The last EJIF(European Jesuits in Formation) meeting took place in Marseille (Centre Notre Dame de Roucas) and Lyon (Le Chatelard) from August 1st to August 20th. The encounter consisted firstly in an experience of service and living together in Marseille until August 10th and then in the 8 days retreat that the group made together in Le Chatelard Spiritual Center (Lyon). We share here a witness by Gabrielius Zaveckas SJ, member of the EJIF Coordination Committee.  

As faithful Christians, we are accustomed to praying. Yet sometimes, we pray without fully believing that our petitions will be answered. How beautiful it is, then, to witness how God surprises us with His generosity and grace!

When planning the EJIF 2025 meeting—even before knowing its location—Luis, Paul, and I (the Coordination Committee, or CoCo) recognized one thing clearly: we wanted the next EJIF gathering to be an opportunity to serve others ad extra and, through this service, to strengthen and preserve our bond as companions. This desire arose from our own experience: the best relationships are forged not only through discussion but also by working side by side toward a concrete, even small, positive change. This intuition was later confirmed in prayer, as we shared our insights and discovered the Holy Spirit had led us to the same conclusion. The theme “Companions Called to Serve Together” was then born—capturing both God’s call for us and our hope for what we would experience with all EJIF 2025 participants.

During the first part of the meeting (about ten days), our “workdays” were organized into four groups:

•  Preparing a spiritual input for volunteers at the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde—the pearl of Marseille—so they could encounter God.
•  Delivering the input prepared the previous day.
•  Assisting the Missionaries of Charity (the Sisters of Mother Teresa) in their soup kitchen for the poor and homeless.
•  Cooking lunch and welcoming the other groups back after their morning of service.

Additionally, on two Sunday mornings, we helped at “Caffè St. Ferréol,” a Jesuit sanctuary that provides breakfast for those in need. By rotating these responsibilities, each participant was able to “taste” the different forms of service.

This experience echoed the first nine companions in Venice, who came from different countries and who also divided themselves into groups to serve the city, with one group staying behind to prepare food for the rest (Autobiography, 93–95). We were amazed at how God allowed us to relive that same spirit. Delegates repeatedly shared how serving together led to deeper fraternal conversations and stronger bonds. Our lifestyle was simple: we lacked excess but had everything we truly needed. Though tired, no one complained, because our work had meaning, it made us feel useful, and it drew us closer to one another. In short, God was present, teaching us that our mission depends not on nationality but on a shared spirit; that serving both within and beyond the Society of Jesus strengthens community life; and that the harmony among us itself becomes a witness to others

Afternoons and evenings gave us time to grow closer as companions from 14 different Provinces, many meeting for the first time. One particularly nourishing moment was the Province and Personal Presentations. Listening to vocation stories, I often caught myself thinking: “Yes, his words could just as well describe my own vocation.” We also deeply appreciated the times of sharing in small groups and as a whole, where we discovered ourselves not only as co-workers but as brothers in Christ—sharing not just physical bread, but also our spiritual lives, gathered around the Table of the Eucharist.

After the rich first part of EJIF in Marseille, we moved to the Retreat House in Châtelard, near Lyon. For some, it was their first experience of Spiritual Exercises focused explicitly on a particular theme—this time, the Universal Apostolic Preferences. Many of us longed for silence; others sought a chance to step back and deepen what we had lived during the past week and the whole year. The fruits of the Retreat are best left unspoken, entrusted to God and to the small groups in which we shared them. Let these fruits transform our lives, increasing our capacity to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. In the end, what guided us during the first part of EJIF must guide us always: “Love consists more in deeds than in words” (Spiritual Exercises, 230).

Gabrielius Zaveckas, member of EJIF CoCo 2025