News from the Provinces 2009
Advent in the Netherlands
What goes on in with the Dutch Jesuits currently is very much in line with the Church’s season in which we find ourselves now. Despite being an ageing province, we still look to the future with hope, as did Elizabeth and Zacharias. In fact we are buying or building two new houses. One is in the province old age home, the Berchmanianum, where roughly one-third of the province lives. The 70-odd Jesuits and other religious are eagerly awaiting the construction of a new wing which will cater even better for their needs. Meanwhile in Amsterdam, the Jesuit church nicknamed “mountain of chalk” continues to attract young and old to worship with its renowned and extensive supply of liturgies, music and (spirituality) courses.
In addition, neighbouring house has just been purchased that is destined to offer room to students with openness to receiving spiritual direction.
Finally and less visibly, two retired Jesuit teachers assist lay teachers in Delft, especially in Ignatian pedagogy and spirituality. Education of children and Advent: two instances of nourishing hope!
… Reported by Wouter Blesgraaf (NER), London
Craziness of the Incarnation
We’re waiting for the miracle, each year´s miracle, the same miracle. The craziness of the Incarnation... So, is God crazy? Our God is the God of the poor. Our God loves the prostitutes, the children, the drug addicts; He loves everybody. Our God is difficult to understand, is very hard to understand, because for us it would be better that He only loved good people, but isn’t so.
Those who read these lines could think that the words in them are strange, weird; and maybe so. Still, with these words, what I want to say to you, my companions, is that in December, I’m leaving for Chile for two years. The purpose of this destination is for me to end my philosophical studies, and to work in the “Hogar de Cristo” (Christ’s home). You might recognized it as the one founded by Saint Alberto Hurtado.
I’m nervous, obviously, but I’m very happy to answer the Society’s calling through this project and to live that which the Society assigns to me, as we all do it in our different missions; missions that puts us in our peculiar place. Im going to Chile, yet the most important thing for me is that I’m going to be as much a Jesuit in Chile as I am in Spain. Moreover, I go to Chile because I am Jesuit.
Christians... we are crazy, crazy people. People really say that, but it is just because they don’t understand that this is the only way, our unique way. Being crazy is life, our life.
… Reported by Carlos Muñoz Novo (CAS), Salamanca
Priorities in the Romanian province
The important political changes of the last years, amongst which Romania’s accession in the European Union, urged the 20 Jesuits working here to reconsider on a larger scale our future projects. During the last summer Province Meeting, in Cluj (Transylvania), lead by Pablo Guerrero, the new provincial, we focused on some priorities: the formation of Spiritual Exercises and leadership, the dialogue between eastern and western spirituality, the work for ethnic reconciliation and the social apostolate. Our young age, diversity in rites (a part of us come from the byzantine tradition), languages (we are Romanian and Hungarian speaking Jesuits) and formation, oriented the reflection concerning the future investments. So, important decisions to release greater mobility to the Jesuits are to be taken. Our view was also that the effective Interprovincial collaboration, already in act with Hungarian, Austrian and Italian Province, should be reinforced with the increased awareness of the role of European collaboration.
…
Submitted by Teodor Lucian Lechintan (ROM), Paris
News from the French Province
• New Provincial
Since the 15th of August, 2009, our Province of France has a newly elected provincial: Fr. Jean-Yves Grenet. Father Jean-Yves is 52. He entered the Society when he was 25 years old. Nine years later, he was ordained at the age of 34. After his final profession in 1999, he worked in a number of High Schools in our Society. In 1996, he was appointed as a director and managed the professional Saint Therese le Marais High School in St Etienne. In 2002, he was called to be the Rector of the Peter Favre formation community in the XV district of Paris where 35 Jesuits lived with 25 students coming from a dozen nationalities. Since 2004, he has been delegated as the Provincial of France and is responsible for all of the school establishments. Recently in May 2009, he organized the gathering at Lourdes for the leaders from the 14 institutions which are under the Jesuit supervision.
• Jesuit Faculties in Paris celebrate the 4th centenary of Matteo Ricci’s death
Built in 1971 by the Fr. Claude Larre, the Ricci institute of Paris has just amalgamated with the Sevres Centre - Jesuits Faculties of Paris. The Ricci Institute conducts many lectures about the philosophical traditions in China and the Chinese society of today. It is also a centre for research and publications. At present time, it is preparing the celebration of the 4th centenary anniversary of Matteo Ricci’s death (11/05/1610). This event will be marked in the Calendar of the national Celebrations in France [www.institutricci.org]. The Ricci Institute in Paris, under the direction of Father Michel Masson, is preparing a program rich of celebrations in 2010. The program envisions a Conference on the exchanges of knowledge about China at the time of Matteo Ricci, with the participation of UNESCO, an organization of the United Nations for Education, Science and Culture. The Institute is successful in promoting the 4th centenary Anniversary of Ricci’s death in the “National Celebrations” in 2010.
