Débora Duarte, the current office assistant of JECSE, recently published an insightful article synthesizing the core principles of Safeguarding and the protection of minors within the Society of Jesus today, specifically in the educational sector. Given its value as a comprehensive overview of the Jesuit schools' position on this vital issue, we would like to share it here.

The theme of safeguarding and the protection of minors stands today at the very heart of the Jesuit educational mission. More than a set of procedures, it represents a culture of care that draws deeply from Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy.

At the centre of the Ignatian Educational Ethos lies the person and, more profoundly, the heart of each person: a heart that must be protected, accompanied, and formed. The cura personalis, or care for the whole person, cannot truly be realised without safe and trusting environments where every child and young person feels welcomed and respected.

In recent years, the Jesuit European Committee for Primary and Secondary Education (JECSE) has engaged in a shared journey to strengthen the culture of protection across Jesuit and companion schools throughout Europe and the Near East. Through dialogue, formation, and collaboration, Provinces have exchanged experiences, shared resources, and developed practical tools to embed safeguarding in the daily life of their communities.

The article “A Living Tradition Calls for Beating Hearts” explores these themes in depth, tracing the common path undertaken by the JECSE and its partners to promote aculture of protection inspired by the Gospel and Ignatian anthropology. Prepared by JECSE, it invites all educational communities to see safeguarding not as an external obligation but as shared grace to be lived. It is a concrete sign of a living tradition that continues to educate for life, trust, and hope.

You can read the article here.