“It is a mixture of the wounds of the past, the humiliations to which it has been subjected, the contradictions of the present time, the prospects that have emerged: Albania is unique”. This is what Father Gianfranco Matarazzo SJ shared on his return from his canonical visit in Albania that took place between 14 and 17 January. “There is a flame and spiritual dynamism. The outcomes are not all positive: corruption is still strong, the political class is not well formed, there is a lot of emigration, but the flame and dynamism are tangible and we can take up the challenge of addressing this movement towards a constructive end for the benefit of Albania itself“.

Referring to the days spent visiting the communities of Scutari and Tirana Fr Matarazzo says: “there is a great opportunity for us to serve and share our charism. He stresses “I refer in particular to the possibility of offering formation according to our pedagogical tradition. The initiatives were received very positively. We should move on to something more systematic and prophetic. Albania is a laboratory for the Province: it is placed between Europe and the East, it has a multi-religious context, we are a minority. The country is recovering from the devastation of totalitarianism. They are in the process of entering the European Union. It is an arena where different worldviews confront and clash with each other. We need to win over the new generations for the common good. All this enriches our listening, the discernment to which we are called, the mission that has been conferred to us“. In Scutari, our presence can be found in the college “Pjetër Meshkalla” and in Tirana we work in a Parish. “This presence consists of a qualified group of young Jesuits” explains Matarazzo “who are influential and in synergy with the Province. We are transforming the project, giving more and more attention to Albanian society and the church there, without expecting to export and impose a rigid organizational model without the possibility of flexibility”.

The Jesuits arrived in Albania after the fall of the regime. Their presence in the two cities can be found in many areas – from formation to spiritual accompaniment, from the construction of churches, to their support in various situations – at the moment, after more than 25 years, they are experiencing a verification of their work, through the apostolic project, which will lead to a better understanding of the context and a more focused apostolic planning.

The interview with P. Zef Bisha SJ, Regional Coordinator for Albania, can be found on YouTube.