The song “You Are Mine” ushered the Jesuit Brothers in our conference into the atmosphere of a seven-day Ignatian retreat from 24-30 October. The Lord reminded us that we are His, and He “will come to us in the silence,” drawing us into a deeper brotherhood with Him.
The theme of the retreat is “Jesuit Brothers: Sent to Collaborate in the Mission of Christ,” guided by Br Raymond Belleza SJ from the Philippine Province. The retreat was held at Rumah Retret, a retreat house in Semarang belonging to the Indonesian Province built in 1930.
We chose the De Statu Societatis (DSS) as the focal point of this retreat to align with the concerns of our Superior General and the Society as a whole to “make our life-mission a better witness to the action of God and a more effective contribution to His mission”.
During this time, we experienced not only to live in friendship with the Lord but also in brotherhood rooted in Him.
We are different from each other
We came from different Provinces: two from Indonesia, one from Korea, one from Myanmar, five from the Philippines, one from Taiwan, one from Thailand, one from Timor-Leste, and two from Vietnam. Our ages, years in the Society, and backgrounds varied—some brothers had been in the Society for almost 50 years, 30 years, or 10 years, while there is a brother who just took his first vows three months ago.
Some brothers had previously attended meetings or retreats together and had known each other for over 20 years, while others were meeting for the first time and still feeling unfamiliar. One brother was attending this DSS-focused retreat for the third time, eager to reconnect with his fellow brothers, deepen his spiritual experience, and embrace the spiritual renewal this retreat offered. Despite some facing illnesses, they made every effort to attend.
We each brought different emotions to the retreat: some felt anxious about health issues or having to communicate in English; others came with feelings of doubt, stress, or sadness due to conflicts or challenges in relationships. A few felt lonely, being the only Brother in their Province or Region, while others faced fears about future mission prospects or potential assignments in unfamiliar places.
With varying emotions came different expectations. Some sought physical and spiritual healing; others sought confirmation in their Brother vocation or to live their Jesuit Brother identity with more humility, simplicity, and poverty.
We also differed in our mission assignments: some brothers work in agriculture, some in school administration, others as community coordinators, or in media, philosophy studies, or regency. We each had unique backgrounds and experiences, like St Alphonsus, who was different from St Peter Claver.
Yet, despite the differences, we are Brothers in the Lord
Although we do not share the same biological mother, we are brothers because we follow Jesus, whom we love and believe in. We are those who “hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21). We have one Father in heaven who desires that we “be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29).
We were born into the same faith, called and chosen to live out the same charism and vocation, sharing in the mission left by St Ignatius. That is why we simply call each other “brother”.
What does it mean to be “Brothers in the Lord”?
To be “Brothers in the Lord,” we need to remain intimately connected to Jesus, our eldest brother. The daily Eucharist strengthens this bond with Jesus. We listen to His word and join with His Body and Blood, thus sustaining our spiritual lives in Him. We entrust our lives to Him, allowing Him to be the guide and master of our journey.
Together, we also spent time in silent adoration of Jesus during the Holy Hour. Here, the Lord “refreshes” and “replenishes” us after months of physical and spiritual labor in our missions. We shared with Him our struggles, weaknesses, and successes, giving thanks, asking for forgiveness, and seeking strength to continue our calling.
We also reconciled with Jesus through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As we are called to “reconcile all things in Christ,” we first needed to reconcile with Him. Only then can we reconcile with each other, ourselves, and all of creation, experiencing true inner freedom and joy.
As Brothers, we share each other’s vocation
The vocation of one brother is a shared calling for us all. The challenges one brother faces belong to all of us. This responsibility includes supporting each other through prayer so that none of us loses our relationship with Jesus. The greatest danger for Jesuit Brothers is the gradual neglect of daily prayer due to work or distractions. The Brother vocation can only endure through a living connection to Jesus in prayer.
The retreat was a time to share and talk about our experiences of encountering Jesus in prayer, as well as sharing our personal concerns. We lived as friends, listening to each other’s hopes and struggles in living out our identity and mission. This sharing helped us come to know and understand each other more deeply: Who are my brothers? What are their lives like?
In this new age, the identity of Jesuit Brothers is gradually changing from that of previous generations. Yet we remind each other not to forget the witness of the senior brothers who came before us, whose simple, humble lives embodied the Jesuit Brother’s identity in mission. We encourage each other not to fear doing the simple, small things. We are prophetic when collaborating with others in humble tasks—whether gardening, driving, bookkeeping, or other seemingly ordinary work—knowing that in these acts, we are fulfilling Christ’s mission.
As Brothers, we lift each other up
We support and encourage each other in our vocation. Older brothers care for the younger ones, sharing wisdom and setting an example. Younger brothers support older ones with their youthful presence, keeping the vocation of the Brother alive and hopeful within the Society of Jesus. We pray that the Society may be blessed with more Brother vocations and that God will send us more brothers.
On the feast of St Alphonsus Rodriguez, the patron of Jesuit Brothers, some brothers renewed their vows, reaffirming their commitment to this way of life. His life remains an inspiration for us. We celebrated as brothers, spending time together in joy, laughing, talking, and walking side by side. We encouraged each other to embrace the Brother identity more deeply and to serve our mission with greater zeal. Though time was short, we cherished each moment, knowing that for some of us, this may be the only time we meet.
As we parted ways, we continued living our brotherhood in communion, remembering each other in prayer. We are not alone, knowing that we have the Lord and each other on our journey towards Him.
We are friends in the Lord, and even more, we are brothers in the Lord. We hope that the spirit of being “brothers in the Lord” reaches not only those who attended the retreat but also other brothers in the conference and the Society of Jesus as a whole. The retreat brought forth spiritual fruits, making us more truly “brothers of Jesus” and “brothers to each other,” deepening our sense of belonging to God, to the Society, and to each other.
Br Stephen Tran Thien Kinh SJ from Vietnam is the Convener of Jesuit Brothers in the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. He is Assistant Chairperson of Jesuit Communications of the Vietnamese Province. Jesuit Brothers come from different backgrounds and have varied interests, but they are united in their desire to serve and love God. If you wish to know more about the vocation of a Jesuit Brother, please reach out to a vocation promoter in your area.