Dear Brothers in Christ,

As we return from our summer breaks, we have all been aware of the terrible destruction and loss of life from chemical weapons in Syria and then of the violence in Egypt as well.  It is a time when our Jesuit brothers in the entire region are in great danger. They are showing great courage In the face of such violence. We can only imagine the fear and anxiety that they have but also the frustration that they must feel seeing so much of their work undone. Societies that were formerly living relatively close together now are becoming more and more divided.  The reconciliation that they have worked for so hard is in jeopardy.  Peace and human respect are such fragile gifts and they are disintegrating in front of our eyes.

What can we do around Europe as brother Jesuits, as companions in the mission?  Most importantly we can  pray for our Jesuit brothers in Syria, Egypt and, indeed, in the whole Province of the Near East.  They are there at the frontiers in this situation of great danger witnessing to Christ and to his desire to heal and to transform those societies into societies of peace and of love.  Let us pray that they be encouraged to witness to that vision more clearly, that people will see this vision of future peace, understand it, be converted to it and work for it. We pray especially that leaders in their societies will see that the way forward lies not in confrontation but in peace and mutual respect and reconciliation.

Yours in Christ,

John Dardis sJ
President Conference European Provincials

Appointments of  Father General in July and August:

• Trip to Brazil.  

Father General arrived in Recife on 11 July, where he gave a conference at the Universidad Católica de Pernambuco and visited the Brazilian Interprovincial Juniorate.  He then moved to Salvador, where he met with the Jesuits of the North-Eastern Brazil Province.  On Sunday, 14 July, he "sent out on mission" the 2,500 young people from 50 countries who are participating in the Magis pastoral experience in preparation for World Youth Day.  On 16 July, Father General travelled to Porto Alegre and São Leopoldo, where he spoke at the UNISINOS University and met with the Jesuits of the Southern Brazil Province.  On 19 July, he left Brazil for Rome.
 

• Trip to Lebanon. 

Father General will be in Beirut, Lebanon, from 2 to 4 August 2013.  He will participate in the General Assembly of World Christian Life Community (CLC).  Around 200 delegates (both lay and Jesuit) from 65 different countries will attend the Assembly. The theme of the Assembly is From Our Roots to the Frontiers.  This theme holds an invitation for delegates to deepen their Christian and Ignatian identity and to respond positively to today's challenges. In his sharing with delegates, Father General will speak about the importance and challenges of Ignatian Spirituality for the Laity.
 

• Visit to Colombia and Ecuador

On August 10 Father General Adolfo Nicolás will travel to Colombia to visit the Province of Colombia and take part in the 8th World Congress of Alumni of the Society. During his stay in the Colombian Province from August 11 to 14, he will go to the cities of Cartagena, Bogotá and Medellín.  On August 15 he will participate in the Alumni Congress to be held at the Colegio San Ignacio de Medellín, and on August 16, he will travel to Ecuador for the visit to that Province. On August 17 and 18, he will remain in the city of Quito and on August 19 and 20 will visit the city of Guayaquil. He returns to Rome on August 21. In both Colombia and Ecuador, Father General will have several meetings with Jesuits, with students from our schools, with apostolic collaborators and friends and benefactors of the Society.  His trip includes meetings with the Apostolic Nuncio of each country and with the Archbishops of each of the cities visited.

… Jesuits around the World, Rome, 22 July, 2013

Magis 2013, from 22-28 July in Ružomberok, Slovakia, gathered around 120 people of 7 countries (Slovakia, Czech R., Slovenia, Hungary, Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania). The atmosphere was great, even demanding, but God was visible in all this. Thanks for your prayer. The pictures were presented for a photo competition.

… Submitted by Peter Girasek (SVK), Bratislava

Young Filmmakers Showcase their Work

The 4th Iñigo Film Festival was launched in Rio on Tuesday, July 23, at the height of the World Youth Day celebrations. Sponsored by the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials, the festival included select short films from all over the world. Like the previous festivals, this year’s focused on young filmmakers grappling with the spiritual dimensions of life. It honored films which reflect the experiences of young people today by indicating the presence and/or absence of God in our modern secularized world or by taking into account the twin dimensions of faith and justice.
The three best short films received “Iñigo Awards”: a first prize of 2.500 EUR; a second prize of 1.500 EUR; and a third prize of 1.000 EUR.

