The mission of the Society of Jesus in Europe has long been marked by intellectual collaboration and the patient building of networks that transcend borders and generations. The recognition of the Bollandists’ archives by UNESCO highlights the enduring value of this shared scholarly tradition, rooted in rigorous research and sustained through international cooperation. This distinction not only honours a historic Jesuit work but also underscores the importance of preserving and connecting Europe’s intellectual and spiritual heritage through collaborative networks that continue to serve the universal Church and the wider world. UNESCO has inscribed the archives of the Bollandists on the Memory of the World Register. Founded by a Jesuit, the Society of the Bollandists brings together thousands of texts on the lives of saints from all over the world. This official recognition highlights the universal value of these collections, preserved by the Society of Jesus since the seventeenth century. Founded in 1630 by Jean Bolland within the Society of Jesus and still active today, the Society of the Bollandists is responsible for the Acta Sanctorum, one of the greatest scientific and editorial enterprises carried out in Europe before the French Revolution. This vast encyclopaedia on the lives of saints who lived between the second and seventeenth centuries is based on extensive documentation made possible by the collaboration of a wide network of scholars from across Europe. Preserved by several generations of Bollandists, this treasure includes more than 300 archival collections, thousands of ancient manuscripts, drawings, plans, and 750 copper plates used for printing. A Global Recognition for the Jesuits of Belgium UNESCO is the United Nations organisation that promotes cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication in order to foster peace worldwide. On 17 April 2025, UNESCO inscribed the unique religious, intellectual, and scientific heritage of the Bollandists in Europe on its Memory of the World Register. Through this programme, launched in 1992, the organisation works to safeguard, disseminate, and ensure access to the world’s documentary heritage, aiming to preserve and promote rare and often endangered documents produced by peoples across the globe. “I am particularly proud and pleased to welcome the recognition granted by UNESCO, under the Memory of the World programme, to the work carried out by the Bollandists. Since the beginning of the seventeenth century, they have accomplished pioneering work of great historical and scientific value. The documentary heritage they have played a decisive role in preserving constitutes a major contribution to the heritage of humanity. It is a well-deserved recognition for one of our most brilliant learned societies,” said Elisabeth Degryse, Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The Bollandists’ archives represent the eighth Belgian inscription on the Memory of the World Register, alongside collections such as the archives of the Catholic University of Louvain. Officially honoured on 29 January during a ceremony at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), in the presence of the Jesuit rector of the Gregorian University, the Society of the Bollandists expressed its pride in this distinction and reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying its efforts—now more than ever with the support of friends and benefactors—to promote and preserve these documentary treasures.

On January 2-6, the Coordination Committee of EJIF (European Jesuits in Formation) gathered in Brussels in order to plan the Summer event of EJIF, which will take place in Cluj Napoca, Romania. EJIF is one of the oldest groups of the JCEP – the first EJIF group met as early as 1989 – and it is a key instrument to help Jesuits in formation develop bonds among themselves and a truly international and European identity, a key feature of Ignatian spirituality. We asked the coordination team to write a few notes.  It was on the 20th of August at Le Châtelard in Lyon that EJIF 2025 came to a conclusion. This reunion of Jesuits in formation from across Europe, as well as a delegate from Egypt, had begun in Marseille under the theme “Companions called to serve together.” Fourteen delegates gathered each day to pray, share, cook, and serve alongside different communities in the city. The reunion then moved to Le Châtelard, a spirituality centre of the EOF Province of the Society of Jesus. There, the group entered more deeply into a contemplative and prayerful space shaped by the Spiritual Exercises. As is tradition with EJIF, the meeting concluded with the election of new delegates to the Coordination Committee (CoCo) for the following year’s reunion. Those appointed were Miklós Forián-Szabó SJ (HUN), Ante Arambašić SJ (CRO), and Mikhael Ahmad SJ (BRI). With Miklós serving as Chairman. An important milestone in the preparation of each EJIF reunion is a meeting with the Conference of European Jesuit Provincials (JCEP) team, comprised of Dalibor Renić SJ (President), Gonzalo Villagrán SJ (Socius and Treasurer), and János Lukács SJ (Conference Formation Delegate). The Coordination Committee arrived in Brussels on the 2nd of January. In the months leading up to this meeting, the team met regularly online to pray, share, reflect on feedback from the previous EJIF, and discern where God might be leading the group with regard to the theme and location of the 2026 reunion. This process also involved more practical research into our own provinces and others, noticing what stood out and what resonated most with each member. After four months of distilling these reflections, we arrived in Brussels carrying the fruits of our shared discernment. Meeting with the JCEP team offered invaluable perspective and guidance as we sought clarity around our final decisions. Throughout our visit, moments of prayer and further discernment helped us to refine and confirm the direction to which we felt called. Throughout this process, it was helpful to keep in mind that EJIF is not only a meeting of delegates, but also a formative experience for each participant, including the members of the Coordination Committee. Holding this alongside our discernment, we recognised a unique opportunity to integrate a deeper reflection on the vow of chastity, explicitly linked to mission. Inspired by Ignatius’s constant search for the greater service of God, we were drawn to the deeply Ignatian intuition of magis — not as doing more, but as seeking what leads to greater freedom, the more universal good, and a form of service that truly places the other at the centre. From this perspective, affective freedom and discerning accompaniment emerged naturally as key dimensions of the theme for the coming year. In light of these reflections, it was discerned that the next EJIF reunion will take place in Romania, in Cluj-Napoca this summer.  Of course, an equally important element of the Brussels meeting was simply being together. This was the first time since the previous EJIF that the newly appointed CoCo members were able to meet in person, both with one another and with the conference team. Alongside our meetings, we had the opportunity to visit the Brussels City Museum, the Cathedral of St Gudula, and the European Parliament building, as well as to share a memorable meal with the JCEP team. Our time in Brussels coincided with several days of snow, which lent a particular character to the visit — turning walks through the city and nearby parks into an unexpectedly joyful part of our time together. More than the places we visited, however, it was the experience of fraternity, companionship, and shared discernment that stood out most clearly, grounding our preparations in a spirit of joy that we carry forward as we continue our work toward EJIF.   EJIF Coordination Committee 2026 Miklós, Ante & Mikhael January 2026  The European Jesuits in Formation (EJIF) is a network that brings together Jesuits in formation from across Europe, offering a space for encounter, shared discernment, and mutual support at a formative stage of Jesuit life. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition, EJIF seeks to foster a sense of companionship and collaboration beyond provincial boundaries, helping young Jesuits grow in availability for mission within the universal Society of Jesus. Closely connected to the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP), EJIF plays an important role in strengthening inter-provincial relationships, listening to the realities of formation across Europe, and nurturing future collaboration in mission. Through its annual reunions and ongoing coordination, EJIF serves as both a formative experience for its participants and a meaningful point of dialogue with JCEP on the life and mission of the Society in Europe.

