From 21 to 23 May, editors and collaborators from several Jesuit cultural journals across Europe gathered in Lisbon. In fact, this Conference’s group has been meeting for more than 30 years, driven by the clear need for journals to gain a broader, more global perspective on major social trends. The participants represented La Civiltà Cattolica, Études, Stimmen der Zeit, Signum, A Szív, Obnovljeni Život, and Brotéria. Hosted by Brotéria, the meeting provided an opportunity for shared reflection on the mission of Jesuit cultural journals today and their role in fostering a more mature, free and responsible public imagination. The programme combined presentations and discussions on the editorial work of each journal with conversations about the present and future of Europe. Participants also visited Jesuit historical sites in Lisbon, celebrated the liturgy together, and enjoyed numerous opportunities for informal conversation and fellowship. The gathering also featured the participation of Jesuit Fr François Euvé, who delivered this month's Eutopos lecture on the role of cultural journals in today's world. Portugal's Secretary of State for European Affairs, Inês Domingos, joined the group for a discussion on the contemporary challenges facing Europe. In the days preceding the meeting, Fr Nuno Gonçalves also offered an Aula da Esfera course exploring the relationship between Portugal and the Holy See. More than simply a series of meetings, these days became a genuine space for encounter, intellectual friendship and shared discernment among people who, despite working in very different contexts, share the same commitment to culture, public life and the mission of the Society of Jesus in today's world. The exchange of knowledge between society and experts throughout the world is nowadays visible in the incisive reflections of numerous Jesuit reviews. Their mission is to reflect, share knowledge and offer new insights on cultural, social, political and religious/spiritual issues. In the face of a crisis of European values, culture and beliefs, this network offers a possible way forward through its intellectual work; the promotion of synergies between the different reviews; and its commitment to answer the Church’s call more profoundly and effectively.

Annual Meeting of Jesuit Cultural Review Editors in Europe Almost like each year, the editors met for their annual meeting. This time in Krakow, Poland, from May 18 till 21. What is the mission of our cultural reviews? What is the present experience in difficult times like ours? How do we see future perspectives, our ability to promote the dialogue on contemporary culture enriched by our Ignatian spirituality? These were the main topics of our conversations and sharing.  There were six of us representing our works. Pawel Kosinski SJ (internet portal deon.pl – Poland), Antonio Spadaro SJ (La Civiltà Cattolica – Italy), François Euvé SJ (Études – France), Stefan Kiechle SJ (Stimmen der Zeit – Germany), Ulf Jonsson SJ (Signum – Sweden), Árpád Horváth SJ (A Szív – Hungary).  The circulation of these magazines reaches monthly almost 30.000 copies (paper and electronic version), and this list of them edited in Europe by the Society of Jesus is far from being complete. The polish portal deon.pl, for instance, is entirely online, which means that it has no printed version. However, the number of readers who visit deon.pl reaches more than 1.500.000 unique users monthly.  There are no Jesuit cultural magazines in Europe, which would be edited only in printed paper version. Every Jesuit cultural magazine is trying to be present also online. As it was stated by the editors, a cultural review today is not only the text, what is printed or edited in cyber space respectively, but also the Jesuit brand the review is representing.  As usual with this kind of meeting we try to invite guests and to have some ‘side topics’, which would enrich our conversation and help us to understand better the times we live and operate within.  Being in Kraków, Poland, we invited Adam Żak SJ (former PME Provincial, Assistant to Fr. General) who leads now the Centre for Child Protection, a unique institution for study and formation, recognized and endorsed by the Polish Bishops. He spoke about the situation of Child Protection in the Polish Church as well as about the accusations made in recent months to St. John Paul II in regard to what he knew and how he reacted to the sexual abuses by clergy in the catholic church.  The Second theme for the reflection was the war in Ukraine. We’ve had online conversation with Andriy Zelinskyy SJ and his insides about this matter, Artur Demkowicz SJ (PME Treasurer) with information about help to Ukraine organized and coordinated by the PME, and an online meeting with Wojciech Ziółek SJ (former PME Provincial, working now in Tomsk, Russia) about his impression on the global situation and its influence on their pastoral work in the Russian context.  Next Year’s meeting is planned in Sweden.  Paweł Kosiński SJ (PME) 

On the morning of 19 May 2022, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation of editors of the European cultural reviews published by the Society of Jesus. Accompanied by the Superior General, Fr Arturo Sosa, ten editors were present, including seven Jesuits and three lay people, two of whom were women, representing France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Hungary.   In his usual direct and fraternal style, the Pontiff held a long conversation lasting over an hour, addressing among other things the subject of the war in Ukraine and wars in the world, and that of the synodal path in Germany. During the Audience, the Pope also autographed the cover of the issue of our magazine that replaced the masthead with his appeal #Stop!