The winner was Stalled (CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND), by Meghan Gardiner.
Second prize went to Address is Approximate (UNITED KINGDOM) by Tom Jenkins.
Third prize went to L’Appel – The Calling(BELGIUM) by Cécile Mavet.

In addition to these prizes, there were also three additional Awards: the “Fidel Goetz Emerging Film Maker Award,” which includes top-of-the-line professional editing software (FCP Studio Pro) and a travel stipend for the festival; a non-monetary “Audience Award” to a film chosen by the audience; and (for the first time) an “Award for Best Humor and Spirituality.”
The “Fidel Goetz Emerging Film Maker Award” went to Toindepi: Reflections from a Discarded Generation by Ngonidzashe Edward.  
The Audience Award went to Tozeret Bait – Home Made, a film from Israel by Lior Sagi.
This year TIFF also presented for the first time two films from Iran: Be Aftab Salami Dobareh Khaham Dad – I Will Greet the Sun Again by Shahbaz Noshir; and Bishtar az do Saat – More Than Two Hours by Ali Asgari. Both show the difficulties and struggles of woman in a Muslim culture.

The program included 17 international films, selected from more than one hundred submissions. Categories included narrative fiction as well as animated and documentary films: each film explored the general theme “City of God.” The single theme cannot be said to have constrained the young filmmakers, as the submissions clearly proved: they were exciting and thought- provoking,  as well as unsettled or funny. Through them one gets an amazing impression of the varicolored, manifold and inspiring work of young filmmakers from all over the world.

The success of TIFF would not be possible without the great financial support of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials;  the Jesuit Provinces of Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Britain, and North Belgium; their Missions in Nuremberg and Zurich; the U.S. Jesuit Conference; the Fidel Goetz Foundation; and other private and commercial contributors and foundations interested in religious film and other media for youth. The reactions of both the large audiences and the film makers themselves encourage festival director Fr. Christof Wolf, S.J. (Loyola Productions Munich, Germany) to continue with the “Jesuit Oscars” (as some in the press call them), which will be held next time in Krakow (Poland) in 2016, again in conjunction with the WYD.

>> Read more about the Festival and the Prize winning films

… Submitted by Christof Wolf (GER), Festival Director, Munich

On the picture: From left: Christof Wolf, S.J. (Festival Director); Guilhenne Pontes (WYD); Fidel Goetz Emerging Film Maker Award Winner Ngonidzashe Edward; Chrispen Matsilele (Assistant Director); Third Prize Winner Cécile Mavet; Flavio Cury (Assistant Director); Award for Best Humor and Spirituality Korbinian Wandinger

The Third edition of the Ignatian Immersion Course at la Cova Sant Ignasi in Manresa has concluded. It is with deep joy that we have received the resonances of this experience from our latest participants - a temporal mixed Ignatian community that has again been formed during these six weeks. We would like to foster an open space for communication among all our international immersion companions - who embody the richness of such a plural experience of Ignatian spirituality - and that might be helpful to many others as well. 

In this sense, we welcome your news and resonances on your current journey- specifically, updates or reflections on your apostolate and service that you would like to share in few lines, or as an article. If you email them to us, we would be pleased to publish them in our blog - so it can reach all the friends “From la Cova” around the world. Again, we hope this would strengthen and keep alive our shared experience and to be helpful to many more.  

We also welcome your comments and suggestions in regard to this service.
You can find the resonances and impressions that we have received from the IIC 2013 companions in our blog:  http://covamanresa.blogspot.com.es/ . They have been excerpted and prepared by Asun Puche, from our team.

