Father Stanisław Majcher, a Jesuit from the Retreat House in Zakopane, serves as a chaplain at the penitentiary in Nowy Wiśnicz. As part of his ministry, he moderates formational meetings for prisoners. On April 20, another meeting took place, attended by several dozen inmates and a few volunteers from Krakow, Lodz, Rzeszow, Zywiec, Nowy Sacz, Lachowice, and Gdansk. The main topic of the meeting was loneliness and isolation in everyday life. It's worth noting that prisoners do not experience loneliness in the classical sense, as they are surrounded by fellow inmates. However, the question was how to overcome the feeling of isolation that affects the inner self. Father Stanisław Majcher began the meeting by talking about external and internal freedom, introducing the topic. Then, fragments from the Holy Scripture about loneliness were presented to the prisoners to explore the issues at the intersection of spirituality and psychology, distinguishing between loneliness and isolation. The next two presentations were testimonies from volunteers sharing how they cope with isolation at home and in their professional lives. Referring to the scope of isolation in professional work, a volunteer mentioned his experience with Spiritual Exercises, where the silence of the retreat touched his inner self and consciousness. This led to a desire to talk to his coworker about their closed-off attitude. The result of the conversation was a spiritual and life awakening for the coworker, who emerged from that state as a changed person. The key to overcoming isolation is a relationship with God, and subsequently, building oneself on the path towards another person with God. It was also pointed out that Saint Ignatius Loyola wrote in the Spiritual Exercises: "The more the soul is isolated and alone, the more it can approach its Creator and Lord and unite with Him."

This summer, young adults can again discuss and reflect on ways to live sustainably at the "Eco Summer Camp". The one-week exchange focuses on socio-ecological transformation on a large scale and individual solutions on a small scale. The meeting will take place from August 18 to 25 at the Lassalle House in Switzerland and is under the motto "From wild consumption to responsible engagement" this year. "In concrete, personal terms, the revolution that the world needs often falls very hard for most people. Pure knowledge does not help to bring about great changes. That's the starting point of the Eco Summer Camp: How can we get the socio-ecological transformation that we know is necessary, moving?" says Valerio Ciriello SJ, who leads the camp. "Each of us knows behaviors that we should actually stop or change. And yet we don't do it. The head alone is not enough, not even for us Jesuits. And you can't force changes in people's hearts, neither through insight nor through regulations or coercion." Instead, Ciriello relies on encounter and exchange at the Eco Summer Camp. In exchange with outstanding experts The Eco Summer Camp is designed as an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and cross-generational sustainability week. Together with outstanding experts, participants have the opportunity to discuss current global ecological and socio-economic challenges. Sustainable strategies for addressing these challenges and ways to change one's own habits are explored in the camp. The program includes lectures and workshops, as well as walks, excursions, various dinner and cocktail formats, podium discussions, campfire talks, and reflection offers. The goal is to have as much encounter and exchange on an equal footing as possible, in both directions: the experts on one side and the participants on the other have something to say, and the Eco Summer Camp wants to offer the space. Students can earn ECTS points The Eco Summer Camp is also a summer school. This gives participants the opportunity to earn 4 ECTS points (European Credit Transfer System). However, acquiring ECTS points is not a requirement for participation. Non-students are also warmly welcome. Partners include the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Bern, the Swedish Newman Institute, the Lassalle Institute, and the Research and Training Institute ESSR of the Jesuits in the Philippines, which promotes ecological sustainability and social justice. More info:https://www.jesuiten.org/news/mach-mit-beim-eco-summer-camp-2024  

