News from the Provinces 2008
After a long and dark winter at last the sunny spring has come to Copenhagen.
At school (Niels Steensens Gymansium - www.nsg.dk) a dense time begins. Our kids are participating in many exchange programs, so months before summer holidays, when a lot of guests come to Niels Steensens. Until now we had groups from catholic schools in Reims in France and Newport in the USA. In May other groups as Poles, other Americans and Germans are coming.
Spring is also a time of schools examinations, especially for 3 graders from the gymnasium, therefore the classes schedule is being changed. Other classes get the possibility to have a day excursions, or so called “theme weeks”, when they focus themselves on a certain topic.
For Jesuits the last months of the school year are also a time of work in our retreat center in the countryside which is just being finished, and is going to welcome the first groups at the beginning of new semester.
... Reported by Krzysztof Augustyniak (PMA)
We are presently 8 scholastics of the French Province in the period of regency: 4 in the first year and 4 in the second year. Among us two are doing regency abroad: Pierre Hong in Athens (Pierre was grown up in Greece, which belongs to the French Province) and Gabriel Khairallah in Lebanon (Gabriel was born in Lebanon). The rest of us are dispersed throughout France: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Versailles. Most of us work in Jesuit high schools and colleges. Regents of the French Province gather three times a year with our Provincial in the place of one of us, for a weekend in which we share our experiences, joys and sorrows and have some leisure time. The first meeting took place in Versailles at the end of October. The second one was in Toulouse in January. Unfortunately several of us were not able to attend: Father Provincial was obviously in Rome, accompanied by Antoine Paumard who was working in the GC35 as a Spanish French translator. Our fellow regents of Greece and Lebanon were not present either. Next meeting will be in Marseille at the end of May.
... Reported by: Jean de Lanzac (GAL)
A couple of announcements" on the life of the Czech scholastics
At this time we have five scholastics in the Czech province of the Society of Jesus. This year only one of them is living in our country, doing his regency. The other four are studying abroad. So we are a kind of community „ad dispersionem".
But, in fact, since September 2007 we have formed „a Czech minority" in the Collegio del Gesù in Rome. This academic year three of us are residing in the „Eternal city". We enjoy life in the community, which is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding by Fr. Arrupe. With the other 40 scholastics we share a genuine spirit of fraternity and service.
Recently the college hosted seven delegates of the 35th General congregation. It was a nice occasion to share with them their experience of this great event for the Society. We also participated actively at the principal liturgical celebrations of the Congregation.
And how are the three Czech Jesuits from the Gesù? Ladislav Nosek has just finished his retreat in preparation for the diaconate ordination, which will take place on Tuesday, March 25th. Easter Tuesday is usually the day of ordination in our college. This time we expect 12 new deacons from 11 provinces of the Society. After he has finished his studies at the Gregorian, Ladislav will begin the licentiate in Frankfurt, Germany. Petr Vacík is in his second year of theology, and in his free time he takes nice photos. He's actually an excellent artistic photographer! In February he offered an exhibition of his work for us and some of the friends of the community. The author of this report is going to complete his thesis for the licentiate in ecclesiology, and is looking forward to work in the Czech province.
A brief word on the other young Jesuits in formation: Marek Janás continues his studies in Paris and is also near to becoming a deacon. Radek Stojanovič, the next EJIF delegate from our country, will do his first year of regency working as an assistant in a Czech – Polish parish on the border of the Czech Republic. Also in regency is our brother Tomáš Novák, who lives in Prague and cares for our web page. (You can appreciate his work by clicking on: www.jesuit.cz.
I wish you all the deep and transforming joy of the Risen Lord.
...… Reported by Robert Svatoň (BOH)
Vocation Promotion in the Hungarian Jesuit province
From June 2007 there are some new initiatives and programs in the field of vocation promotion in the Hungarian province. The provincial appointed a full time vocation director and two other Jesuits to help part time in vocational work. It is very good experience that we work together and it is also a witness for the young people that we Jesuits are an apostolic community. In the mission statement of the new apostolate there are four main goals:
1. to help the young people who are in a vocational discernment process or who are interested explicitly for the Society,
2. to help all Jesuits in the province to become a better promoter of vocations,
3. to make known the Society and the religious life among young people in our institutions and outside,
4 to prepare candidates for the novitiate, and to coordinate the admission process.
There are different programs which helps to realize these goals. The central elements are the ignatian retreats (3 days retreat during Fall and Spring, 8 days ignatian retreats for vocational discernment during Fall and Summer) and personal contact and spiritual direction for young people. We have two groups for men in vocational discernment meeting regularly.
