These words, printed on the cover of a small album of photos and messages from former tertians, sum up the spirit of a simple yet meaningful celebration held at the European Tertianship at Manresa House Dublin, on the 18^th of May.

It was a celebration marking the end of the tertianship programme that had started eight months previously, in September 2017. The group was made up of 11 tertians from 11 different countries, the most international group ever, and the celebration was presided by Fr Frank Janin, the CEP President and our major superior who was here on his annual visitation.

But what is an annual celebration this year had a special character: it was a farewell to Jan van de Poll, one of the founders, together with the late Joe Dargan, of the European Tertianship programme,  who will leave the tertianship after 12 years at the helm. 

We wished it to be a surprise, and we succeeded. We invited the Jesuits of Dublin, including the Provincial, Fr Leonard Moloney, together with the staff of the house and our Ireland based lecturers, besides a couple of Jan’s friends. Most of those we invited gladly accepted, and this unexpected turnout left Jan, as he said during the mass, flabbergasted.

We also wrote to former tertians whose address we could find, and to one of his brothers, asking for photos and a short message.  Here too the response was excellent, a sign of the esteem and love in which Jan is held by his former tertians. We even had a short video message from Fr John Dardis, former Irish Provincial and CEP President. Xavier Zong, our tertian from China, worked hard to put all this together, and produced a 48-page book which was presented to Jan at the end of the celebration.

Two messages sent for this occasion sum up the gratitude and joy we felt on that day:

Fr Jose’ Magadia, Fr General's assistant for formation, wrote, Jan, by helping to open spaces in the hearts of a whole generation of Jesuits from all over the world, you have made possible the sending forth of men with renewed energy for mission. Wow!!! … grazie mille!

And as one tertian said, Tertianship and life are full of mysteries... But the good Angel gives some key to approach them. Jan, thank you.

May God bless you Jan, and welcome to Tom McGuinness (BRI), the new tertian instructor who will join Paul Pace (EUM) in Dublin.