In response to a rapidly changing Philippine society, the social apostolates of the Philippine Jesuit Province gathered for a colloquium on Developing Ignatian Spirituality in the Social Apostolate from 19 to 21 October in Tagaytay City.
Guiding the proceedings was Julie Edwards, Secretary for Social Ministries of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. Over the course of three days, she led the participants in delving deeper into their organisations’ core identities, reading the signs of the times, identifying opportunities, and forging ways to respond as a network to the challenges of present-day realities.
The workshop proper began with the social apostolates being called to step back and remember their Jesuit heritage. Through a narration of critical life periods in the life of St Ignatius of Loyola, participants were invited to reflect on their roots, pondering on the critical questions: Why are we doing this, and who are we serving? At the same time, they were challenged to discover the distinctive character of Jesuit social ministries, setting them apart from secular and non-profit organisations. Edwards painted a picture of St Ignatius’s way of proceeding and how Jesuit ministries can learn from this tradition. She also emphasised that the Social Apostolate Ministry, with collaboration and alignment at national, regional, and global levels, is a vital dimension of the work of the Jesuits in the world.
But what does it truly mean to be a Jesuit institution in a world of escalating geopolitical tensions, worsening climate conditions, and blatant disregard for human lives? How do we embody the Ignatian identity more concretely in our organisations and in the work that we do? With these questions in mind, Edwards offered a schema for implementing organisational structures and processes, which the participants acknowledged is important. They also recognised the need to contextualise and appropriate these insights within their own organisations. It was indeed a time of rediscovering and charting a path forward while keeping the tradition of being a Jesuit institution alive.
One point constantly emphasised throughout the workshop was the importance of taking action after discernment. In moving forward, the social apostolates were challenged to articulate their new knowledge and apply it in their responses.
Another invitation for the group was to find ways to inculcate the Ignatian identity more deeply and move together as a network. Karlo Abadines, Associate Director for Programmes from Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, presented a social analysis paper on the Philippine situation, which fleshed out the different movements within and outside the Jesuit networks, highlighting opportunities for the social apostolates to work together and amplify their impact. [Society of Jesus Social Apostolates/Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan]
