Members of the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) convened in Rome at the end of May. The gathering focussed on ongoing discernment on Jesuit education and the consolidation of the Jesuit Global Network of Schools, launched in 2021.

Discussions included the upcoming II Seminar JESEDU-Jogja2024, regional reports, Educate Magis, artificial intelligence, Jesuit and lay collaboration, and Promoting a Consistent Culture of Protection (PCCP) within Jesuit schools.

Fr Leonardus Evert Bambang Winandoko SJ Secretary of Education for the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific participated in the meeting, led by Fr Jose Mesa, the Worldwide Secretary for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education of the Society of Jesus.

An important aspect of the meeting was the audience with Pope Francis. The Pope highlighted the importance of placing the person at the centre of education. He underlined several key points to Jesuit educators:

Keeping Jesus at the heart of the mission

Pope Francis praised the Jesuits’ commitment to integrating the Gospel into their curriculum and activities, fostering an environment where young people can engage with the teachings of Jesus and contribute to the common good.

Leading by example

He emphasised the need for educators to embody the values they wish to impart to their students. True education involves leading by example and encouraging educators to accompany and develop their students, especially those at the margins of our societies, he said.

Shifting from ‘I’ to ‘We’ culture

Pope Francis stressed that quality education is defined as such by its humanising results and not by economic results. This shift, he continued, requires placing the person at the centre of the educational process.

Read Pope Francis’ full speech here.