… Submitted by Josep Sugranyes (TAR), Manresa

The delegates arrived in Budapest on 27th July. There were 24 delegates (including the coco) and they came from Hungary, Spain (3), France, Italy (2), U.K., Croatia, Slovakia, Poland (5), Egypt, Germany, North Belgium, Sweden, Malta, Portugal, Ireland, Ukraine and India. The opening sessions were held at the House of Dialogue in Horánszky u. and started with the presentation of provinces. John Dardis, President of the CEP was present for these sessions with his socius Dermot O’Connor. On 31st July Tamás Forrai, provincial of Hungary, presided at a solemn Mass in the nearby Jesuit church on Mária u. Fr Dardis preached and his homily was translated into Hungarian by Levente Harai, socius of the Hungarian province. The Mass was followed by a reception in the courtyard where there was an opportunity to meet many members of the Hungarian province and lay collaborators. On the following day there was an opportunity to visit the city and the day finished with a wonderful cruise on the Danube with a meal on board.

Michael Paul Gallagher, rector of the Bellarmino College in Rome and emeritus professor at the Gregorian University, opened his workshop on the following morning and the sessions on the first day were opened to other scholastics, religious and lay collaborators. The themes of the workshop centred on the issue of evangelizing in a secular culture. Michael Paul stressed the importance of imagination in the understanding of culture and illustrated his talk with some clips from the films of Terrence Malick. During these days the delegates had to struggle with temperatures which soared into the high thirties. Fr Gallagher concluded with a most interesting session on the thought of John Henry Newman.

On 6th August the delegates moved to Dobogókő for the retreat and were greatly relieved to find cooler temperatures in the midst of the forest. Severin Leitner (ASR), Regional Assistant for Central and Eastern Europe, directed the retreat. He was assisted by three other retreat guides, Dermot O’Connor (HIB), Marcin Baran (PME) and Janos Lukács (HUN). On 14th August elections for the new coco were held. The names have still to be confirmed by their provincials and the president. On returning to Budapest a full evaluation of the session was held. Overall it was a very valuable and worthwhile experience and enormous credit must go to the coco and our Hungarian hosts for their wonderful hospitality.

… Reported by Dermot O'Connor (HIB), Assistant to the CEP-President, Brussels

It has now become a tradition for the scholastics of the Slovenia Province, who have completed first cycle theology studies, to meet in the summer.  As during the year we work and study in Slovenia and abroad, these summer meetings help us to know each other more deeply and to reflect on our mission in the Province and the broader Society.

This August we met in our neighbor province of Hungary. The generous hosts were the Jesuits of the House of Dialogue in downtown Budapest. Our gathering was inspired by the words of Fr. General, “With all the changes we are experiencing, how can we rethink our structures so that we can better serve the Church and the world?” Warmly welcomed by Fr. Provincial, Tamás Forrai (HUN), we first learned about the projects and apostolic plans of the Hungarian province. After presenting the apostolates of the Slovenia province, we then discussed the possibility of mutual collaboration.

Slovenia and Hungary share not only a border but also the historical, cultural and religious heritage of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the communist past. We quickly realized that while the Hungarian and Slovenian languages are very different they do not prevent us from stronger communication and cooperation. In fact, we found many common points and possibilities to work together. At the moment our own architect Robert Dolinar (SVN) is working on a chapel project in the Jesuit High School in Miskolc (HUN). We see possibilities in cooperating through university apostolates, Jesuit exchange programs, Jesuit publishing houses, international voluntary work, vocation promotion, spiritual exercises, and informal gatherings such as common vacation. We hope that this important step of bringing us closer to one another will open fruitful initiatives to better serve the Church and the world.

… Reported by Miran Žvanut (SVN) & Peter Rožič (SVN)

Much remains to be done: the concrete screed has to be poured, pews have to be made, and most of all, the huge fresco of 24 biblical scenes has to be painted on the 8 lintels of the nave. It will be a meaningful sign of collaboration of Christians with Muslims, because Idriss, the painter, who, after years of collaboration with Franco Martellozzo, has become our preferred artist to illustrate catechetical or social and educational booklets and frescos in our chapels, is a Muslim.

