Workshop for Treasurers or members of Provincial Treasurer’s offices

From January 27 to the 31st, the General Treasurer’s team offered a workshop for 19 participants (15 Jesuits + 4 lay associates) representing all six Jesuit Conferences. Fr. Charles Lasrado, who facilitated the proceedings, explains:

“Each one of the 94 administrative units (Conferences, Provinces, Regions, and Missions) in the Society of Jesus has a treasurer. The Society considers it important that those who are missioned to this sensitive job are well trained and cognizant of the Norms of the Society concerning Poverty, and familiar with its directives on Temporal Administration. Therefore, the General Treasurer’s office conducts a five-day workshop for new Jesuit Treasurers and their associates.

The workshop includes a review of the Instruction on the Administration of Goods (IAG), procedures on how to deal with the General Curia, and how to deal with practical matters arising from the role of treasurer. Participants get an exposure to the global nature of the Society, its Mission and a broad overview on addressing financial issues.”

Here is the testimony of one of the participants, Keith McMillan, from the British Province,

No Jesuit enters with a specific vocation to be a Province treasurer, even in my case when I entered as a qualified accountant. However, as a more mature Jesuit, I have been asked to be a Province treasurer. I keep track of money and attempt to get the debits and credits correct.

But transcending that, I see my mission as treasurer as one to facilitate my Province of Great Britain in transitioning from the past to the future. I value the centuries of dedicated sacrifice of my fellow Jesuits in handing onto us the assets for our use now, in this ever-changing world. In addition, my mission is also to pass on to future Jesuits assets that can be in service to the Church in the distant future. Financial value always has embedded within it social, transcendent values

This workshop for new Jesuit treasurers allows us to infuse modern practical fiscal discipline together with the deep seeded value of a humble Jesuit community striving to be in service to the Church, especially the poor. ‘Our way of proceeding,’ directly related to St. Ignatius and his directions in founding the structures of the Society, provides systematic means to keep those values alive and vibrant within our systems, and therefore within our decisions and actions. Not only does the responsibility force us to connect with our fellow Jesuits across time, it also allows us to connect with our fellow Provinces across the vastness of current Jesuit work.

Present among us are fellow treasurers from across all the continents. These friendships and shared values will be proven fruitful. We all appreciate the work and dedication to make all this happen.