Some 30 Jesuits from five continents gathered at Boston College in April for a three-day conference on networking within the Society.  Also at the conference were lay people, who along with the Jesuits are from various levels of Jesuit governance and apostolic works.

The “International Networking in the Society of Jesus” conference was the first initiative to develop an international network to assist the mission of the Society of Jesus in the globalization era.  Held from April 28 to 30, it was organized in answer to the Society’s 35th General Congregation’s call for more international and inter-provincial collaboration, said the organisers – the Jesuit Institute, the Graduate School of Social Work and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality.

The group will work to facilitate and maximize the Jesuits’ impact as a transnational body with a universal mission.

Conference participants considered aspects of international networking, involving people from different regions and cultures and combining an academic approach with practical experience. Topics were identified for further development and a website will be developed to make available Jesuit documents on networking and related materials, including the participants’ papers from the conference.

There were two participants from the Asia Pacific conference – Fr Frank Brennan SJ, who provided an interpretation on the call for collaboration; and Fr José CJ Magadia SJ, who spoke of challenges.

To read Fr Brennan’s speech, click here. 

To read Fr Magadia’s speech, click here.