EJIF Summer 2003 Meeting in Czech Republic
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Reflections after the EJIF Summer meeting in Bohemia…
The EJIF (European Jesuits in Formation) summer meeting is still on my mind, and I would like to share with you some thoughts and feelings I have. The three week meeting had the usual format: an initial Forum bearing the title: "Living out our obedience today", the annual eight-day Retreat, and a concluding Symposium. The Czech Republic has offered us a splendid natural scenario and an invaluable support along our journey through the pathways of obedience. Accompanying the 28 delegates, coming from 23 different provinces and Fr. Mark Rotsaert (CEP President), were various inspiring models from the Bible and our Ignatian tradition.Most of the delegates, at the end of the meeting, where positively struck and thrilled by the European feeling. Delegates coming from large numbered scholastics provinces were amazed to see how close Europe is. As for me, this is all very important, considering that our main aim is to foster and nourish friendships so as to prepare the way for future collaboration.
All this was lived within a background splashed with the colours of diversity. All our histories brought and added richness to the entire meeting. It is very consoling for us all, to try and savour the many different ways of our being Jesuits in many different contexts all over Europe. During the mass, you could tell the different origins of the persons from their prayers. Many a times I kept savouring their prayers rooted in different cultures.
The Retreat had an eastern tinge! Fr. Janesz Poljansek continued to bombard us with the obedience theme all right through the eight days; savouring obedience from different angles and depths. The desert fathers, greatly complemented Ignatius’ vision of obedience. But of course, the deeper work had to be done by the Spirit. Having the annual retreat right half way through the summer meeting experience, seems to produce a special kind of bond between the delegates that ventures very deep; after the retreat you can really say that some of those fellows are really "friends in the Lord".
So, here we are, one year EJIF older and looking forward for the next Irish adventure. At the end of our meeting it is a custom to let the delegates propose some themes for the following meeting. The three most voted themes were the following: (a) What is it like to become a priest today? and in the Society?, (b) Poverty and our credibility, (c) Affective life. The next steps entail further discussion and elaboration of the first proposal, which seems to be the favourite.
I would like to conclude this reflection encouraging you to pray for the Society in Europe as it is facing serious challenges, and may this tiny contribution in EJIF be always blessed by the Lord with his Spirit.
... Reported by Roderick Vassallo SJ, EJIF Chairman, <roderickvassallo@jesuits.net>
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Final Forum Report
„Living
out our obedience today”
EJIF summer meeting Prague – Hostýn 2003
The Czech Republic has offered us a splendid natural scenario and an invaluable support along our journey through the pathways of obedience. Accompanying the 28 delegates, coming from 23 different provinces and Fr. Mark Rotsaert (CEP President), were various inspiring models from the Bible and our Ignatian tradition.On the forum weighed the difficult task to help us understand better how to live our vow of obedience today. For the sake of precision, these days of reflection date back not to our arrival in Prague but to the issuing of a survey at the end of April 2003. We started our journey with an initial feedback of the survey answers. Leading us on in our reflection was Fr. Johan Verschueren from the Flemish province. Each day was introduced by a short text taken from our Ignatian and Jesuit sources: constitutions, complementary norms and spiritual exercises. Following a brief input each delegate was then invited to reflect personally in silence on the day's proposal. Afterwards, everyone was invited to share openly his thoughts, joys and difficulties in the small sharing groups. Many a times each sharing group was then given a task to present at the plenary session, so as to collect some fruits altogether.
At the end of the first day, it was clear that we all felt a kind of tension between obedience and responsibility; both at a personal level and in the life of the entire body of the Society. Living out obedience in our Jesuit context seems to create also another tension; a link between being «counter-cultural» and our Ignatian motto «aiudar las almas» (paraphrased with salvation of others). We are invited to view the entire world as the Trinity overlooks the world in the Spiritual Exercises. Hence, obedience is linked intimately with the mystery of incarnation; leaving space for the paradox of being counter-cultural whilst being in the world.
No theoretical framework, whatsoever, could really satisfy our thirst for a more practical approach to the «problem» of obedience. Ignatius' discovery of this vow and virtue has guided us throughout the second day. The Pilgrim has once again inflamed our hearts and offered us a more practical approach and understanding worth more than long lecturing hours. Obedience is an on-going long process. We were challenged by the Pilgrim's desires at the very beginning of the Spiritual Exercises, demanding the retreatant to start off with «mucho animo» (zeal, motivation) and «liberalidad» (freedom, generosity). Practise makes perfect says an English proverb; from four (fictitious but relevant) case studies we learnt that discernment, information and supervision have a key role in our obedience. Discernment to be carried out at various levels if possible; personal, with my spiritual director, with my superior/provincial, with fellow companions, etc... However, this discernment needs to be nourished by a dose of correct and relevant information; the material of our discernment. Another practical note was expressed in a third hint – asking for supervision. Learning to be humble was a recurring theme throughout the forum. Asking for help, assessing our way of proceeding in order to help us in our mission and to encourage us to obey is an act of humility, which we ought to learn day by day.
Tradition has then signed the opening of the third day. God is ever searching for us, but we often do not hear his call, let alone listen and live it. We were thus faced by the two standards; the obstacles and the graces that we encounter on our journey. The seven mortal sins from our Christian tradition alongside other two from the Islamic tradition represented the obstacles or the instruments used by the luring enemy. Their opposite graces, the virtues, are instead the stronghold marked by the standard of our Lord. The same vices and virtues were then contemplated during the eight-day retreat that followed the same theme of these forum days.
