Development officers from Jesuit Provinces across Europe gathered to strengthen collaboration, share professional expertise, and deepen the spiritual foundations of their work at the service of mission. Connected to the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) and in dialogue with the General Curia in Rome, the meeting highlighted the growing importance of coordinated, mission-driven development and fundraising efforts in sustaining the Jesuit mission, incarnated in its apostolic works, across the continent. The exchanges proved the real need to be in contact and share best practices, experience and support at the Conference’s level in a field that is becoming more and more professionalized so hardly a province by its own can face it successfully. We asked Sara Pizzolato to describe her experience in this meeting.

Work, Shared Mission and Ignatian Spirituality

From 23 to 26 February 2026, the European Development Offices Meeting was held in Madrid, bringing together heads of development offices from various European Provinces of the Society of Jesus, along with several Provincial Treasurers and representatives of the General Curia’s Finance Office in Rome. The meeting was conceived as a space to move forward together in the professionalization of our work, to strengthen European collaboration, and to deepen the spiritual dimension that sustains our mission. The meeting was organized by the group’s Steering Committee, composed of its coordinator Sara Pizzolato (ESP), John Green (BRI), and Tvrtko Barun SJ (CRO), joined by Gonzalo Villagrán SJ in his role as Socius of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP).

The program combined strategic sessions, specialized training, and concrete experiences. The contribution of Andy Milligan from Veritus provided tools and reflection in the area of mid-level donors. Through the network of Jesuit universities in Spain -UNIJES, Francisco Javier López de Pablo, Director of Communications at Loyola University, offered a session on CRM focused on improving processes and data management at the service of the mission. Case studies — ranging from the experience of Hungary to initiatives in Croatia and Peru — helped ground the discussions in diverse realities and share applicable learning.

A visit to Espacio Maldonado, accompanied by Fr. Ignacio Cervera SJ, as well as a visit to the headquarters of Entreculturas, helped connect the technical reflection with concrete, living projects, reminding participants that development work is always at the service of people and apostolic works.

Throughout the meeting, moments of prayer, small-group sessions following the methodology of spiritual conversation, and shared celebrations reinforced the experience of being one apostolic body united in mission. The meeting concluded with an address by Fr. José García de Castro SJ on Ignatian spirituality, offering a profound key for integrating professional competence with spiritual depth.