Once the traditional rice-sauce, the soft drinks and tea had been consumed, speakers took the floor. Raphael, a welder who came from the capital city, is a southern Christian; he celebrated with fervor the commitment, the unity and faith of the forty workers, all Muslims: “They have, he said, built this cathedral with one heart, as if it were a mosque!” He waxed lyrical: “Not one quarrel! Believers guided as by one Word»! And of course, we also have to mention the very concrete catholicity we have experienced in this enterprise! The immense crowd of donors, small and great, the Bavarian team of our friend Hermann, the architect, and of his colleagues, the engineer and the carpenter, who have worked on a voluntary basis, the Parisian team of “Friends of Mongo”, hearts of fire, and indispensable administrative interface! Mobilization across borders for our “Church at the border”: Muslim masons, Christian stone-cutters, the pair of foremen, the hadjeray Jesuit and his assistant, a volunteer from Lyon, etc. To you all, thank you! Thank you all! Thank you, Lord of beauty and of unity, you have brought this enterprise to such a beautiful fulfillment!

Next October already, I will ordain Erbi and Lwanga to the priesthood in this cathedral. They are two Jesuit deacons from Chad, the first from Baro, as our artist is, the other from Sarh, 700 km to the South. The date for the official consecration of the building has not yet been determined.

… Reported by Mgr. Henri Coudray S.J. (AOC), Mongo, Tchad, in SJ Africa News May/June 2013

The Czech government has granted twenty million Czech crowns to the Olomouc Jesuit Theological Faculty for a research program led by Fr Pavel Ambros.  The program will run for five to six years.   In this program,  a research team of twenty young theologians will be established, a number of books and reports will be published, it has a lecture and conference component, as well as some other obligations.  The program has already started, and contracts were signed with the twenty young theologians: they will receive their salaries through the program.  The theologians in the research team are doctoral students, post-doctoral professionals, and a number of part-time collaborators.  Fr Ambros is the key figure in the venture, and he is responsible for the whole program to the Czech government.  The program is prestigious, and Fr Ambros is the only theologian who received state funds for this type of research.  It is the state's aim to support the creation of research teams in different areas of scientific and humanistic studies.  The grant to Fr Ambros guarantees him, as well as the twenty other theologians, a position for the next five to six years.  It will be interesting to see how the new theological center will develop in Olomouc around Fr Ambros.  The program has captured the imagination of the whole Theological Faculty in Olomouc.  Even the Czech Minister of Education noted that "there were only two theologians capable of handling such a large sum of money in the Czech Republic today".  So, expectations are high and many people will closely follow the work and development of Fr Ambros' research project.

… Jesuits around the World, Rome, 22 July, 2013

• Fr. Stefan Hengst in action for refugees from Syria

Fr. Stefan Hengst (41) moved in July from Berlin to Turkey. He will take over the job as Country Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service and coordinate the support of JRS for the refugees from Syria.

The German Province is grateful that Fr. Hengst, who was ordained just last year and has a broad international experience, is ready to accept this challenge. He will commit himself to help people who have become refugees as victims of a terrible civil war. Before his ordination, Fr. Stefan Hengst worked for the JRS in East Africa and has completed his theological studies in Nairobi.

… Reported by Thomas Busch, Comms. Off. GER, Munich
 

• Language Training 2013 in Munich

In August 14 scholastics from 13 different jesuit provinces joined the German language course at the Munich Formation Centre. Beside the language training Martin Föhn (HEL), a Swiss scholastic who’s studying philosophy in Munich, organized an extensive cultural program. The participants visited amongst others the Baroque Nymphenburg Palace (photo) the city of Augsburg, one of Germany’s three oldest cities and the Concentration camp memorial place Dachau. In Munich the participants got to know the members of the jesuit communities and the various jesuit apostolates. No need to say that another important part of the German culture is the well-known Bavarian beer.

The participants (FLTR). Andreas Lind (POR), Stanko Perica (CRO), Martin Föhn (HEL), Ingmar Vázquez García (ANT), Emanuel Kabamba Nshimbi (ZAM), Gábor Nevelös (HUN), Błażej Sikora, Emanuele Iula (ITA), Ante Topić (CRO), Samuel Jackanič, Vicente Chong, Quang Tran (NOR), Michel Segatagera Kamanzi (RWB), Cristopher Fajardo (PHI), Courage R. Bakasa (ZIM) and - another jesuit guest - Aaron D. Pidel (NOR).