… Reported by Tuan Nguyen (GAL), Paris
Regents meet in Rome
Community life versus apostolic life; being contemplative in action; collaboration with other Jesuits and lay people; and living in an ageing Society of Jesus, were few of the themes which featured prominently during the Regents’ meeting held at San Saba (Rome) from 23rd to 25th February, 2009.
All the Italian regents, with the exception of two (one doing his regency in Taiwan and the other being involved in a car accident a few days before the meeting), together with the Maltese regents and a Belarusian and a Polish regent both doing their regency in Italy, gathered in order to share their regency experience half way through the year.
The meeting was held in a very friendly atmosphere even though we were honoured by the presence of the newly appointed Italian provincial Fr Carlo Casalone who, unlike his predecessor, was eloquent, both verbally and non -verbally, in his interventions. Fr Alessandro Manaresi facilitated the sessions prompting us, by the use of very pertinent questions, to share our experience of alternating periods of consolation and desolation as we go through this stage of our formation.
If I had to mention a shortcoming of this meeting I would point out its short duration. For many reasons, the personal sharing had to be compacted in two days rendering the afternoons very challenging by way of long stretches of attentive listening.
On our way to Fiumicino’s airport, Christopher, Anthony and myself remarked on the positive effect the challenges have on us regents and this sentiment was expressed by each and everyone participating at the meeting. Although such hardships are at times tough to endure many of us are fully aware that these are aiding us in our growth as Jesuits. On the one hand we feel urged to bear the multiple responsibilities inherent to our commitment as religious and on the other we feel the need to depend on the Lord’s providence. On a more personal level, through consonance and dissonance with the other regents’ experiences, I feel we are warmly invited to live with renewed commitment two massive challenges - being friends of the Lord and being friends of each other in the Lord.
… Karl Vella (MAL) in TMJ, april 2009
On the picture: Jesuit regents (from left to right) Giuseppe Riggio (ITA), Emanuele Stival (ITA), Karl Vella (MAL) and Giuseppe Trotta (ITA)
Lent retreat in Krakow
As usually every year at Lent, Cracow scholastics also this year prepared retreats for pupils and students of some Jesuit parishes and schools in Poland. The forty five scholastics are divided in five groups, called “sub-communities”, and every group is supposed to choose a parish or school and to create a retreat three-day program.
The week before Easter, 1st – 3rd April, I took part in a Lent retreat in the city of Szczecin (Stettin) in North-West Poland. There, in the down church of the Jesuit parish young students in the age 15-18 gathered to attend the two-hour spiritual presentations and catechesis.
Our purpose was to hand over the religious message in an attractive way, being conscious that many of the youn g peoplefound themselves forced by their teachers to participate at the retreat. In order to raise their curiosity, gentle the atmosphere and keep their attention we applied a lot of music, gospel songs, film spots, audio presentations etc. E.g. we had prepared a visual Way of the Cross using fragments of 14 movies about Jesus (from the “King of Kings” from 1927 till Gibson’s “Passion”).
During three days we had in the morning short meetings with mentally handicapped young people, at noon we carried out the two-hour program for students, and in the evening we were available for leading workshops, if somebody showed interest for our propositions (liturgy, bible, philosophy, prayer, doubter and interfaith workshop).
I would like to thank Fr. Bogusław Choma for his guidance and help during the retreat. It was a special pastoral experience, which could show us the real sense of our long formation and studies. We cannot evaluate the efficacy of our endeavour inserted in the retreat, but we are happy to assist the heavenly Sower to spread out his Word in the world.
… Jaroslav Mudroň (SVK), Cracow
News from the British Province
Dear Companions,
I write with some news of what has been happening for Scholastics in the last few months in the British Province.
The British Province has two regions, so in addition to scholastics from Britain, there are also scholastics from Guyana in South America, and from South Africa who were pleased to welcome several new JiF’s (Jesuits-in-Formation) from provinces from Europe and around the world.