We applied the exercise, first to our personal life and then opening it to the reality of our provinces, so as to delve deeper into the larger picture of the entire body at the service of the Church: sentire cum ecclesia. One has to say, that this session was a very consoling one; seeing how the Lord's grace helps us also as a body to overcome difficulties to serve better his Church. We also got the feeling of the central role paid by HUMILITY in all this dynamic; especially when we saw that in order to be open to something new, or in order to overcome difficulties, many a times, we need to experience this virtue. We had to decrease in numbers, in order to learn how to collaborate with the laity is one stunning example.
The last day was marked by awe, the tremendous feeling that accompanies deep obedience which frees the person. Abraham and Jesus introduced us to this awe. Only when we are obedient does the hand and word of God operate miracles. Abraham walked from the paths of sterility to those which lead him to become the Father of Faith. Jesus too, was a pilgrim in obedience; from sonship he grew to become the Suffering Servant. We concluded all this exercise in awe ourselves and felt the need to thank God. The last hours of the Forum were dedicated to explore several ways to thank Him with different symbols, so as to try and embrace all aspects that spoke to our hearts during the forum days. Definitely, we have learnt one important truth. We learnt that Obedience is the fruit of a humble heart.
All this was lived with in a background splashed with the colours of diversity. All our histories brought and added richness to the entire meeting. It is very consoling for us all, to try ands savour the many different ways of our being Jesuits in many different contexts all over Europe. With this spirit filling our hearts we started our eight-day retreat, directed by Fr. Janesz Poljanšek (Slovenian provincial) and inspired by the desert fathers, who in their turn inspired also Ignatius in his pilgrimage towards obedience!
Roderick Vassallo sj
EJIF Chairman
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Second Forum Report
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
The first part of the EJIF summer meeting in Prague-Hostýn is over. We had plenty of opportunities to discuss and share our way of living out our obedience these days. It is striking to see how young Jesuits experience similar difficulties and joys even though they maybe living thousands of kilometers apart. This leaves all in awe as we discover once more the common heritage Ignatius left us all: the spirit of discernment along our lifetime pilgrimage.
Now this pilgrimage is leading us all into our annual eight-day retreat, starting from Wednesday, August 06. May the Lord bestow on us his Spirit to help us grow more and more into the image of his obedient Son.
Please keep us in your prayers. In union of hearts!
Roderick Vassallo sj
EJIF Chairman
First Report from the Forum on Obedience
Saturday, August 02, 2003
The EJIF Summer Meeting has set sail! Twenty-eight young Jesuits from twenty-three different European provinces have met in Prague on the 29th of July. Following a first quick tour through the central historical part of this wonderful city, we left for Hostyn; a Marian Basilica run by the Jesuit community situated on a green hilltop in the Moravian countryside. Here we celebrated Saint Ignatius’ day with the Eucharist being presided by Fr. Mark Rotsaert, European Provincial.
On the 1st of August we started off a four-day forum on obedience. “Living out our obedience today” is this year’s main theme. The delegates during these days will have the possibility to discuss and share their own experiences in obedience.
During the first day we tried to establish a common point of departure. For this reason, this year’s facilitator, Fr. Johan Verschueren sj (BSE), gave his feedback to the surveys regarding obedience, sent to all delegates back in April.
Two main points were drawn as a conclusion for the first Forum day:
- The first being: “the tension between obedience and responsibility will always be present in our personal life, but also in the life of the entire body of the Society.”
- Secondly, another interesting field of tension would be the link between
counter-culture and the salvation of others. We are invited to view the
entire world as the Trinity views the world in the Spiritual Exercises
before sending Christ to redeem it. This is linked with incarnation, with
the paradox of being counter-cultural while being in the world.
Reported by Roderick Vassallo
sj
EJIF Chairman
Announcement
This year the EJIF summer meeting will take place in the Czech Republic from 29 July until 18 August 2003. Each Province has been invited to send one or two delegates. Up to now we have got application forms from 27 participants from 23 European provinces!
The meeting itself has three parts:
1- We will start with a working session of four days (called “Forum”), where we will work on this year’s theme: “Living out our obedience today". Johan Verschueren SJ from Bruges, Belgium, will guide us through these days. In order to prepare the Forum, the Co-Co together with Fr. Verschueren SJ worked out a questionnaire.
2- The retreat will last 8 days, from 6 to 13 August. It will be a “classical” Ignatian retreat. Fr Janez Poljansek SJ, the Provincial of Slovenia, will be our main retreat director. Three others with several languages will be there, so that everyone has a personal retreat guide, whom he can choose: Fr. Carlo Chiappini SJ (Italy), Fr. Frantisek Hylmar SJ (Czech Republic) and Fr. Bernard Misovic SJ (Slovakia).
3- The “Symposium” will take place in Prague, from 15 to 17 August: in the morning working sessions, in the afternoon different tours through Prague. On 15 August we will have the renewal of our vows.
In Prague we will stay at the St Ludmilla house (see: www.kdm.cz). In Hostyn, situated at a 3 hours drive by car east of Prague surrounded by breathtaking landscapes (hills, woods, ...) – we will stay in a retreat house (see: www.hostyn.cz).
We will have several special guests. We expect Fr Mark Rotsaert SJ, President of the Conference of European Provincials, to be also with us!
Coordination Committee:
Roderick Vassallo SJ,
roderickvassallo@jesuits.net
Christian Marte SJ, christian.marte@jesuiten.org
Jan Regner SJ, regnersj@hotmail.com