EJIF Summer 2007 Meeting in Krakow (South Poland)
Are we able to become Jesuits for Europe?
From the 2nd till the 23rd of August took place in Krakow (Southern Poland) the 21st European Jesuits In Formation (EJIF) Meeting. In the Jesuit College of Krakow gathered 25 delegates from 20 different provinces, including a delegate from Puerto Rico.
The general theme of the meeting was "Becoming Jesuits for Europe". As usual we had three different parts: the first days to get to know each other and the city and have the first presentations (about the various provinces represented); the Forum days in which the theme was more intensively developed (trough workgroups and presentations); and the Spiritual Exercises (which took place in Gdynia, Northern Poland).
To support the event we had a team composed by: the Coordinator Committee (Luca Uggias (ITA), Andrzej Kowalski (PME) and João Delicado (POR)); Stephan Kessler (GER), the facilitator of the Forum and also spiritual director during the Exercises; František Hylmar (BOH), the retreat director; Dermot O'Connor (HIB) and Nuno Tovar de Lemos (POR) also as spiritual directors during the Exercises. In the first days we also had the opportunity to have with us Mark Rotsaert (Europe Provincial) with whom we had a good conversation about the present situation regarding the Society and Europe.
As in every EJIF meeting, this was a privileged time to experiment the challenge of working in groups, to widen borders in the Society and to develop friendship beyond borders. It was a time of experiencing a sample of SJ Europe, a sample of the (more) “Universal Society”. In the end, this meeting was something as simple as staying, talking, discussing, working, playing and enjoying life with spiritual companions from all over Europe. But, mainly, dreaming a future in which we will have to be together. Probably the most repeated word in this meeting was "co-operation".
Finally, answering to the question "are we able to become Jesuits for Europe?" I would say that, as long as we keep doing this kind of Europe minded collaboration we will be more and more capable of being Jesuits for Europe and for the world.
... 31 July 2007. Reported by João Delicado (POR)
The EJIF experience seen by a companion from Puerto Rico
Hello Brothers in Christ, this is Fernando, the scholastic from the Independent Region of Puerto Rico currently pursuing philosophy studies at Salamanca, Spain. This past August, I had the honor of attending the EJIF 2007 meeting at Krakow, Poland, with all of you, and it was a great experience.
I hold dear many moments and conversations with many of you. I just wanted thank you again for the opportunity to learn from all of you and to learn about the Society in Europe. Those days allow me to live the Universal Society experience like I had never done in the past.
Even though we are from different sides of the ocean, I could see how many of the challenges we face as Jesuits Scholastics are the same, and how we approach similarly those that differ. The same could be said about the challenges that the Society faces, because even though each Province handles them in different ways, the Ignatian Spirit drives all of them.
I really hope that the European Inter-provincial cooperation continues to grow strong, but moreover the Universal cooperation. Borrowing Wiggert´s God inspired statement, our provinces are means to the universal good. May the Lord Jesus Christ, whose name our minimal Society shares, continue to strengthen you with His grace, Fernando.
Fernando Barreto Mercado (PRI)