… Reported by Martin Stark (GER), Socius to the provincial (Munich)

• Interfaith dialogue: a dynamic expression of ecumenism

The relationship between ecumenism and inter religious dialogue will be explored in a conference at Heythrop College in London on Thursday, 12 September. Entitled "In Our Time", the event will discuss the opportunities and challenges in the 21st Century and investigate how unity among Christians and discourse between Christianity and other faiths are connected.

>> Read more
 

• Volunteers welcomed into other faith communities

The 2013 Interfaith Day for Jesuit Missions Volunteers (JMV) has taken place in Southall, west London. The day formed part of the seven-day training programme for volunteers prior to their departure to assignments overseas, during which they were welcomed into several faith communities.

>> Read the full story
 

• Curious about life as a Jesuit? Look no further

Following their success last year, the Jesuits are holding three more ‘Explore Jesuit Life’ events this autumn. In addition to being a general introduction to the Catholic Church’s largest and arguably most influential religious order, the days are aimed to encourage men to consider whether they might have a vocation to join the Jesuits.

During the three days, participants will be given an introduction to the life of St Ignatius Loyola who founded the Jesuits in 1540, and will be invited to look at the characteristic Jesuit ways of proceeding that arise out of his life and experience.

There will also be the opportunity for praying through imaginative contemplation and with the use of the examen, together with some reflections on the particular mission of the Jesuits in the Church today.

“This weekend will offer both a wealth of information and, more importantly, a feel for what the Jesuits have inherited through the life of St Ignatius,” says Fr Matthew Power SJ, Vocations Promoter for the Jesuits in Britain. “Whether you are just curious about Jesuit life and want to find out more, or you’re beginning to wonder whether or not you might have a vocation to the Jesuits, this will explore what life is like within the order and will discuss what Jesuits seek to contribute to the life of the Church and to the world.”
 

• Edward's eye returns to Worcester

Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College in Worcesterhire will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this month with Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Birmingham and the veneration of a relic of the Jesuit martyr after whom the college is named - his right eye! The college is also planning to erect a memorial plaque on the site of his execution and to publish a history of the school.

>> Read the full story

… Submitted by Ged Clapson, Comms. Off. BRI, London

• Special books for 'special needs' children

When an American boy scout made up a kit to help his sister with special needs with her first communion, he didn't dream that the Jesuit-run Loyola Press would hear about it and design an whole sacramental series based on his work. But they did and on a recent visit here, Irish Jesuit Paul Campbell (pictured here) told the story to Pat Coyle from the JCC.

Paul, who is the publisher with Loyola Press, tells how when they heard about the young boy's project they arranged to meet him. He was really upset that his sister might not be able to make her first communion because of her special needs (she was severely autistic). So he worked with simple ideas and material to try to help her get a grasp of holy communion. "We were really impressed with what he was trying to do and we called in some experts and built on his idea and developed a whole back pack of material to help in the religious education of children with learning disabilities."

>> Read Full Story
 

• Bethany: growth of a death ministry

It is thirty years since Bethany bereavement support group laumched its ministry of consolation. It has gone from the humble beginnings of a retreat for the bereaved called " Death a Christian experience" in Tabor House, a retreat centre in Milltown Park, in 1982 to a movement providing support for the bereaved in 180 parishes up and down the country (10 different dioceses).

Two Jesuit priests played a seminal role in its inception: Myles O’Reilly (pictured here) and John Murphy. Myles with his Tabor retreat team designed and initiated the initial bereavement retreat; and Fr John happened to be one of the first beneficiaries of it.

>> Read Full Story
 

• Introducing the new Mag. Nov.

Since the announcement, on 29 May, that next Easter the joint noviciate will move to Dublin under the direction of Brendan Callaghan, the Irish Jesuits looked forward to meeting the new master of novices. He spent two days here in July, seeking  a site for the noviciate (no decision has been announced yet), and found time to be interviewed by the Editor of IJN.

