The Jesuit community in Ankara, Turkey is one of the communities under the direct responsibility of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP). Jean-Marc Balhan SJ currently serves as the Superior of the community. In the following article, the community in Turkey shares a glimpse of its recent activities, daily life and experiences, as well as some of the people and communities it accompanies.

In Turkey, the Jesuits are primarily at the service of the local Church, particularly through the parish in Ankara and in other places. Christian formation for young adults, in various forms, has a particularly important place in our mission. We also occasionally accompany members of the local clergy. More recently, we have also been accompanying a number of young people who are discerning a possible vocation.

Alexis is the parish priest of Ankara and also visits the Christian community in Eskişehir. He collaborates with the television channel SAT-7, where he offers programmes introducing viewers to the Catholic Church and the Christian faith. Changmo, who has just returned from his third year in Lebanon, has resumed his service in the parish, particularly among young people. He also takes great joy in welcoming the many visitors who come through our doors during the afternoons.

Michael, meanwhile, remains faithful to his writing projects and to the international Christian community in Ankara. From time to time, he travels to Ireland to celebrate anniversaries—his own 80th birthday, or that of one of his brothers, who recently turned 90!

Jean-Marc focuses primarily on accompaniment and is often on the road, leading various sessions and retreats, while also making regular visits to the Christian community in Konya. At times, he is also in the air, travelling for other missions, such as teaching and giving sessions on Islam at the Facultés Loyola Paris (FLP) or during “Jesuit Weeks” organised by EOF. On other occasions, his travels take him abroad to represent the Church in Turkey—or to deepen his own skills in facilitating communal discernment!

In June, our major superior, Dalibor Renić, came to visit us. During his visit, we also took a day off to explore the ancient city of Gordion, the former capital of the Phrygians, who dominated Anatolia in the 8th century BC after the Hittites. Since then, we have become experts on King Midas, who was said to turn everything he touched into gold, and on Alexander the Great, who, after cutting the famous “Gordian Knot” with his sword, went on to become master of Asia! In the photo, we are standing in front of the entrance to a royal tomb, dug into one of the largest burial mounds in the region.

In October, we will welcome an even more important visitor—but we will tell you more about that next time. Until then, we wish you all a wonderful summer!