In late 2025, Father Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, undertook an official visit to the Holy Land, reaffirming the Society’s long-standing commitment to accompaniment, education, and reconciliation in one of the world’s most fragile contexts. The visit formed part of his broader mission of listening to Jesuit communities and partners serving at the frontiers of faith, justice, and human suffering. Rooted in Jesuit History and Mission Father General’s pilgrimage carried deep symbolic weight. More than five centuries after Ignatius of Loyola’s thwarted desire to remain in the Holy Land, the Society continues to maintain a small but dedicated presence there. Father Sosa explicitly framed his visit as a moment of learning—listening to Jesuits, collaborators, and institutions striving to serve amid prolonged conflict and instability. A central moment of the visit was Father Sosa’s encounter with the leadership and community of Bethlehem University, where Jesuits collaborate closely with the De La Salle Brothers. Serving more than 3,300 Palestinian students, the university faces extraordinary challenges due to movement restrictions, security checkpoints, and the ongoing impact of war. University leaders described how daily commutes that once took minutes now consume hours, if travel is possible at all. Yet despite these obstacles, enrollment remains steady and the institution continues to integrate professional education with ethical and social formation. Father Sosa was particularly struck by testimonies of students continuing advanced medical training under extreme conditions, including service in Gaza amid devastation—concrete signs of hope sustained through education. Listening to Suffering, Calling for Discernment Following his return, Father General addressed the wider Society and its partners in a letter reflecting on what he had witnessed. Rather than offering political analysis, he posed a spiritual and moral question: How will the faithful respond to suffering? His reflections emphasized compassion, proximity, and discernment in common as essential responses to entrenched violence and human pain. This emphasis echoed a recurring theme of his leadership: the need to remain present where suffering is greatest, not as problem-solvers, but as companions who listen, pray, and act together. The Holy Land visit also underscored a broader Jesuit posture of availability to the universal Church and the pope, rooted in the Society’s founding charism. In contexts where political solutions remain elusive, Father Sosa highlighted the distinctive Jesuit contribution: sustained presence, education for the future, and the quiet labor of reconciliation carried out with local communities. Continuing the Mission Far from being a symbolic gesture, the 2025 visit strengthened ongoing relationships between the General Curia and Jesuit works in the region. It reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to walking alongside those who refuse to surrender hope, even amid fear, displacement, and loss. In the Holy Land, Father Sosa’s presence served as a reminder that the Jesuit mission there—small in number but deep in impact—continues to bear witness to faith, justice, and the possibility of peace through steadfast accompaniment.

