International Commission on the Jesuit Brother begins three-year journey to deepen this essential vocation

The General Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome is hosting this week the inaugural meeting of the International Commission on the Jesuit Brother (ICJB), continuing the momentum generated by the international meeting of Brothers that took place in Rome in July 2022. This new initiative marks the beginning of a process of work and discernment that will extend over the next three years. The commission, which reflects the diversity and universality of the Society of Jesus, brings together Jesuit Brothers from the six Conferences of Provincials of the Order: Africa and Madagascar, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Canada and the United States, Europe and Near East, and South Asia.

A particularly significant aspect of this commission is the inclusion of a religious sister and a lay collaborator of the Society, as well as two Jesuit priests, which brings a broader and richer perspective to the dialogue on the vocation of the Jesuit Brother. This diverse composition reflects the spirit of collaboration that characterizes the Society’s way of proceeding in today’s world.

During its first meeting in Rome, the commission is laying the groundwork for work that will address fundamental issues such as the identity and mission of the Jesuit Brother in today’s world, formation processes and vocation promotion. The meeting combines in-depth reflection with moments of prayer and Ignatian discernment, following in the wake of the fruitful 2022 meeting which already brought many of these crucial issues to the table.

The extension of the commission’s mandate for three years allows these issues to be addressed with the depth they deserve, facilitating a listening process that will include the voices of Brothers and partners from different parts of the world. This time horizon also allows for the gradual development of initiatives and the observation of their resonance in different cultural contexts.

The work of the commission is particularly relevant at a time when the Church is seeking to renew its forms of presence and service in the world. The Jesuit Brothers, with their rich tradition of service in fields as diverse as education, health care, administration and technical work, represent a vital witness to consecrated life in the contemporary world.

This three-year process, initiated at the request of Superior General Arturo Sosa, SJ, represents a significant commitment by the Society of Jesus to the future of the Jesuit Brother vocation. The meeting in Rome thus marks the beginning of a promising path that seeks to strengthen and renew the vocation of the Jesuit Brother for the service of the Church and the world in the 21^st century.