AJAN meeting in diaspora
On Saturday 7 March, at the Jesuit students' community at Horsford Road, Brixton, London, there was an informal gathering of a diaspora of the African Assistancy studying in London: Nima Tekadiomona (ACE), John Enslin (SAF), Matthew Charlesworth (SAF), Kpanie Addy (ANW), Isidore Bonabom (ANW), Raymond Ngaiza (AOR), and Gilbert Mardai (AOR).
The group met with Fr. Michael Czerny, S.J. to share a meal and hear about AJAN. Godfrey Veerasammy (GUY) generously helped Gilbert prepare a most excellent meal, thereby allowing those from the Assistancy to maximize their time with Michael. It was a very good meeting, the things discussed of much concern for our Assistancy. We spoke about our ideals, our hopes for Africa and for the Society and shared our experience of the challenges and difficulties - both structurally and due to our own prejudices - that dampen those hopes.
We encouraged Michael to continue his vital work and reassured him of our commitment to the Assistancy and the universal Society, which has made Africa a preferential mission. Topics included: future staffing at AJAN House - regents for 2009-2011 and a new coordinator; the potential for teaching about HIV/AIDS in Jesuit secondary schools, as they are a vehicle for personal formation, with the need to provide good role-models and highlight the role of Ignatian discernment in critical life-decisions that students and staff face daily; methods to reduce the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS; the distinction between approaches of curing and healing; talking intelligently and compassionately about HIV/AIDS in an holistic, honest way that recognises the role of the Church to help each person with the duty of correctly forming his/her conscience.
We heard about HIV and AIDS programmes within the Assistancy and how AJAN operates. Afterwards we posed some good questions (that we felt need to be asked) about the Society's own HIV and AIDS policy touching every phase of a Jesuit's life from candidacy to the fully formed and including relatives and employees: testing, privacy, how one can fraternally accompany someone who is positive or affected by family members who are.
Further, we discussed the experience of isolation (perceived and real) from other NGOs and churches that are tackling HIV and AIDS, and considered how the Catholic Church and the Society experience this isolation - a consequence of being at the frontiers? And we listened to Michael's ideas for future work in this area.
All in all, we appreciated the opportunity to speak heart-to-heart and thanked Fr. Michael for his willingness to listen to and challenge us on these sensitive but important realities. Everyone agreed that the meeting was constructive and helped build fraternal bonds between us all. Several commented on how useful it is for minds usually confined in ivory towers to explore fresh and practical dimensions and be reminded of our vocation to work for justice.
Matthew Charlesworth SJ (South Africa)
From the JESAM Newsletter May 2009