September 8, the feast of the Nativity of Mary, is a day on which traditionally vows are often made; first vows, but also final vows. Bert Daelemans contributed to maintaining this tradition for the independent region of the European Low Countries (ELC) when he made his final vows on 8 September 2018 in Madrid.

When a Jesuit pronounces his final vows, he is accepted in the Order completely. Father General invites a Jesuit to take his final vows after he has done a “third year of novitiate”, or "tertianship", which takes place after his ordination in the case of a Jesuit priest. You could say that when a Jesuit takes his final vows, his formation has been completed; although, Jesuits strongly believe in formation permanente.

Formulated differently again: at the end of his noviciate of two years, Bert had already joined the Jesuits by pronouncing his first vows, had already chosen the Order as his way. Through his final vows the Order accepted him as a full member. As he explained it in the liturgy booklet: “From now on he no longer is (“está”) in the Society of Jesus, but he is (“es”) the Society as well.” “It is not surprising that I choose the Order after having lived in her for two years. What is surprising is that she receives me after getting to know me, over the past twenty years, better than I know myself.”

The last vows were taken during the Eucharist in the beautiful chapel of the Pontifical University of Comillas in the centre of Madrid where Bert has been teaching theology for several years now. Apart from fellow Jesuits, about forty of them concelebrating, a large number of relatives and friends, including many students, were present at the celebration.

A break with tradition was the invitation to all Jesuits present, about fifty, to come to the sacristy after the celebration. During Mass, Bert had pronounced not only the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, but also the “fourth vow” of availability to the Pope in regard to missions. In the (spacious) sacristy he made five “small vows”, for example not to strive after positions within or outside the Order, and signed the handwritten official documents.

Pronouncing your final vows is not only a spiritual and a legal event, but also a social one. The Jesuits of Bert's community, next to the University campus, contributed to this by organizing a wine and tapas party in the evening where family, friends and Jesuits met, sometimes after not having seen each other for quite a while.

The quotes above already made clear that Bert is in his element in the Jesuit Order; students told me he is doing a good job as a teacher; he told me himself during a pleasant walk through the city with two fellow Jesuits that he loves living in Madrid. These are each and every one reasons to be very grateful.