Walking the path of renewal
Conference on Apostolic Planning
By Alison Vella, Collaborator of the EUM Province, and part of the organizing team.
There is an air of great excitement at the General Curia in Rome as the final details are set in place to welcome almost 90 Jesuits and lay partners in mission from all around the world for what promises to be a milestone in the process of renewal for the Society of Jesus.
The conference ‘Apostolic Planning for Renewal and Transformation 2023’, an initiative of John Dardis SJ, General Counsellor for Discernment and Apostolic Planning, will take place between 5-8 December in the Aula of the General Curia.
A key part of the whole project of renewal within the Society, the conference will present four days of excellent and challenging content with focus progressing from laying the foundations to looking to new horizons, synodality, the Universal Apostolic Preferences, following the Holy Spirit and finally moving forward together.
Participants from almost 70 Provinces and Regions will attend, bringing the richness of their diversity and experience to the Aula and workshops. Themes for the main sessions, which will be delivered by a range of Jesuit, lay and religious experts in their field, will give invigorating insight and practical know-how into topics such as ‘Essential attitudes and dispositions & how to nurture them’ (Christina Kheng), ‘Implementing and monitoring your plan: Do’s and Don’ts’ (Patxi Álvarez de los Mozos, SJ), ‘Planning for social change and generating policy impact’ (Mauricio López), ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit: The element of surprise as we plan the future for the Church’ (Sr Jolanda Kafka, RMI), and ‘How to get your plan moving: Fundraising tips’ (Christine Bodewes, Porticus) to mention but a few.
“Organising this conference has been a real pleasure. People are coming from East and West and North and South. The large number of participants shows the diversity of the Society and the energy that is there to envision a new future at this time of enormous challenge for our planet and for our world. We ask your prayers for the success of the meeting”, John Dardis said.
Of course, Superior General of the Society of Jesus Arturo Sosa SJ will be present and will deliver a keynote input session ‘Pathways to Hope and Renewal: Orientations for Province Planning’ as well as celebrating the Eucharist with all on day three of the gathering.
The Spirit of God is active in our world, in the Church and in the Society of Jesus. The recent synod showed that clearly. Discernment is the fundamental call. We have to discern where the Spirit of God is at work today and how we can collaborate. If we do not ask that question, then we risk doing good things... but perhaps not the things the Lord wants. Discernment and Apostolic Planning go hand in hand. Apostolic planning gives body to that Spirit.
This Conference will build a sense of common mission, a sense that we are collaborators in the mission of Jesus in the world today and a sense that together we can help to build a new world based on the values of Jesus.
“Pulling together a conference of this size is no mean task and it takes a good few months from concept to implementation”, said Alison Vella (Malta), conference communications. “The teamwork with Fr John, Germán Muñoz and Sonia Berri has been great and has been a wonderful example of Jesuit and lay collaboration even across countries. After hours of practical organisation, and almost a thousand emails later, here we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of participants.”
Stay tuned for more news about this conference. Main addresses will be live streamed. For more information on the agenda, you can visit the website of the event at https://jesuit.events/apostolicplanning2023/
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