From April 23rd to April 28th, the 38th General Assembly of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) took place in Falenica-Warsaw, at the European Center for Communication and Culture. The JCEP includes the 16 Jesuit provinces and regions located in Europe and the Province of the Near East. The fifteen provincials and one Regional Superior, plus the three Assistants of the Assistancies that cover the territory of the Conference, came together with the President of the Conference, Dalibor Renić SJ, to discern together the development of the apostolic mission of the Society of Jesus in Europe and the Near East. This General Assembly was also particularly important because Fr. General, Arturo Sosa SJ, was with us and he was present during almost the entire Assembly.

This time, the main topics addressed by the major superiors were the JCEP Tertianship program in Bikfaya (Lebanon), the collaboration among the different European formation centers for Jesuits (Krakow, Madrid, Paris, Rome-San Saba, Warsaw), the role of the Conference Formation Delegate, the Jesuit European Social Center (JESC) in Brussels, and the finances of the Conference.

Several guests were invited to speak to the Conference regarding other issues. First of all, we were accompanied by José Minaku SJ, president of the Jesuit Conference of Provincials of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM), as part of the regular exchanges among Conferences of Provincials. Minaku shared with us during the meeting information about the activity of JCAM and the collaboration with the JCEP.

Besides him, we had other important guests like János Lukács SJ, Conference Formation Delegate, who spoke to the Assembly about the formation of the Conference; Cristóbal Fones SJ and Miguel Pedro Melo SJ, from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, who presented the current status of this valuable apostolic network; Filipe Martins SJ, Director of the Jesuit European Social Center (JESC) in Brussels, and Jacques Haers SJ, member of the JESC Board who participated online, both of whom helped the provincials to make a first evaluation of JESC; and, finally, Hakjoon Kim SJ who presented, online, the Magis Program that will take place during World Youth Day in Korea.

An especially important moment was the initial address to the major superiors by Fr. General, where he spoke about the next Congregation of Procurators, the Jesuit formation at the level of the Conference, and shared thoughts on the mission of the Society in Europe. This address was studied and discussed in depth with him during almost an entire day of work.

Taking advantage of the meeting during the Assembly, the provincials of the provinces sending their novices to the novitiate in Birmingham (Ireland, Britain, the Low Countries and French-speaking Western Europe, Slovakia and Czechia) held also an online meeting with the Novice Master in Birmingham in order to evaluate the current state of the novitiate.

The Assembly also included some very pleasant moments, such as the historical visit to Warsaw and the history of the Jesuit presence there, marvelously led by Robert Danieluk SJ, and the joyful dinner celebrating the anniversary of the PMA Province at the Jesuit Community on Rakowiecka Street.

We also took advantage of the social moment on the last night of the Assembly to thank personally the provincials who are finishing their terms (Jarosław Paszyński SJ—South Poland, Miguel Almeida SJ—Portugal, Michael Zammit SJ—Near East, Jozef Šofranko SJ—Slovakia, and Miran Žvanut SJ—Slovenia), as well as Thomas Kot SJ, the Assistant for the group of provinces forming the Central-Eastern European Assistancy, who is also finishing his post, although he will now assume the Delegation of the International Roman Houses.

The Assembly was once again a time where issues could be treated and discerned from a more universal perspective beyond than the limited scope of the provinces, connecting with the universal approach to the mission as St. Ignatius intended. This wider perspective allows major superiors to find more creative collaborative answers to common challenges. The Assembly is also a time of personal encounter and support among provincials, which is a very important fruit of the JCEP activity that is highly appreciated by the major superiors.

It is necessary to thank the PMA Province, and the entire team at the European Center for Communication and Culture in Falenica, for their incredible hospitality and generosity during these days. Their attention and care have been key to making the General Assembly fruitful and enriching for everyone.