The first Assembly after Dalibor Renić became president of the JCEP. First Assembly for five of the six provincials who took office in 2023. First time that the European Provincials met in Slovenia (we stayed in Sveti Duh, in a beautiful retreat house of the Ursuline Sisters). But the usual pleasant experience, for men who share very similar responsibilities and challenges alike, of being all together in one relaxed space with time to talk to each other and feel understood and supported in their common joys and struggles.

This time, the main topic was the reception of the De Statu Societatis of Fr. General. Victor Assouad, Regional Assistant for Western Europe, introduced the document and guided the conversations in view of responding to the request of Fr. General to do an examen of our Jesuit life-mission at all levels, in light of this text.

A second subject was the review of the Conference Apostolic Plan 2021-2026, especially checking all the specific objectives, whether they have been or are in process of being realised. A follow-up on the last Assembly regarding ecological conversion and the call to rethink the way we live, through a personal testimony of Marc Desmet ELC, was also part of this evaluation.

Two more in depth reports were given to the Assembly by the Delegate for Higher Education, Philip Geister ECE, about the Kircher Network; and by Alberto Ares ESP, Director of JRS-E. There were also shorter reports on the different European Formation Centres, by the respective provincials, and on Magis 2023. And the Budget for 2024 was approved.

As an external input, we welcomed in the Assembly Mr. Leon Marc, a Slovenian Diplomat and historian who spoke to us about the relationships between Western and Eastern Europe and engaged the group in a lively conversation.

There was also time to visit Ljubljana, with particular attention to the Jesuit churches in the city. We are very grateful for the generous hospitality of the Slovenian province, the enthusiasm of Miran Žvanut, the provincial, showing us around and the great service of Marjan Kokalj, the socius, manifest in so many logistic details (and in many more unnoticed). In the final afternoon, after the meetings by assistancy had finished earlier, they were table to organise an unplanned visit to the breathtakingly beautiful Lake Bled – what a treat! Two outings during one Assembly? Another first.

Herminio Rico SJ
JCEP Socius