The British Province currently has 34 scholastics from other provinces and, including the ones from Britain, Guyana and South Africa, there are about 32 JiF’s in London studying either at Heythrop College, University of London or at other London Universities or Institutions, and 9 studying at the University of Oxford. The custom in the British Province is that men stay in their communities for the first week (7-12 September) before travelling to the Province’s Villa House in Barmouth, Wales for an induction week (13-18 September). This year the scholastics found time in the programme to put on a Talent Show during the induction week which showcased much of the musical and other talents of each of the scholastics there. There was great diversity from as far as Ghana, Guyana, Colombia, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Zimbabwe as well as from closer to home.
The Province celebrated two ordinations: Rampeoane Hlobo, who was ordained priest by the Most Rev. Buti Tlhagale at St Martin de Porres Church in Orlando West, Soweto in South Africa on 25 October; and Steve Patterson, who was ordained by Most Rev. Patrick Kelly on 1st November at St Francis Xavier’s Church in Liverpool, England. Both were very happy and consoling events for the Province and its Regions.
There was a meeting of Scholastics at one of our larger London houses, Southwell House, where all the Scholastics spent the weekend learning and practicing Social Analysis, using London as an example. This was a highly-prepared and much-appreciated weekend, expertly facilitated by Tony Carroll SJ, Assistant Director of the Heythrop Institute for Religion, Ethics and Public Life. His co-presenters were Paul Fletcher SJ, Assistant for Formation, who provided an overview of the ‘History of Britain’ and James Conway SJ, Director of the Social Apostolate at St Ignatius Jesuit Parish in Stamford Hill – which is also the British Province’s Philosophate, who presented an analysis of the changing demographics of the Stamford Hill Parish as seen through the last 50 years of the Baptismal Register there. The weekend involved lots of group-work and we tried to synthesise our analyses. We also enjoyed watching the short film ‘London from the Air’ as well as watching the movie ‘Raining Stones’ (1993).
The JiF’s Christmas Party and renewal of vows during a mass at the Jesuit Curia in Farm Street, London on 21st December also saw four JiF’s admitted to the ministry of Acolyte and Reader. They were Kpanie Addy (ANW), John Enslin (SAF), Raymond Ngaiza (AOR), and Elil Rajendram (SRI).
The year ended with some scholastics spending New Years together at the new Villa (Owen House) in Boscombe in the south of England. This Villa House is well situated and has good access to not only the city of Bournemouth, but - like Barmouth - the beach as well. There was also the opportunity to spend some time with the older fathers in the Corpus Christi Jesuit Community (also in Boscombe) which is the British Province’s new community for members of the Society who pray for the Church and the Society and who need 24-hour care.
This activity is of course all around the usual studies at Heythrop College and our regular JiF gatherings which take place on every 3rd Friday of the month at Farm Street. Past speakers at these 3rd Friday evenings have been: Tim Curtis SJ, speaking to us about Jesuit Missions and how it supports Jesuits and apostolates associated with or supported by the British Province; and the Principal of Heythrop, John McDade SJ, who explained the exciting developments at Heythrop College whereby the Society of Jesus purchased the property from the Sisters of the Assumption (there was a well-attended ‘handing-on’ ceremony (as opposed to ‘handing-over’) on the 5th December, thus securing a permanent home for Heythrop College going forward into the 21st century.
Scholastics, and indeed the Province, were pleased as well to read of the recent results from the 2008 National Student Survey where Heythrop students recorded an overall satisfaction rate of 91% for their experience at the College, well above the national average of 82%. Particular highlights are satisfaction levels as high as 96% for staff teaching, and up to 97% for academic support, guidance, and feedback on assessed work. Students also rated highly the interesting nature of courses, and the excellent library (again 97% satisfaction), which is one of the largest theology and philosophy libraries in the country. Students praised the “enthusiastic staff” who “make the subject interesting”, noting that courses are “intellectually stimulating”.
… Reported by Matthew Charlesworth (BRI-SA), London
Regency in Linz
2009 is a year of celebrations for both the city of Linz (European Cultural Capital 2009) and our community of St. Ignatius, which was founded a hundred years ago. I am doing my regency as a minister and assistant to the vocations promoter Fr. Herz. It's a wide and colourful range of activities which make of an intense and demanding life! In autumn I accompanied an old fellow jesuit suffering of cancer until he died on Christmas day. This experience affected me a lot. In January I supervised the installation of a new telephone system. I regard it as a grace of my function as a minister to be in touch with the needs of my brothers. On the other hand being a link between the community and our collaborators represents a challenge. Beside these tasks there's also little time left for pastoral ministry, which is very enriching for my own spiritual life. My CLC-group is reading the encyclical "Spe salvi" with great personal commitment. In November and January I was given the opportunity to be the spiritual director of two retreatants. My actual contribution to vocations promotion is to present the Jesuit order and religious life in general in several schools. I'm keen on doing that, because so I receive an impression of what young people really think, and it's amazing. Summing up I'm grateful for so many possibilities of learning how to love and to serve as a Jesuit. But I'm also looking forward to reflecting these experiences when I'll be studying theology in autumn!ll the people I encounter.