On April 12th, the VIII Ignatian Social Assembly took place at the Padre António Vieira University Center (CUPAV), where various Apostolic Works linked to the Society of Jesus or the Society itself with social and ecological activities gathered. The day began with a inspiring interpretation and recitation of poems by actress Lídia Franco. Mariana Rozeira, coordinator of the Social Apostolate Commission (CAS), then welcomed the entire assembly. Next, Sofia Marques, provincial coordinator of the Service for Protection and Care (SPC), guided the participants in an exercise of awareness of their actions and/or omissions in their Works. Based on the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37), she alerted to the "passing by" of situations that are identified in daily life and the indifference towards them; questioned possible causes for this behavior and proposed reflection on the impact of these attitudes on those affected (users, students, colleagues, etc.). She concluded by focusing on how the wounded person in the parable feels when cared for, echoing "go and do the same". In the moment titled "Shared Mission", Susana Réfega, executive director of the Laudato Si' Movement, invited all present to discover and face their "own" works/missions as incorporated into a single shared mission. She reminded that one is called to mission by God and that with Him, it is also shared: He is a participant! Some difficulties in collaborative work between Works and possible "steps" to overcome them were identified. The importance of networked work was emphasized, as it allows creating bonds that do not bind but support and structure, enabling progress and growth. The existence of discord and diversity that arise in this networked work can be a positive contribution - stimulating creativity and critical thinking - if placed at the service of the common good. The shared mission allows influencing decisions, favoring the exercise of prophetic advocacy, where denouncing the structural sin of different organizations and proposing solutions is fundamental. She finished by quoting D. Tonino Bello: "We cannot limit ourselves to waiting, we must organize hope". Exactly with the tone of "organizing hope" and taking up those words, Father Miguel Almeida, SJ, Provincial of the Portuguese Province of the Society of Jesus, took the floor to explore the Apostolic Plan of the Portuguese Province 2024-2029 (PAP) with all participants, clarifying the need for its existence and the attitude to foster when studying it. In the end, he challenged all the Works represented to recognize, from the PAP, which specific preferences and objectives most identify with their reality, assuming the commitment to make a path to concretize them. After an intense morning of content and a group photo after lunch, the afternoon proposed a time for reflection on the achievements and failures related to the commitments made in the previous year's Assembly. In groups formed by elements of different Works, the different analyses were shared and listened to, leading to an individual commitment that each one proposed to fulfill. After this work, everyone gathered for a final plenary session to collect the different reflections, followed by an evaluation of the day. The VIII Ignatian Social Assembly ended with the celebration of Mass, presided over by Father Lourenço Eiró, SJ.

10 years ago, it was the war in Syria and Frans van der Lugt was killed in our old convent of Homs. A decade later, there are still a lot of traces both of the war and of Frans’ death. In the city, the impact of war is everywhere: a lot of buildings are unoccupied because residents has left (and continue to leave to avoid the crisis), entire parts of the city are only ruins, the old market nearby is still empty. But the traces of Frans’ death are the flowers on his tomb in our garden, the young people having a lot of activities in a place he founded, the groups doing hikes in the countryside like he did, the Jesuits being even more in Homs than before the war… and it was therefore so natural for more than 700 people to gather to celebrate joyfully this anniversary. Leaders of the Churches in Homs, catholic and orthodox bishops and protestants pastors, Ignatian sisters, CLC-CVX, young people and Jesuits… we were in this occasion Frans’ family and we tried to share a simplicity Frans would have loved. The liturgy was solemn but normal, the lunch was home-made for all of us by an army of women, the alter service was a mix between younger and older people, Jesuits and people with special needs, two choirs merge for the occasion… The bishop took firmly the prayers for the martyrs, and indeed Frans death is a seed for the Church in Homs and could help us to maintain hope in Syria where 13 years of conflicts have exhausted all the energies.

What does faith have to do with food policy? Extensively, concludes the latest research report from JESC. Faith-Based Organizations and European Food Policy is the result of research that began in July 2023 and sought to examine the involvement of faith based organisations across the European Union and their involvement in sustainable agriculture and food systems.  This study recognised over 150 organisations from various religious denominations across Europe and discovered an impressive array of organisations. Not only were these organisations varied in their work with the land, communities, research and involvement with the global south but were also varying in size. Whilst many of these organisations are involved in advocacy towards an EU level it is not so coordinated. The report argues that these organisations have a unique and grassroots voice to contribute to in the EU food debates concerning the Common Agricultural Policy, trade laws and others.  The report is available to view here and was written by JESC Ecology Officers Béla Kuslits and Colm Fahy with contributions from ELP intern Teresa Pallarés Ramos.  This report provides the foundations for the creation of a network called Our Daily Bread, of Faith Based Organisations advocating on the topic of food systems and sustainable agriculture at an EU level.  Please contact Colm Fahy (colm.fahy@jesc.eu) if your organisation is interested in hearing more about, or even consider joining forces, to this new JESC initiative. Click here to download and read our report

MAGIS Europe is an international meeting organized by the Society of Jesus for young adults (18-35 years old) living Ignatian spirituality. This year it will last eight days from July 20 to 27, 2024. The program will begin with experiments in about twenty places in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Experiments are another word for the trials to which Jesuits are subjected to mature in their vocation. In a similar way, program participants will be able to test themselves in searching for and finding God by engaging in specific activities. Activities will be proposed in five categories: pilgrimage from place to place, deepening one's spirituality, helping people in need, discovering the spiritual dimension of culture and art, and caring for creation. After the experiments, all program participants will gather in Krakow. On the evening of July 25, a three-day festival will begin, during which they will share the fruits of their experiments and celebrate community. It will be a time to deepen friendship, share your faith and pray together. Meetings with interesting guests, getting to know Krakow and other attractions are planned. The program will end with the dismissal mass at noon on July 27 Registration period began on April 1st. Find out more here