Bringing Jesuits and lay partners of the EOF Province (Western Francophone Europe) together in Loyola and Javier. This 5-days experience, from July 11 to 15, was planned especially for works directors and collaborators of the Provincial House. The aim was to discover – or rediscover – the Society’s roots. 12 Jesuits and 36 lay people participated at this adventure.

They visited the « Sancta Casa » in Loyola ; they rediscovered the history of the life of the founder of the Society as well as his letters and his insistence on the exchange of correspondence. There were also times for personal prayer or guided prayer: it was not only a matter of seeing and hearing, but also of experiencing Jesuit spirituality.

In Javier the life of Francis Xavier was presented. The Castle was visited, and the crucifix of the smiling Christ brought us together in prayer. The sharing groups focused on the present missions of the Society, not only from the reading of Decree 1 of GC36 but also from the presentation of the Province by Father François Boëdec.

These were days of grace : a beautiful mixture of tourism, spiritual experience, liturgies, mutual discovery, which has strengthened the bonds in the apostolic body made up of Jesuits and lay partners… and on the top of all, Belgium became third and France first of the World Championship !