The new provincials and regional superiors of the JCEP recently appointed visited the office, works, and community of the Conference in Brussels from 23 to 25 September. The group was composed of: Mateusz Janyga SJ (PME), Antonio Valerio SJ (POR), Bart van Emmerik SJ (ELC), Marian Kokalj SJ (SVN), and Bernhard Bürgler SJ, the new Assistant for Central and Eastern Europe, who also wanted to know the seat of the Conference. The other two new provincials appointed in recent months, Jakub Garčár SJ (SVK) and Marek Cieślik SJ (PRO), could not travel to Brussels at this time. The President of the JCEP, Dalibor Renić, and his Socius, Gonzalo Villagrán accompanied the group these days. This introductory visit is organized for every new group of provincials as a way to help them get to know the work and context of the European dimension of the mission of the Society.

The provincials arrived during the morning and afternoon of September 23rd and, in the evening, they celebrated Mass with the community and then had dinner with them.

September 24th was an intense day for everyone. Christian Motsch SJ, a new member of the St. Benedict Community, joined the group to be introduced to the reality of the works in Brussels. They started by celebrating the Eucharist together at the Chapel for Europe. Afterwards, Bernd Günther SJ, Director of the Chapel, presented the Chapel's activities, and Annie Thumelaire, head of Catholic Religious Education in the European Schools, spoke about the teaching of religion in the European Schools in Brussels. After a coffee break, the provincials moved to the offices of JRS-Europe and JESC at Chaussée de Wavre. There, they first visited JRS-Europe, where they had a meeting with the team led by Alberto Ares SJ, Director of JRS-Europe.

Subsequently, they had lunch at La Viale in the Jesuit community's dining room. Afterwards, Filipe Martins SJ and his team presented the work of the Jesuit European Social Center (JESC). Following this presentation, the provincials went to the European Parliament for an organized visit hosted by Croatian MEP Davor Ivo Stier. The visit included a talk on the core values and original inspiration of the European Union, closely linked with the thought of Thomas Aquinas and Jacques Maritain.

On September 25th, the provincials had the opportunity to know in-depth the work of the Conference during their visit to the Conference Office. There, the JCEP President presented the structures and projects of the Conference, and they met the Conference team directly. We finished the visit with a fraternal lunch together at the community.

These visits were first organized by Fr. Mark Rotsaert while he was President of the JCEP around 2008 as a way to help provincials better understand Europe and the European structures of the Society. Today, they are an invaluable tool for teambuilding among provincials and to generate a sense of common mission and an appreciation for the work done for the Society of Jesus from Brussels.