In a time when Jesuit works across Europe are navigating complex social, cultural and ecclesial realities, investing in the formation of those entrusted with leadership is more important than ever. Rooted in the spirituality of St Ignatius, the Ignatian Leadership Programme (ILP) is designed to support Jesuits, religious and lay collaborators in leadership roles, integrating personal growth, discernment—especially communal discernment—relational leadership and organisational responsibility. Such formation strengthens not only practical leadership capacities but also spiritual depth and a shared sense of mission. For the Jesuit European Conference, this investment is a strategic priority, fostering a common apostolic vision across Provinces, building networks of trust and collaboration, and promoting a culture of discernment that sustains unity in mission and responsible governance at the European level. Even if some Jesuit provinces in Europe have their own leadership programs, the need to offer this resource to small provinces, as well as to offer such formation in a more international European setting that enlarges the view of the participants and creates these bonds among the European provinces, brought the JCEP to organize our ILP Program already some years ago In this article, Paul Yperman offers an account of how the most recent edition of the ILP unfolded, sharing key moments, insights and experiences from the week.

A group of 24 people in leadership positions in Jesuit works throughout Europe gathered for a week in Rodizio (Portugal) for a training session on Ignatian leadership. The formation programme started on Sunday the 1st and ended on Friday  the 6th of February.

The programme was prepared and led by a planning team of 4 people: Anne-Sophie Dedecker (coordinator of the IGNAN network in ELC), Lourenço Eiró sj (Protuguese Jesuit in charge of a youth centre and organising leadership training in his Province), Bob Van de Putte (Education delegate in ELC) and Paul Yperman (former education delegate in ELC). The 24 participants were a very diverse group of Jesuits, sisters and lay men and women, coming from 9 different Provinces and active in not less than 18 different countries from Sweden, through all of Europe to Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. They are holding leadership positions in various Jesuit works in their Provinces, such as retreat houses, JRS, schools and universities, youth pastoral, cultural centres, protection of minors and Province management.

The objective of the programme was to resource people who are leading Jesuit works throughout Europe. The programme zoomed in on personal, interrelational and organisational aspects of leadership, but the main aim was to engage with Ignatian perspectives on leadership in the first place. So discernment and communal discernment were key elements in the contents of the sessions. As for the way of proceeding the programme offered a coctail of input, individual reflection, group work and prayer. On Wednesday a visit to Palacio de Pena in Sintra was scheduled, where the participants had a meditative empathy walk in the gardens and a guided tour in the palace. A pity the weather was very un-portuguese.

In the evaluation the participants appreciated the contents of the programme, its way of proceeding, its variation and its reflective pace.