The Symposium of the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus (April 3 to 6, 2018) got the theme "Central Europe - Our mission as Jesuits". After the official welcome by Fr. Robert Deinhammer, Fr. Provinzial Bernhard Bürgler and Fr. Christian Marte informed about the current state of access to the Province ECE (Eastern and Central Europe). Then we exchanged views in small groups and gave a summary of our requests in plenary. To 48 fellow companions of the Austrian Province (including our two novices!), 3 from the German Province (GER) and six studying Jesuits in Innsbruck from various other provinces joined the confreres. Through their experiences in their home provinces, some of which have already gone through unification processes, they brought with them additional perspectives.

The lecture of the ambassador Dr. phil. Johannes Wimmer on "Societal Developments, Historical Sensitivities, Political Challenges in Jesuit Central Europe" made it clear on Wednesday that the political events of countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, Switzerland and Hungary are much less present in the Austrian media than the ones of Germany. In the "Café of the Future" we once again reflected in small groups on possible apostolic priorities of the new Province of ECE.

The “Gouter” on Wednesday evening included profound thoughts of Gerhard Polt, a confusing comet story by Otto Schenk, the most amusing table talks of the community Vienna Lainz as well as an advertisement of Krumpendorf's Strandbaddirektor, who personally moderated the evening and gave us an insight into his increasing acquaintance with the peculiarities of the Viennese language allowed, which are sometimes "zan krenreibn" for him. The Jesuit "Kombi-Chor", newly founded by Benjamin Furthner for the occasion, complemented the contributions musically.

A highlight was the trip to Hungary on Thursday. Since our two Provinces ASR and HUN were celebrating their symposium at the same time, almost all the fellow companions of the two Provinces were present at this meeting. At the beginning, the Hungarian and Austrian Provincials, supported by other fellow companions, presented their Provinces. Provincial Bernhard Bürgler and Father Christian Marte allowed their presentation by sweetening Mozartkugeln sweeten.

After the delicious lunch we went on with a tour of the Cathedral of Györ, in which bishop Vilmos Apor is buried in a representative marble tomb. Its importance to the population of Győr and Hungary was previously unknown to many of us. After a prayer, Fr. Provinzial laid down a flower wreath at the grave of the Blessed Bishop. With a celebration of the Eucharist in the former Jesuit Church of Györs, we ended this special "Hungarian Day" together.

On Friday morning Father Provinzial announced some new destinations according to the "Status of the Province of ASR", which was partly accompanied by an impressed murmur ("Oohh") in the ranks. He thanked the fellow companions who had received a new destination for their readiness and availability, as well as Gernot Wisser, Thomas Neulinger, Robert Deinhammer, Christian Marte and Klaus Schweiggl for the preparation of the symposium. In the evaluation, mostly positive feedback on the design and theme of the symposium was raised.

Following the Provincial Symposium, all "pre-tertiates" met for the first time from Friday afternoon until Saturday noon together with the Provincial. A joint walk in the Lainzer Tiergarten as well as an intensive exchange were the focus of this first meeting, which led to a stronger bond among the younger fellow companions and the home province, especially for those who study and work abroad.