First meeting of the six Conference Young Adult Ministry Coordinators

Walking with young people to a hope-filled future was the backdrop for a four-day conference at the General Curia from January 6^th to 10^th.

The meeting brought together the coordinators for young adult ministry from each of the six Jesuit Conferences of Provincials, the Jesuit organising Magis South Korea in 2027, a representative of Ignatian women’s congregations, and team members from various digital initiatives including AMDG App, Pray As You Go, and the Magis Digital Home project from South Asia.

“The conference is a strategic think-in about the third Universal Apostolic Preference and how to bring it deeper and wider”, said Fr John Dardis, SJ. “We are looking at the richness of the Magis projects in different provinces and regions of the world and seeing how an universal movement can serve these local initiatives. How can we walk with young people and help them have the courage to make life-changing decisions? That’s the question we’re asking.”

Prior to the official start, participants joined on 6 January for a training day on using narratives to bring about transformation. The core meeting then opened on 7 January with reports from each of the six Jesuit Conferences on their young adult initiatives, followed by a session on vocational accompaniment and an encounter with Superior General Arturo Sosa, SJ, who framed the conference as a pivotal moment for Ignatian young adult ministry.

“Now is the favourable time for us to imagine Magis as an universal movement” , he said, noting that the two years leading up to Magis Korea 2027 represent “two years of grace and opportunity”.

Father General also highlighted the importance of digital outreach and encouraged participants to think about how digital initiatives across the Society can support pastoral ministry with young adults. He reminded the group not to forget those on the margins, particularly young refugees and migrants. “So many refugees and migrants are young, with so much potential ahead of them” , he said. “God is calling us there in a special way. We want to create a different system for them – a humanising system, an empowering system, a merciful system, a grace-filled system.”

Fr Eyrah Foli SJ, the Young Adult Coordinator for Africa and Madagascar, emphasised the importance of connection across continents: “Young people in Africa are hungry for meaning and community. When they discover that they are part of something bigger – a family walking together in the Ignatian spirit – it gives them tremendous hope. This meeting is helping us build bridges so that a young person in Lagos can feel connected to a young person in Seoul or São Paulo.”

Later in the week, participants focused on plans for Magis Korea 2027 and met with leaders from other Ignatian organisations such as JRS, the World Union of Jesuit Alumni, Alpha Sigma Nu, and Ignatian women’s congregations.

“We want to bring these separate events and organisations into a movement so that we can really impact the culture” , said Germán Muñoz of the General Curia, the project coordinator. “Our context today is a culture of division, of polarisation, of anger, of marginalisation. We want to try and change that. With young people, we can say, ‘Enough!’ With young people, we can offer an alternative – an alternative rooted in the Beatitudes where the poor are blessed and where those who are downtrodden are lifted up.”

The name “Magis” – meaning “more” in Latin – captures the Ignatian call to strive for the greater glory of God. For these coordinators, the “more” means reaching more young adults, in more places, with more meaningful encounters that help them discover God’s purpose for their lives.

Keep them in your prayers as they continue their work together after this meeting.