Saint Ignatius, in the Spiritual Exercises, at the beginning of each time of prayer, recommends an exercise of imaginative construction, a composition seeing the place, the people and the action of the biblical scene on which the prayer will be focused. When our imagination is occupied with the concrete material features of the matter we are thinking about, it diminishes the possibility of distraction and brings about a more affective, and therefore effective, commitment with the subject.
Since the beginning of 2023, six new provincials took office within the JCEP. As members of the Conference, they are co-responsible for the common works in Brussels and many times will have to read and hear reports, discuss options and make decisions about them. A “composition, seeing the place” would surely be useful, and the sooner the better. That piece of Ignatian wisdom should not be neglected.
So, they were invited and five of them (BRI, EOF, ESP, CRO and HUN) came to Brussels, from the 20th to the 22nd of September, at the end of the meeting of the Council of the President (Consult). They listened to an explanation of the structures and workings of the Conference and visited its office and the St Benedict Community, home to the Jesuits working for the JCEP here. Then, they got to know the places and people of JESC, JRS-E and the Chapel for Europe and met the Coordinator of Catholic Religion Classes in the European Schools, the common JCEP works. They heard about the mission, the successes and the challenges of each one, but also gathered real images of the city and of the buildings and spaces of the works and, more significantly, of many concrete faces that now will readily fill their imaginations when dealing with names and topics of reports. Ignatian recommendation fulfilled.
Not less importantly, these days were also a good opportunity for meeting and knowing each other, starting the process of sharing common joys, worries and challenges, building the “community of apostolic discernment” that the Conference, according to its statutes, is called to be. All in all, the group, together with the part of the Consult that accompanied them, had a wonderful time of fraternal companionship.
Best wishes for the next six years of service also to the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials. Au revoir.
Herminio Rico sj.
JCEP Socius
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