>> Read Full Story

… Irish Jesuit News, Dublin, 3 July & 21 August 2013

I would like to share with you this amazing discovery. Personally, I often meet youth flaming spiritually. They associate themselves with various religious orders spiritualities and I was asking myself "could such opportunity lie in St. Ignatius' spirit, to unite youth not only in small groups, but in larger organisation?" There was a group once, called "Congregatio Mariana", which gradually became "Christian Life Community" and relates themselves often not to the youth community. Several young ones, shed plenty of light, who participated in project Magis (in Lithuania and Abroad) this and last year, despite this project goes for years. These young people, supported by Jesuits, established a Magis club  in Vilnius. The main goal of this organisation is to learn how to pray according to St. Ignatius' example, share, accomplish various experiments and learn  to seek God in every little thing you do and see. With enthusiasm youth gathers to exchange their feelings about prayers, with great pleasure participates in experiments. Things, similar to those, ordinarily felt by novices and scholastics are perfect for every young person to learn to know St. Ignatius' spirituality and the evidence of it. All in all to recognise themselves as a group held by st. Ignatius' spirituality. Similar activity takes place in Kaunas.

This year the Lithuanian Youth Days took place in Kaunas on 28-30 of June. More than 7 thousand young hearths participated. Guided by the global Magis project experience, the week before LYD, the Magis project had been organised in Lithuania. Three experiments were: A social project in a community of addicted men, earth art and an iconic creation project and spiritual experiment of prayer. Eauch experiments had around 50 young participants. A lot of help came from Jesuits and Magis experiment "old-timers", as they participated in it earlier. I take leave to say that this year project Magis succeeded and has a potential to grow, unite youth with st.  Ignatius' spirituality. That’s why it is worth for Jesuits to spread the Magis idea throughout Lithuania and internationally.

… Reported by Mindaugas Malinauskas (LIT), Vilnius 

• Press release of the Society of Jesus in the Middle East

The Near East province of the Society of Jesus, together with the Italian Province, expresses its great anxiety because they have been unable to establish any contact with Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio for several days.  It thanks all those who care about his fate, as well as the personalities and authorities who are doing their best to find him. It eagerly hopes that this ordeal will come to an end soon, so that Fr Paolo can be reunited with his companions as soon as possible.

The Society of Jesus also expresses its deep worry about the fate of Fr. Frans van der Lugt and the persons he is living with, in the Jesuit residence in Boustan Diwan, in the old centre of the city of Homs.  It expresses its desire that no effort be spared to protect his life as well as that of all his companions.

With the continuing tragedy in Syria, the Society of Jesus in the Near East reiterates its solidarity with the suffering of all the people of Syria. It commits itself to pursuing its humanitarian action among all and renews its determination to work in favor of peace and reconciliation in Syria.

Beirut, August 4, 2013

Very Rev. Victor Assouad, SJ
Provincial, Near East Province
 

Redactional note:
As far as we are informed this sitution is not changed since then.
According to the situation in Egypt we refer to our News Flash of August 18th.
InfoPro, the Bulletin of the Near East Province, publishes in its issue of August 20th another letter of Fr. Magdy-Seif, superior of the Jesuit Residence of Minia with a larger description of the devastations of the week before. He finishes his letter this way:

• Openings to hope

Notwithstanding all the rapidly increasing and worrying events, there are always signs of hope.
In times of crisis, the people's love and appreciation for our work and our presence is more openly manifested. And this is in fact what we felt right from the very first moments of this crisis, which will pass, with God's grace.
Our friends and our Muslim and Christian brothers have been by our side giving us strength and encouraging us to continue our mission and our service, and assuring us that Egypt needs our service, our mission and our presence more than at any other moment.
May our prayers, Christians and Muslims together be acceptable to God Almighty.

Magdy-Seif, SJ
Jesuit Residence – Minia

St Thomas Institute should receive the necessary permissions from Russian authorities by the end of November. There is a plan to launch the new educational programs beginning in the spring semester. Jesuits will begin by providing two-year programs in Theology and Psychology.  There are plans to eventually incorporate courses in the Social Sciences and Spirituality as well. This new form of involvement in the intellectual apostolate will allow Jesuits in Moscow to more vigorously respond to the challenges of modern society and to provide creative educational and formational programs.

… Submitted by Piotr Aszyk (PMA/RUS), President St. Thomas Institute, Moscow

• Spanish language course for foreign jesuits

Last July, 17 jesuits went to our house in Salamanca for studying Spanish. This was the 28th edition of the Spanish course. Each summer it gathers many Jesuit students from countries all over the world: USA, Camerún, Chad, Italy, Brasil, Eslovaquia, Mozambique, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Germany, France and Vietnam.