The annual meeting of Jesuit Cultural Reviews of Europe, this year was organized by the Greek review “Anoiktoi Orizontes” and  hosted at the Library of the Jesuits in downtown Athens, on the 10th and 11th of May. This year the directors and editors-in-chief of eight reviews honored us with their presence, presenting their work and developments in their reviews, discussed about financial and digital challenges they face, as well as perspectives and plans for the future, in these complicated times. This year’s participants were: Streven – Belgium, Choisir – Switzerland, Études – France, Signum – Sweden, La Civiltà Cattolica – Italy, Razón y Fe – Spain, Revista Brotéria – Portugal, Obnovljeni život – Croatia and Ανοιχτοί Ορίζοντες (Anoiktoi Orizontes) – Greece Although each review is formed under diverse demographic, social and cultural contexts, we find that usually most of the reviews present common features with all others. These include: an insufficient revenue and scarce funding in many cases, difficulty in finding and retaining staff, a reduction in the number of Jesuits - who are, additionally, overburdened with other responsibilities - and who could otherwise contribute by writing useful articles, promotional issues, advertising the reviews, difficulties in reaching out to the public, acquiring and maintaining subscribers, presence and management of accounts in various social media networks. Very interesting is also the way in which each review seeks and implements solutions to address as much as possible the above issues. Spiritual enrichment of the readers. A common finding is that our cultural, social and religious reflection reviews are necessary for the spiritual enrichment of the readers and for the diffusion of the thought of the Catholic Church in our modern society. It is, therefore, an important apostolate that must continue. Our meeting is expected to generate new ideas and strategies, and further increase collaboration between magazines. This year’s program included the participation of Mr. Athanassios Papathanassiou, an Orthodox lawyer and theologian, director of the orthodox journal Synaxi and guest speaker, who presented his journal and answered a lot of questions concerning the Orthodox Church in Greece and relations with other Christian Churches. Our team of fellow Editors had a guided tour in the Acropolis, the Areopagus and the Acropolis Museum. Our next meeting will be held in Rome, from 14 to 16 May 2020 and will be hosted by La Civiltà Cattolica. Civiltà Cattolica: 8th volume of the series "Accenti" on "Europe" The Jesuit magazine has reprinted, in a digital monograph, 22 articles on the history and development of the idea of Europe, and on the contribution of the Catholic Church to this debate, over almost a century. The European elections were a good opportunity to collect part of the research and insights of “La Civiltà Cattolica” over many years, and through many events, on the theme of Europe. Europe is still in need of "founders". Today there is a need for citizens, strong in their cultural identity, responsible for their community and aware that solidarity with the rest of European countries is essential to be able to continue a common journey. The volume is divided into four sections: the first is on the essential stages in the history of the European project; the second section integrates the historical overview, with a series of essays that try to recreate the panorama of ideas emerging, over the years, in the debate around this process; the third section offers the recent contribution of the Catholic Church in the European debate, with particular attention to the two Synods dedicated to Europe and to the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Europa” by Saint John Paul II; finally, the fourth section is dedicated to the Magisterium of Pope Francis concerning our Continent. To interrupt the European process means to evoke ghosts that we had put to silence. Christians cannot withdraw when confronted with the fulfilment of their historical responsibilities towards the future of the Continent, and this requires clear political choices. "Accènti" is the series of digital volumes edited by the Jesuit magazine, which collect, through keywords inspired by current events, the heritage of content and reflections brought together, since 1850, by La Civiltà Cattolica. The volume "Europa" is available on the website (in PDF format) and on applications for tablets and smartphones (free for subscribers to the magazine). In paper format on the Amazon store and in all the main ebook stores.