During the summer we organize a youth camp about the Christian vocations. In April there is an open weekend in a Jesuit house, and in November there is a day of Jesuit vocation when the people in our Churches and the students of our schools pray for vocation. To produce information sheets and brochures about the Society is also an important part of vocation promotion, while perhaps the Jesuit homepage with a vocational part is the most important tool for this. Finally a theater play about the Canadian Jesuit martyrs was also a good possibility to make known better our order among young people.
… Reported by Koronkai Zoltán (HUN)
News from the Maltese Province
Malta is a small province and doesn't have it's own houses of formation, therefore we spend all of our formation abroad, with the possible exception of regency. Since on the 8th of March the Maltese were called to the polls for the general election, we Maltese scholastics had the opportunity to see each other since we all flied home to vote. It was a pleasant occasion to meet fellow Jesuits, family and friends in an ecstatic election atmosphere.
The 3rd of July, will bring a blessing for the Maltese Province because one of our scholastics, René Micallef, will be ordained priest in the con-cathedral of St. John, Valletta. René, 27 years old joined the Society on 19 October 1997 doing his novitiate in Genoa. He then studied philosophy in Padua and obtained a masters degree in philosophy in London. He completed his regency at St. Aloysius’ College in Malta followed by the first cycle of theology in Centre Sèvres in Paris. He is currently studying theology in Comillas Pontifical University, Madrid.
The academic year 2008-2009 will be an interesting year for our province since there will be four Jesuits in formation going back to Malta. Three scholastics will be returning to Malta for regency together with a young father who is currently finishing his second cycle of theology.
... Reported by: Chistopher Vella, (MAL)
Jesuit scholastics in Slovakia - Three great venues for men in formation
Bratislava, Slovakia. The young Jesuits from Slovakia have had three uplifting experiences of being a Jesuit.
First one was on a different note of building a good community life together. January 18 scholastics from the Collegium of the Holy Saviour in Bratislava took community cars and spent a day out together in Vienna taking a tour round the city centre and enjoying the tourist sites.
The second experience challenged all theology students in Bratislava to reach out to fellow Jesuits across the border of the Slovak province. Jesuits in formation of the Hungarian province studying in Budapest, Hungary and those of the Slovak province currently studying philosophy in Krakow, Poland met up in the northern region Orava in February 9 – 15. The reports brings a few snapshots of the week of holidays together.
The third and the last experience was to take a different approach to a community evening and go out to the restaurant Ashoka in Bratislava. The Indian cuisine lifted up the spirit of the community binding. Pictures document the good atmosphere felt among one another.
... Reported by: Ladislav Sulik, (SVK) Bratislava
Dear Friends,
We have a new General! – Father Adolfo Nicolas. The first two things I heard about him were: “He’s Spanish and speaks Japanese.” This is much in line with how I experience the General Congregation – not only as a European Jesuit, but as a member of the worldwide Society.
A reminder: my community in Paris is half-French, half-not-French. One of my Asian companions met Fr. Nicolas; what struck him about his office was that his desk was absolutely bare - interesting.
On our community GC35-blog I saw two photos of the new General. On one he is wearing a colourful poncho, smiling broadly while being congratulated on his election. On the other he is in clergyman, grave, pronouncing the formula which marks the beginning of his term of office. I pray that, for the good of the Society and for himself, he may be able to keep these two sides of his personality in balance.
While the Congregation reflects on our priorities for the time to come, the candle in front of an image of Saint Ignatius will continue to burn in our chapel, as will be the case in your houses elsewhere in Europe.
EJIF-greetings,
... Submitted by Wiggert Molenaar (NER-BSE), Paris
XI Day of Judaism and Internet retreats in Poland
On 17th of January we were celebrating the XI Day of Judaism in Poland. A lot of Polish Jesuits were involved in this important event. Centre of the Culture and the Dialogue, running by the Jesuit University of Philosophy and Education "Ignatianum" in Krakow, organised the cycle of meetings and panel discussions on this occasion. A shared life of Poles and Jews - at present and in the past, was a main topic. There were numerous representatives of Jewish environments from Poland and invited guests from foreign countries.
We noticed a huge interest in the topic of Polish-Jew dialogue among young generation of Poles. It is a very good sign for the future. The young generation of Poles finds Jewish culture as an important part of Polish history. As you very well know Polish and Jewish shared-life during and after the II World War sometimes was painful - but the dialogue and the openness could only be help to overcome this painful experience. Therefore such initiatives make us pleased.
In mid-January the first Internet retreats took place. It was addressed to the charismatic communities. The topic was focusing around the relationships inside groups. The Jesuit community from Lodz was responsible for this entertainment and almost 2000 people from Poland and abroad participated on-line. This idea opened wider perspectives for spiritual growth for those who are not able to practice their faith outside their place of life and work. The retreats turned out quite nice success. For their commitment we wish organizers and participants a lot of spiritual fruits.
… Reported by Jarek Charchula (PME), Krakow
Changes to come at Formation Center Munich