This year, we met in the renewed Manresa house in Dublin, place of the famous dark beer, inevitable centre of our evening socials, and the city of James Joyce. The afternoon dedicated to visit the city had a main stop at the Jesuit Belvedere College, where we listened to a short but dense lecture on the life of its renown alumnus.

There was hard work too. I underline the constant one on one conversations and small ad hoc meetings between provinces in which the most experienced shared information, helped with procedures, gave suggestions to those with greater difficulties. It is a great sign of the deepening of collaboration between the different Treasurers, the greatest fruit of these regular annual encounters. Another sign is the growing number of lay people participating. More and more the Jesuit Treasurer comes accompanied by a lay assistant.

The regular meeting times were occasion for spiritual sharing, exchanging of information on current projects and bigger challenges in each province, discussion on questions of common interest, with time also for communication from the Conference (regarding the Formation Solidarity Mechanism and the JCEP Budget) and from the General Economato.

The main topic was safeguarding. John Guiney SJ, the Project Co-ordinator for the Promotion of Consistent Culture of Protection, made an important presentation on the safeguarding actions being promulgated across the Society.

A final word of thanks to Tom O’Brien for the great organisation and to the Irish province for their hospitality. The contacts established will continue to bear fruit during the year in growing collaboration between provinces, until the next gathering in Naples, in November 2025.

Herminio Rico sj
JCEP Treasurer