linked to the Society of Jesus. 

At the end of the assembly, Fr. François Boëdec, Provincial, emphasized that everyone – Jesuits, lay people, religious, friends, employees and voluntary collaborators, men and women – are servants and collaborators in the mission of Christ, listening attentively to the Holy Spirit: 

“Today, collaboration is an essential characteristic of our apostolic impetus. We could not have the same impetus without you, lay people and religious of other congregations who work with us. It is a chance to discover other ways to serve God. We are engaged in a specific organisation, but we are all connected to a larger action.” 

Jésuites EOF