By Br Stephen Tran Thien Kinh, SJ

The song “You Are Mine” set the tone for the seven-day Ignatian retreat for Jesuit Brothers from the Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP). The words reminded us that we belong to the Lord, who “will come to us in the silence”, as we seek to enter into a deeper union with Him.

The retreat, which took place from 24-30 October 2024, was themed “Jesuit Brothers: Sent to Collaborate in the Mission of Christ”. It was led by Brother Raymond Belleza, SJ, from the Philippine Province at Rumah Retret, a retreat house in Semarang, built in 1930 and belonging to the Indonesian Province.

We chose the De Statu Societatis (DSS) as the focus of this retreat to align with Father General’s concerns and the Society’s mission “to make our life-mission a better witness to the action of God and a more effective contribution to His mission”.During this time of retreat, we strengthened not only our friendship in the Lord but also our brotherhood in Him.

We – Different with each other

We come from various Provinces: five from the Philippines, two each from Vietnam and Indonesia, and one each from Korea, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Our ages, years in the Society, and backgrounds also varied – some had been members for nearly 50, 30, or 10 years, while one had just taken his first vows three months ago.

Some Brothers had known each other for over 20 years from previous meetings or retreats, while others were meeting for the first time and still felt unfamiliar. One Brother was attending this DSS-focused retreat for the third time, eager to reconnect, deepen his spiritual experience, and embrace the renewal offered. Some, despite health challenges, made a concerted effort to attend.

We each brought different emotions to the retreat: some felt anxious about health or communicating in English; others experienced doubt, stress, or sadness due to conflicts or challenges in relationships. A few felt lonely as the only Brother from their Province or Region, while others were apprehensive about future missions or assignments in unfamiliar places.

These varied emotions shaped our expectations. Some sought physical and spiritual healing; others looked for confirmation in their Brother vocation or aimed to embody their Jesuit Brother identity with greater humility, simplicity, and poverty.

Our mission assignments also differed: some work in agriculture, others in school administration, community coordination, media, philosophy studies, or Regency. We each brought unique backgrounds and experiences, reminiscent of the distinctions between St Alphonsus and St Peter Claver.

Yet, despite differences...

We are Brothers in the Lord.

Although we do not share the same biological mother, we are brothers because we follow Jesus, whom we love and believe in. We are those who “hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21). We have one Father in heaven, who desires that we “be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29).

We were born into the same faith, called and chosen to live out the same charism and vocation, sharing in the mission left by St Ignatius. That is why we simply call each other “Brother”.

What does it mean to be “Brothers in the Lord”?

To be “Brothers in the Lord”, we need to remain intimately connected to Jesus, our eldest brother. The daily Eucharist strengthens this bond with Jesus. We listen to His word and join with His Body and Blood, thus sustaining our spiritual lives in Him. We entrust our lives to Him, allowing Him to be the guide and master of our journey.

Together, we also spent time in silent adoration of Jesus during the Holy Hour. Here, the Lord “refreshes” and “replenishes” us after months of physical and spiritual labour in our missions. We shared with Him our struggles, weaknesses, and successes, giving thanks, asking for forgiveness, and seeking strength to continue our calling.

We also reconciled with Jesus through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As we are called to “reconcile all things in Christ”, we first needed to reconcile with Him. Only then can we reconcile with each other, ourselves, and all of creation, experiencing true inner freedom and joy.

As Brothers, we share each other's vocation

The vocation of one Brother is a shared calling for us all. The challenges one Brother faces belong to all of us. This responsibility includes supporting each other through prayer – praying that none of us lose our relationship with Jesus. The greatest danger for Jesuit Brothers is gradually neglecting daily prayer due to work or distractions. The Brother vocation can only endure through a living connection to Jesus in prayer.

The retreat was a time to share, meeting to talk about our experiences of encountering Jesus in prayer, as well as sharing our personal concerns. We lived as friends, listening to each other’s hopes and struggles in living out our identity and mission. This sharing helped us to know and understand each other: Who are my brothers? What do they live?

In this new age, the identity of Jesuit Brothers is gradually changing from that of previous generations. Yet we remind each other not to forget the witness of the Senior Brothers who came before us, whose simple, humble lives embodied the Jesuit Brother’s identity in mission. We encourage each other not to fear doing the simple, small things. We are prophetic when collaborating with others in humble tasks, whether it be gardening, driving, bookkeeping, or other seemingly ordinary work, but we know we are fulfilling Christ’s mission.

As Brothers, we lift each other up

We support and encourage each other in our vocation. Older Brothers care for younger ones, sharing wisdom and setting an example. Younger Brothers support older ones with their youthful presence, keeping the vocation of Brother alive and hopeful within the Society of Jesus. We pray that the Society may have more Brother vocations and that God will send us more Brothers.

On the feast of St Alphonsus Rodriguez, the patron of Jesuit Brothers, some Brothers renewed their vows, reaffirming their commitment to this way of life. His life is an inspiration for us. We celebrated as Brothers, spending time together in joy, laughing, talking, and walking side by side. We encouraged each other to embrace the Brother identity more deeply and to serve our mission with greater zeal. Though time was short, we cherished each moment, for some of us, this may be the only time we meet.

As we parted ways, we continued living our brotherhood in communion, remembering each other in prayer. We are not alone, knowing that we have the Lord and each other on our journey toward Him.

We are friends in the Lord, and more than that, we are Brothers in the Lord. We hope that the spirit of being “Brothers in the Lord” reaches not only those who attended the retreat but also other Brothers in the region and the Society of Jesus as a whole. The retreat brought forth spiritual fruits, making us more “brothers of Jesus” and “brothers to each other”, deepening our sense of belonging to God, to the Society, and to each other.