Twice, in 2021 and 2022, it was all arranged for Rodizio, in Portugal – just a couple of miles from the western extreme point of continental Europe. The pandemic didn’t allow us to travel there, the meetings had to be held online. This time we went East – to Lublin, in Poland, not far from the Ukrainian border, invited by the Jesuit Chaplaincy of its Catholic University, now called John Paul II, because it was there that the former Pope studied and taught in the years of his academic career.

The pandemic influenced also the selected main topic: how to deal with mental health problems of students? Professor Małgorzata Łysiak, of the Department of Clinical Psychology, guided us for a whole morning through some case studies illustrating a few of the challenges students bring to Chaplains.

The day before, we followed a workshop on Non-Violent Communication facilitated by Beata and Piotr Hołtyń. There was also time for sharing ‘What’s going on in our chaplaincies’, in a brief going around Europe offered by the 20 chaplains representing 16 places of Jesuit University Pastoral Care in the Conference.

As always, what was most appreciated was the opportunity to be together in informal conversations, listening to creative ideas, encountering people facing the similar difficulties and the same joys in this ministry. The very well-organised visits to several historical places in the city, like the Cathedral (former Church of the Jesuit College) and the impressive Holy Trinity Chapel, a gothic building fully covered with frescos of Orthodox style.

A final word of gratitude to Adam Juchnowicz, who took care of everything in an efficient and pleasant way, making possible this so much appreciated and joyful resuming of in-person meetings of this JCEP Network.

Herminio Rico sj.
JCEP Socius