The annual meeting of the European Cultural Reviews edited by the Society of Jesus took place this year in Budapest, Hungary, between the 16th and 20th of May. This year there were eleven editors  and the President of the Conference of the European Jesuit Provincials, Franck Janin SJ. At this meetings, each of the participants has the time to share about the new developments in his/her editorial house. This time the main issue was the question "What could be our contribution to support dialogue and to open our societies in a world, where there are quite clear tendencies to undemocratic developments. We invited Botond Feledy, an expert in political sciences, professor of the Catholic University Pázmány Péter in Budapest. He spoke about the so called Visegrad Countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary), comparing these countries with each other and comparing this group of countries to the rest of Europe. We also visited Tihany, a Benedictine monastery at the Balaton lake, where the newly elected very young prior, Jeromos Mihályi (32 years old), introduced us in the situation of the Church in Hungary. The Benedictine prior tod us: "there are very clear tendencies of renewal in the church of Hungary, and this was in putting new priorities in many dioceses, according to which it is not so much the hard pastoral work that counts, but the spiritual and mental integrity of people who are in charge of the faithful. Many bishops try to keep their priest from too much work, which leads to burning out." On the picture: Arpad Horvath SJ, A Szív, Hungary, Stefan Kiechle SJ, Stimmen der Zeit, Germany, Tadija Milikić SJ, Obnovljeni Život, Croatia, François Euvé SJ, Etude, France, Antonio Júlio Trigueiros SJ, Revista Brotéria, Portugal, Antonio Spadaro SJ, La Civiltá Cattolica, Italy, Jan Koenot SJ, Streven, Belgium, Lucienne Bittar, Choisir, Switzerland, Ulf Johnson SJ, Signum, Sweden, Jaime Tatay SJ, Razón y Fe, Spain, Theodoros Kodidis SJ, Anoichtoi Orizontes, Greece, and Franck Janin SJ, President of the European Jesuit Provincials Conference, Brussels

It is difficult to date the creation of the network of European Jesuit cultural reviews. However, one can say for certainty that it existed  40 years ago, long before internet was widespread. The directors of these reviews meet once a year in order to discuss their mission and identity, share ideas and articles, exchange information on the progress and difficulties encountered working on their reviews, as well as the current political and religious news in their respective countries. For the fourth time since 1982, the meeting this year was organised by Choisir of Switzerland, from the 25th to 28th of May, at the domain of Notre-Dame de la Route in Fribourg. Present this year were the Jesuit or lay-person leaders of Civiltà Cattolica (Roma), Obnovlejni Zivot (Zagreb), Horizontes (Athens), Etudes (Paris), Streven (Antwerp), À Sziv (Budapest), Signum (Stockholm), Thinking Faith (London) … and of course Choisir (Geneva). They were joined during one evening, by the provincial of Switzerland, Christian Rütishauser. These reviews represent for our Order precious instruments of intellectual apostolate.  Their aim remains the same: integrate faith in the local culture, and intervene discerningly in the societal debate. The means used to undertake this mission do not cease to change, for, similar to other written media, the Jesuit reviews face difficulties in terms of circulation. Thus a greater internet presence is sought along with the organisation of multiple events (conferences, book editing, etc.). These moments of exchange allow the guests to discover, and for some rediscover the social, political and cultural landscape of the host country. The relations between the Christian denominations in Switzerland are well advanced, helped by the presence in Geneva of the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Jean-Blaise Fellay, former editor-in-chief of Choisir recalls having brought his colleagues to the Mur des Réformateurs in 1982. In this year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the subject  is once again relevant. Reverend Martin Robra of the WCC, expert on ecological and ethical questions, discussed the relations between the Catholic Church and the WCC during his talk with the guests. He described the key dimensions of the ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, based on recent events: the Pope's presence at the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Lund in 2016, the World Mission Conference to take place in 2018 in Tanzania, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the call for an inter-religious meeting in Cairo from the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb. "These four events represent unity, the mission, justice, peace and inter-religious dialogue" stated Reverend Robra. These four days spent together also included joint celebrations of the eucharist and recreational activities such as the visit to the College of Saint-Michel in Fribourg, site of the tomb of Saint Peter Canisius sj.