News from the Provinces 2010
Meeting of scholastics in regency in Dresden, Germany
In the week of February 15th to February 19th, a meeting of all the scholastics of the German speaking provinces (Switzerland, Austria and Germany) took place in Dresden. 12 Jesuits came to the beautiful retreat house "Hoheneichen", which is located al little bit outside of the city in the lovely valley of the river Elbe. Fr. Petrus Köst guided us through this week. Of course we used most of the time for sharing. Each of the participants had about one hour to tell about his work, inner movements, community life, prayer etc. and the others could ask questions or give feedback. We also had a very interesting cultural program with a sightseeing tour to the very nice old town of Dresden and an evening in the world famous opera house ("Semperoper") with Beethoven's Fidelio.
It was a good time to renew relationships, reflect on your work and how you do it, get feedback and good ideas from other Jesuits in the same stage of education.
nterestingly enough: Most of the participants said, the most impressive "event" during this week was the meditation in the chapel of the retreat house at the evening of Ash Wednesday, when we sat one hour in silence!
… Reported by Arnold Weis (GER), St. Blasien
Bratislava College and its pastoral endeavour
Apart from the typical academic life at the our Theology Faculty of Trnava University over here in Bratislava with all the interesting and dull moments which are related to a student’s life, we also intensively deal with pastoral developments, keeping the old customs and trying few innovations…
A lot of groups and teams have risen up alongside our Jesuit Church which is situated in the very heart of the city center: five CVX groups, two Lectio Divina prayer groups, three Church-choir groups, Lectors group, one Family group… The task and the question now for us is how to connect these different and separated cells into a structure and to create a good pastoral body.
There are two special Masses: the Family Mass and the Student Mass. The Family Mass is distinguished for its special program for children during the Liturgy of the Word which takes place in a large room next to the Sacristy. Afterwards the children take part in procession of gifts and the Eucharist. Young parents are involved in our pastoral team organizing the whole Eucharistic celebration and many other activities.
The second one – Student Mass – is for students and young adults. During this Lent season we offered them some additional programs such as conferences (e.g. about Ignatius spirituality), audio-visual reflection on the Station of the Cross, adoration of the Holy Cross. After both Masses (first takes place on Sunday and the second on Monday) an agape is prepared which gives us opportunity to strengthen our relationships.
Many take advantage of our Spiritual Center in Ivanka close to Bratislava for weekend’s retreats or various workshops as well.
Finally, the coming of warm spring days gives us an opportunity to come up with some outdoor activities: trips and barbecues in order to deepen the partnership with our lay-friends.
…Reported by Jaroslav Mudroň (SVK), Bratislava
What’s new in Cracow’s community?
In January the Polish scholastics studying philosophy had their triduum of renewal. They went to Czechowice-Dziedzice, where is located one of our Retreat Houses. The Retreat has been led by Father Waclaw Krolikowski who is an expert of Ignatian spirituality. At the end of this sacred time 36 young Jesuits renewed their vows.
In February we finally finished our exam session and after that we began our awaited winter’s holiday! It was a time of different activities. First of all it was a moment of relax and rest. Some of us went skiing and took a seaside mountain trip. Other visited their families.
During holiday some of us participated in a 3-days session about “Spiritual accompaniment in practice” which was held in our Ignatian Spiritual Formation Centre in Gdynia.
In the course interesting topics were discussed e.g. “the person giving the Exercises in the light of the Annotations”. It was a great opportunity to prepare for ministry in the future.
Moreover, at the end of our holiday we had a Media Course. We were divided into three groups and we had exercises with journalists who work in religious publications in Katowice and with reporters from Cracow’s television and radio.
Now we are starting a new semester of philosophy. Greetings!
… Reported by Maciek Obrzazgiewicz (PMA), Krakow
Scholastics' News from the Polish Province PME
I would like to share with you some information about events which occurred in the Southern Polish Provinces PME.
Actually the Cracowian college scholastics are very much occupied with an examination session which has just started and will last to the end of the month. So our efforts are mostly focused on passing good exams!
We are enlarging our school (called Ignatianum) with two floors.
During the Christmas holidays scholastics were sent to our parishes to aid the Jesuits there working. They were mainly occupied with church decoration and liturgy. Some of them participated also in Christmas visits of parishioners.
As is tradition, the Cracovian scholastics issued our periodical Jezuici Nasze.
(Photo n°3) - Wiadomosci (Jesuit News, see www.jezuici.pl). The number of this periodical was titled Jesuits and borders, and called the people of our mission as a people of frontiers. Inspiration for that title was found in the words of Pope Benedict XVI which encouraged Jesuits "to reach the geographic and spiritual places where others do not reach or find it difficult to reach."
Finally, I would like to wish for all of you plenty of light effusion of the Holy Spirit.
Yours in Christ,
Jarosław.
… Reported by Jarosław Mikuczewski (PME), Cracow
Polish Scholastics in the recent months…
Scholastics from the Polish Northern Province (PMA) had diverse activities during the summer holidays. A good number was involved in the Jesuit Youth Days (for a sample video see here ) in Święta Lipka, which is a regular yearly event bringing together students from our university chaplaincies.
Some were traditionally attending the “SZARA” – scouting group of the walking pilgrimage from Warsaw to the Marian Shrine of Częstochowa (see Paweł Kowalski SJ on photo). Most of us were also assisting in various spiritual exercises in our retreat houses. We even had a representative (Jacek Olczyk SJ ) on the Ignatian Youth Days (IDM) in Stara Wieś (organised for secondary school pupils) where he led a workshop on facilitating communal prayer.
After the holidays we went to our respective regencies (Poland, Denmark, Taiwan) or places of study (Cracow, Warsaw, Rome, Paris, Berkeley or Bratislava). Of these probably the most conducive is the latter. Not only is it in the most beautiful country in Europe, but thanks to its convenient location, it enables easy travel to neighbouring states – whenever need occurs – like recently to meet Pope Benedict XVI in Brno (photo: the undersigned fourth from right:).
… Reported by Adam Juchnowicz (PMA), Warsaw