There were 9 priests, 4 deacons and 5 scholars. Some of them will study next year at Comillas University.  Some will continue formation in Spanish-speaking countries, and a few just want to know the language for a better reading and translating of the ignatian texts.

The study of the language took all day, but they had quieter moments and weekend tours. They celebrated mass every day. The teachers were Alberto Fernández, Pedro Rodríguez-Ponga, Nubar Hamparzoumian, Alberto Cano (Jesuit scholars of the Province of Spain). They taught the usual classes and other activities.
 

• Democratic regeneration of public life in Spain

UNIJES, the Federation of Jesuit University Institutions in Spain, made public its declaration "In Support of the Democratic Regeneration of Public Life in Spain", at an event held at Comillas.  The UNIJES institutions point out that "vis-à-vis the current social and political situation with its profound worry for a large segment of the population, at a time when politics requires honest attitudes, acts of determination and long-term commitments, we would like to contribute to a general debate and dialogue from our particular viewpoint and possibilities of collaboration.

>> The text of the Declaration (in Spanish)
 

• Ignatian leadership

The second meeting about ignatian leadership was held last july in Loyola. The meeting gathered 30 young Spanish and foreign Jesuits from Italy, Malta and Brasil, the Provincial of Spain and a facilitators team.
This meeting proposes a route-map of prayer, workshops, reflection and work on small groups with the specific characteristics of jesuit leadership and the new skills to carry it out. The meeting includes a revision on ignatian sources, the study of the first companions and an approach to community discernment and its updating in the Society. It includes learning with current leadership theories so as special attention to networking and strategic planning.
The meeting is an initiative of the Province of Spain and it aims helping to work and to discern as a body new ways of coordination and apostolic leadership for our mission and structures.

… News items submitted by Elena Rodriguez-Avial, Madrid

• Gandía: Food Distribution

Gandía is the hometown of  St. Francis Borgia, third General of the Society of Jesus, whose memory is preserved in the solemn Ducal Palace of the Borgia. Beside her, a school for children and a church complete the works entrusted to the Jesuit community.
Fr. José Puig SJ, 89 years old,  promoted also and continues to accompany the humanitarian work of the NGO “Buñoleras sin Fronteras” (BSF, Doughnutsmaker without Borders), through a food distribution, which began in January 2009 feeding 18 poor people and is currently serving 350 people each day, except Saturdays and Sundays.

In the last twelve months have provided food to nearly 93,000 people thanks to the selfless charity of neighbors. It is also very important the assistance from the City Council of Gandia, since they need money to pay for electricity, water, gas, gasoline and detergent used to wash the kitchen utensils. There are two families providing oil each month and five bakeries in the city offer the bread left over from the previous day; other companies in the city give food that could not sell during the day.

They also have the help of great shopping centers that provide fruits, vegetables and yogurt, and one bakery company, which gives them bread. The wholesale distribution market do get plenty of fruits and vegetables and the European Food Bank, twice a year, brings them rice, lentils, macaroni, milk or other non-perishable or long lasting food. They also get small bags of food by anonymous people who come personally to their offices to give them. With these aids they can give milk every week to more than 60 children of families in need.

Other associations collaborate allocating city raising parties organized (cash or food) for this food distribution. The fish market has given during the past year 7,000 kilos of fish.
They have the help of 30 women volunteers without which nothing would be possible to have brought forward the project as necessary today. At 7 hours in the morning every day they are working, since the distribution of food is made from 11'15 to 13 hours. All under a rigorous and strict control of user license attendees.

The women of BSF are true heroines. They make and sell Doughnuts every fortnight at a popular market and at a shopping center in the city. In one year they have managed to raise 13,000 euros that have been helpful. But the important thing is the enthusiasm and dedication to continuing to work in this humanitarian task, which is growing day by day due to the current moment of crisis that affects so many people.

