Leading a Discernment in a Province | Ignite the Way
Peter McIsaac, SJ, a Jesuit from the Caribbean Province, presents in the twelfth episode of Ignite the Way series a case study on using discernment in the restructuring and reimagining of a Jesuit Province. This process began in 2008 when Father General Adolfo Nicolás invited Latin American Provincials to consider creating a new Caribbean Province. The subsequent 15 years involved extensive discernment and structural planning amid significant challenges such as cultural, linguistic, and historical differences, as well as personal dynamics among leadership. Initially, the group faced questions about whether to form the Province, but over time, discernment evolved into a formal mandate to establish it.
A key theme McIsaac emphasizes is the nature of discernment. He highlights that discernment is not merely a one-time decision but an ongoing process that involves periods of consolation and desolation, reflection on options, and continuous confirmation of choices. The transition from discerning “whether” to discern “how” to form the Province marked an important shift in the process. Moreover, even after the Province’s formal creation in 2023, discernment continues as the group evaluates the fruits of their decisions and adapts to new realities.
In sum, the case study illustrates discernment as a dynamic, communal, and iterative process essential for major organizational restructuring, especially within diverse and complex settings like the Caribbean Jesuit Province.
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