János Lukács is the Delegate for Formation of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials. In this capacity, he participated in this international symposium organised by Manresa Retreat House.

 

From 15 to 19 June 2026, the International Centre for Ignatian Spirituality at the Cave of Saint Ignatius hosted its third International Symposium, titled 'Spiritual Exercises and Affective-Sexual Integration'. Among the more than eighty participants from diverse cultural backgrounds were a dedicated group of Jesuit formators focused on applying the symposium’s insights to the current challenges of religious formation.

The symposium centred on the Four Weeks of the Spiritual Exercises, addressing the affective-sexual dimension of the human condition from an integral, spiritually transformative perspective. In light of the various instances of abuse and disorder that have emerged in the Church, the gathering sought to offer tools for greater awareness and a change of outlook among those who accompany others in the Exercises.

Morning sessions offered a variety of lectures on anthropology, psychology and theology. Topics included the theological dimension of bodily and sexual integration, wounds of affectivity and the experience of guilt and sin, Jesus’ ministry to those on the margins (including complex processes of sexual orientation and gender identity), the characteristics of victims and perpetrators in cases of abuse, and testimonies on maturity in love through marriage and celibacy.

Afternoons were dedicated to small group discussions, including one group for Jesuit formators. While the presentations were not always directly applicable to formation, we noticed that they certainly sharpened our awareness of some of the challenges in Jesuit formation. For instance, our hyperconnected culture makes the already challenging initial steps towards affective maturity, such as identifying one's own reactions — including shame, emptiness, and pain — even more difficult. Thanks to the presence of Fr. Michael Smith SJ from Australia, our "theory of change" in Jesuit formation emerged as a particularly interesting topic.