… Reported by Hans Brandl (ASR)
Week of guided prayer
Regencies are normally characterized by busy schedules and a hefty number of activities to be planned and executed well.
I opt to share a personal experience I lived during this month at the University Chaplaincy in Malta, where I am helping out as a religious pastoral assistant. In these last weeks I was asked to accompany a number of students, young and not so young in what we traditionally term as week of guided prayer. The guided participants were invited to dedicate a 30 minute slot of daily prayer to the Lord in order to know more about Him so as to know Him better. This experience turned out to be a very positive one both for me and for the students that did this short yet intense accompanied journey. The varied ways with which the Lord works through the lives of people who are willing to follow him impressed me. There were students who practically never prayed prior to this week others who already were familiar with the Ignatian way of meditation and contemplation nonetheless all were generous and faithful to the calling the Lord was making them at this moment of their lives. This spiritual pilgrimage proposed did pose some challenges to the students such as the daily commitment to pray with biblical texts, the faithfulness to the time of prayer, what to integrate into prayer and what to leave out amongst other issues.
As from my part the accompaniment was yet another opportunity in my regency whereby I felt that the Lord was teaching me a lot. One very wise indication by St. Ignatius given in the Spiritual Exercises which came very handy was that of not interfering as a director into the relationship of the Creator with the guided person (Annotation 15). This is a delicate issue which I still have to apprehend well as I was always eager to intervene during the colloquies at times imposing my thoughts over the Lord's will.
Though the prayer was done on a personal level many a times the participants were invited to pray and support the others doing the week of guided prayer who were equally willing to get to know Jesus better.
A desire I am cultivation in my regency is that through experiences of this sort and through my listening to His ways as He works in me and the others, I might be more attentive and able to see Him working in all things and in all the people I encounter.
… Reported by Karl Vella (MAL)
Experiencing international cooperation
Talking about international cooperation, across province borders, is one thing, actually experiencing what it means is another, as those know who participated at EJIF meetings. The ordination of two fellow Jesuits, Bert Daelemans of the Northern Belgian Province and Ward Biemans of the Dutch Province, On Saturday, November 15th lately, was such an occasion: the ceremony was held in Antwerp, in the splendour of the Saint Charles Borromeus’ church that once belonged to the Society of Jesus. Br. Pieter Huyssens designed the plans and entirely built it in the spirit of the Counterreformation: he used colour, light, space, all the means possible to lift up the soul, to help the believer, to enter more deeply in worship. The church had this same effect on us on that day, as it must have had then.
But thankfully it was not only the spirit of the old days that we felt, but also the spirit of the Society as it continues to live today, very much in an international way. The congregation of course came from both sides of the borders, but also from far beyond: since Bert and Ward both spent the vast majority of their formation abroad, many came from as far as Birmingham, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Latin America... A great sample of people they met on their journey of years towards priesthood. But the worldwide Society was present in the shape of JRS. Former President of JRS-Europe, to which the collection money went, Fr. Jan Stuyt, announced it in a most charming way: “When children in the camps cannot go to school, the schools must come to the camps”. I hope people gave a lot.
But more important than this outward splendour, this moment, in which the Society had a high visibility rate, more important than all of that was the presence of the Spirit: Jesus was calling to young men to dedicate their entire lives as priests in his service. At many instances, this Presence becomes more than tangible, and I’m sure it was moving for all who participated at ceremony. Presiding was Mgr. Joseph De Kesel, of auxiliary bishop of Mechelen-Brussels, his homily talked about the difficulty to make choices nowadays, and also about the centrality of our friendship with Jesus. And there were the “normal” strong moments, which because of their relative rareness receive a special dimension. Particularly moving was the laying on of hands: a wide circle was formed by nearly a hundred priests, the first ten minutes being in absolute silence. What can one say more after this great event? Anyway, I’m convinced that the Flemish and Dutch received more strength after this; many, many people were touched, maybe more than we know... For more information visit our website www.jezuieten.org, particularly http://www.jezuieten.org/html/jezuiet_worden/priesterwijding_ward_bert.html. Click on “Uitvoerig fotoalbum” for all the pictures.
… Reported by Walter Ceyssens (BSE)