The Society of Jesus in Europe welcomes the appointment of two new members, both current provincials in their local provinces, to the Consult of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP). The Consult of the JCEP is a consultative body that helps the President of the JCEP in his decision making, in this sense it is similar in its functions to the consult of any local Provincial. In a letter dated 17 December, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, appointed Fr Attila András SJ (HUN) and Fr Ronny Alessio SJ (EUM) as new JCEP Consultors. In both cases, both Attila and Ronny are moderators – facilitators – in their Assistancies (group of Provinces that are served by the same counselor to Fr. General) Fr Attila András, elected Moderator of the Central and Eastern Europe Assistancy (better known by the Latin acronym ECO) in October, will begin his mandate as JCEP Consultor on 1 February 2026. He is expected to take part in the next JCEP Consult meeting, scheduled for 18–19 February 2026. Fr Ronny Alessio, elected Moderator of the Southern Europe Assistancy (better known by the Latin Acronym EMR) in October, will begin his mandate on 1 July 2026. His first participation in a JCEP Consult meeting is planned for September 2026.

Dear International Jesuit Friend in Brussels, It is with great joy that the European Jesuit Community in Brussels invites you to celebrate together the 2026 Day of the Canonization of Saint Ignatius. There are many of you in the city, working both in the EU institutions and in other international and Belgian organisations, and we thought this special week would be a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know one another better. We warmly invite you to join us on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, at 19:00 in the Chapel for Europe.   📍 Details & Registration The event will take place at the Chapel for Europe, Rue Van Maerlant 22/24 (European Quarter). The chapel will be open from 18:30. Attendance is free, but registration is kindly requested. You are warmly welcome to join us even if you cannot attend the entire programme.   Register here   🕊 Programme 19:00 – Mass of Saint Ignatius 19:45 – Brief presentation of the European Jesuit works in Brussels: Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) Chapel for Europe Jesuit Refugee Service – Europe (JRS-E) Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) Pastoral care in the European Schools 20:15 – Informal gathering with light food and drinks 21:30 – End   👥 Who is this invitation for? This invitation is addressed to all International Jesuit Friends in Brussels: Alumni and alumnae of Jesuit schools or universities outside Belgium; Friends who have participated in Jesuit pastoral activities worldwide; Friends currently in touch with the European Jesuit works in Brussels. Finally, please feel free to share this invitation with other International Jesuit Friends you may know in Brussels. They are most welcome. Kind regards, and we hope to see you on 10 March!   Register here     Fr. Dalibor Renić SJ, President of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials with the Saint Benedict Jesuit Community in Brussels

Jean-Marc Balham, Belgian Jesuit, expert in Christian-Muslim relations, currently living in Ankara (Türkiye), followed very closely and was present in the main events of Pope Leo's recent visit to this country. We’ve asked him to share with us his impressions in this article: The Pope chose Turkey as the destination for his first apostolic journey outside Italy because, like each of his predecessors since the restoration of relations with the Orthodox 60 years ago under Paul VI, he wished to visit the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople at the beginning of his pontificate, on the feast of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of this Church, to consolidate the bonds that unite us. During his brief stay, he also met with the Armenian and Syriac communities, which make up the majority of local Christians, as well as representatives of other Christian denominations immediately after a spiritual visit to the Blue Mosque in the company of local Muslim authorities. The ecumenical dimension of this trip was reinforced this time by the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, where the foundations of the profession of faith common to all Christians were laid, at the very site of the council. Representatives of many Churches gathered there. While some were missing, it is to be hoped that in 2033, all will be able to be present in Jerusalem where, as the Pope told journalists on the plane taking him to Lebanon for the second stage of his apostolic journey, he would like to be able to celebrate two millennia since the Redemption, an event that reduces the petty aspects of ecclesiastical politics that divide us, to nothing. The Pope also met with the local Catholic Church in all its diversity: bishops and pastoral workers, some refugees and elderly people, and above all the Catholic communities of the country (and representatives of other denominations) during a Eucharistic celebration that brought together 4,000 people in a stadium in Istanbul. This was the first time such a celebration had taken place in such a venue: it allowed the local Church to celebrate ‘in full view of one another’ for the first time, without being constrained by the limited space of a place of worship. For this community, this Mass seemed like a prelude to the gathering on the Mountain of the Lord mentioned in the first reading. All this was made possible by the active participation (logistical and financial) of the Turkish authorities, whom the Pope met in Ankara at the beginning of his stay. Currently, relations between the Vatican and Turkey are relatively good, thanks in part to their collaboration in the search for peace in the region. The logo of the papal trip to Turkey represented a bridge, like the one over the Dardanelles Strait: it was this vocation that the sovereign ‘Pontiff’ (“pontifex”, literally ‘bridge builder’) wanted to live out during his stay and to which he called Turkey during his official speech to the authorities: to be a bridge ‘with itself’, between the different elements of its own diversity, and externally, in a region shaken by conflict. Fr. Jean-Marc Balhan, SJ