The annual meeting of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat at the Curia

Finally, the SJES was able to organize an annual “face-to-face” meeting at the General Curia. The Secretary, Xavier Jeyaraj, took the opportunity to bring together with his team not only the six Social Apostolate delegates of the Conferences but also the leaders of the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) and the members of a newly formed Advisory Committee. It was a full five days of sharing in which interpersonal encounters counted for a lot, but which was intended in particular to deepen and strengthen the commitment to the work of GIAN.

As is now the custom for all meetings in the Curia - and probably in most Jesuit and Ignatian environments in the world - the method was directly inspired by Ignatian spirituality: personal and common prayer, spiritual conversation in small groups where listening is an important part of the process, as well as an Ignatian examen of what has been experienced, and steps of discernment to guide the future.

There were 20 participants... we met with three of them who told us about their experience, while the meeting was still in progress.

Ted Penton SJ – Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States

After two years apart, this week has been a welcome reminder of the value of being together in person. The first day, a day of prayer and sharing, was a special gift and opportunity to enter into deeper encounter with one another. When we met with the Pope at the 2019 SJES Jubilee gathering, his final words to us were a reminder to keep prayer at the heart of all we do, and I am grateful that we set aside so much time for this most important part of our week.

I have also particularly appreciated the presence of the members of the SJES’ newly formed Advisory Council. They have brought an illuminating perspective to our shared mission and how we can best carry it out.

Sue Martin – Jesuit Conference of Asia-Pacific

It is a privilege as a lay Ignatian woman from Australia to be attending the SJES 2022 gathering. Our week in Rome has been a chance to dialogue, share stories of our struggle over the past two years with the Covid pandemic. Prayer on Day One was a contribution I have made to our gathering. Our custom in Australia is to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land where we are meeting; they have walked the land and cared for it for millennia. We started with a Yarning Circle, which is the practice of speaking and listening from the heart.

Over the week we have been hearing thecalls for a greater commitment to the cries of poverty across the world. We areworking across the whole Ignatian family to advocate for those in poverty, especially our Earth, but how could we better collaborate together to raise our voices as the SJES team in Rome, the Conference Social Apostolate Delegates, the GIAN Network coordinators and the newlyformed SJES Advisory committee? The sharing from all of us in the SJES team has inspired me. We, who are called to assist Father General to lead the whole Ignatian family on the journey in developing the apostolic mission of the Society of Jesus in its dimension for promoting social justice and reconciliation with creation and collaborating with the wider Church movements: “We are prophets of a future not our own.”

Stany Tirkey SJ – Jesuit Conference of South Asia

God accompanies His chosen one in His Mission.

When I was told that I was to represent the Conference of South Asia in the forthcoming meeting of Social Justice and Ecology in Rome, in the context of challenging socio-political, social, cultural and religious scenarios that are becoming ever more complex, I was nervous and asked whether I was the right person. Yet, there was an inner strength that kept me confident to recognize this occasion as an opportunity of grace. I felt it was an occasion to express and represent the voices of my people and community, an opportunity for me, being an indigenous person.

As I listen to the companions in dialogue, I feel that I am not alone. Amidst the diversity, we are one Body working together for the mission of the Lord who, knowing all my limitations, has chosen me. I saw that the issues and the nature of the challenges of the people are similar. Amidst all the struggles and challenges, there is hope because my people and I are not alone. Unity in struggles of my people and my own struggle are signs that God has never left me alone; He is accompanying all those who are committed to His mission to establish the Kingdom of justice, Peace, solidarity and reconciliation in each one of our own contexts.