… Submitted by Alvaro Alemany (ARA), Socius to the Provincial, Valencia

• Training Plan lay collaborators of the Betica Province

From 1 to July 13 was held at the Immaculate Retreat House, El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz), the Training Plan for lay collaborators of the Betica Province.
We started from 1 to July 3, with the integrated Spirituality, which featured presentations by José Maria Rambla SJ and José M ª Margenat SJ, and attended by 42 participants. The module Reality Analysis was conducted by Juan Antonio Estrada SJ and Gabriel M.ª Pérez Alcalá, Director of ETEA and Rector of the Loyola Andalucía University. This module was attended by 35 participants and took place between 4 and July 6. The module Mission of the Society, 8 to July 10, involved 41 participants and involved as speakers José García de Castro SJ and Provincial of Spain, Francisco José Ruiz Pérez SJ. We finished with the module of Theology, 11 to July 13, which included 36 participants, which José Luis Sicre SJ and Gabino Uribarri SJ. In total 109 people attended, of which 29 participated for the first time.


• Loyola Andalucía University

The Board of Government has authorized the running of the Loyola Andalucía University, for the term 2013-2014, and also its regulatory norms of inner organization. This institution, that was running its activity as a center attached to the University of Córdoba (UCO), starts from now its functioning, as an independent center with an offer of seven tittles of grade, and nine official masters.

Loyola Andalucía which will be the first university institution of private initiative in the Community, is being promoted by the Loyola Andalucía University Foundation, created by the Society of Jesus, and shall have its main seats at the campus of Palmas Altas, in Seville, and at ETEA, in Córdoba.

The Seville campus will accept the grades in Economic Law, Political Sciences, Social Work and Engineering (especially in Electricity and Mechanics), and will share with Córdoba the degrees in Communication (with majors in Media and Corporation, and in Administration), and Managerial Direction.

Related to the official masters, Loyola Andalucía will offer the tittles of Methodology in Research in Economics, and Managerial Sciences and Methods of research in Social and Political Sciences (Córdoba); Business Social Accountability, Legal Profession, Directive of Finances of Persons and Resources, Talent direction, and Marketing Direction (Seville), and Auditing and Finance Tributary, and Fiscal Auditing (at both campus).

The authorization approval by the Board of Government means the end of the teaching activities of the old centre attached to the university of Córdoba. This ending of the conferring of titles will take effect on a gradual scale, with the end in view of preserving the guarantees of the students, who are actually taking them, so that they may conclude them, according to the general rules.

It being a private institution, as it was stressed by the Government Delegate of Economics, Innovation, Science and Employment, Mr. Antonio Ávila, in the press conference after the Government Council’s approval of Loyola Andalucía University, this private University won’t mean any additional burden to the Junta’s budgets, nor will it receive autonomic financing for the subjects that eventually will be taught there.

… Reported by Wenceslao Soto (BET), Socius to the Provincial, Seville, Spain

• Ecological key in consecrated life

20 religious from different religious congregations participated this summer at the first week about "Consecrated Life with an ecological and solidarity key." INEA Foundation has promoted this conference. The aim of this week was to encourage a deep reflection about lifestyles and their implications for Creation. People shared experiences and concern for nature. The daily sessions tried to find "new patterns of behavior to help sustainable, supportive and healthy living" commitment. The main question is to inquire about new responses to the gift of Creation "that challenges our personal and community responsibility”.
 

• Special magazine about the visit of Fr General to Castilla Province

Castilla Province has edited a special magazine about the last visit of Fr General in May. Fr Juan Antonio Guerrero, Provincial of Castilla presents the magazine with an introduction and Fr General closes it with a letter thanking for the visit.

40 colour pages with many photos to remember each moment of the visit and daily chronicles. There are also a summary of each conference of Fr General.

>> Read the complete ones here

     You will find the magazine in pdf format,
     but you can ask for your paper copy here.

… Submitted by Elena Rodriguez-Avial, Madrid

The building was in a bad state of repair, and the goal is to rebuild it, keeping the original elements. The place will become an interpretation centre, where visitors will learn about St. Ignatius’ life and about the commitment of the Society of Jesus with the poor and the excluded.

If everything goes as planned, the building work, which began early this year, will be finished for Christmas.

… Submitted by Xabier Riezu, Comms. Officer, Bilbao