On October 10, 2023, by resolution of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, Father Prof. Józef Bremer SJ was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit for his achievements in the development of science.

Prof. Bremer works at the Department of Logic, Epistemology and Philosophy of Science at the Institute of Philosophy of Ignatianum University in Cracow, Poland. He is also an honorary professor at the National University named after Ivan Franko in Zhytomyr, Ukraine (since 2012) and honorary professor of the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland (since 2023). In the years 2014-2022 he was the rector of the Ignatianum Academy in Cracow. For 7 years he was a full-time employee of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian University, where he also held managerial positions (head of the Department of Cognitive Science) and co-founded the field of cognitive science. In the years 2011-2018 he was a member of the Committee of Philosophical Sciences at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The award will be presented on the Day of the Ignatianum University on March 8, 2024.

​In 1997, Pope John Paul II entrusted the Jesuits with pastoral care over Kyrgyzstan. Currently, the Jesuits are supported by two diocesan priests and sisters from the Congregation of the School Sisters of Saint Francis and the Missionaries of Charity sisters.

Important events took place on Sunday, October 22, 2023. The responsibility for the parish in Jalal-Abada was taken over from Father Adam Malinowski SJ by the newly arrived to Kyrgyzstan priest. Janusz Potok, Fidei Donum missionary from the Tarnów diocese, Poland. Fr. Janusz previously worked in Kazakhstan for several years and knows the context and specificity of work in Central Asia perfectly. In turn, Father Bartosz Kornatowski SJ became the parish priest in the city of Osh, with a population of 300,000, which is located, like Jalal-Abad, in the southern part of Kyrgyzstan. Both ceremonies were presided over by Father Anthony Corcoran SJ, Apostolic Administrator of Kyrgyzstan.

Parishioners in front of the parish house in Jalal-Abada.

Main photo: parishioners in the chapel in Osh.

In July this year, the editorial team of Modlitwa w drodze (MWD) conducted a survey among its listeners. The goal was to get listeners’ opinions on the quality of the meditations shared through this popular application. At the same time, information was also collected about who the statistical recipients of this online prayer application are. 2,586 people took part in the survey, which is nearly 10% of approx. 28,000 of the daily users. The average rating is 4.41 on a 5-point scale. Women (4.48) rate the application significantly better than men (4.28). Married people value it the most (4.44). The average rating of people with children is 4.46, and of people without children – 4.29.

As the results of the survey show, Modlitwa w drodze greatly helps in the practice of prayer and in spiritual development and understanding of the Gospel (4.66). It helps to a slightly smaller, but still very high extent in the relationship with God and attentiveness to God’s actions (4.60) and in the relationship with each other (4.37).

Modlitwa w drodze is rated best by people who listen to it while walking or running (4.45) and those who listen to the prayer at home (4.44).

In questions regarding technical matters, the voice of the lecturers (4.58) and the music (4.37) are rated the highest. These opinions do not show any significant differences due to the age and gender of the respondents.

A small proportion (20%) of people expect slightly more intellectually engaging content. For the vast majority of people, the content of the meditations is optimally understandable.

The vast majority of respondents (78%) consider the duration of the prayer to be optimal. Also, time for reflection is optimal for the vast majority of people. Only 23% of those taking part in the survey thought it was too short.

64.31% of respondents were women. 21 people did not provide information about their gender (less than 1%). The dominant age group were people between 45 and 54 years of age (33%) and between 35 and 44 years of age (29%). The largest number of listeners lives in large cities, over 500,000 inhabitants (26%) and in villages (20%). According to the survey, 66% of MWD listeners are married and 19% are single. 71% of listeners declare having a child or children. 97% of respondents declare themselves Catholic and 3% as Christians other than Catholics. 73% of respondents declare that they listen to us every day, and 21% once or several times a week. 63% of respondents declare that they listen to us at home. 20% then drive a car.

Gratitude dominated among the free responses (641 responses). Many respondents shared situations in which MWD is helpful for them (323). 247 people suggested certain solutions regarding the prayers, as well as promotional and fundraising activities.

A detailed analysis of the data can be found at the link ankieta.modlitwawdrodze.pl.

Our world is wounded by injustice, violence, wars and lust for power. So many people suffer, are destitute and robbed of hope. Pope Francis encouraged us to pray for peace in the war-torn Holy Land on October 17, 2023.

In response to this call, the Editorial team of Modlitwa w drodze (the Polish language version of Pray as You Go) has prepared a special prayer. Its core is the song „Pray for Peace” composed by Dominik Dubiel SJ in cooperation with Mateusz Frankiewicz and Anna Weber.

Pray with us for peace!

Think about what you, your closest people are currently experiencing, what the world is currently experiencing. Try to look at it all from God’s perspective for a moment.

Psalm 62:2-3
My soul rests in God alone, from whom comes my salvation. God alone is my rock and salvation, my fortress; I shall never fall.

Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!”

Our world is wounded by injustice, violence, exploitation and lust for power. So many people suffer, are destitute and robbed of hope. Even if we ourselves feel safe, it is difficult for us to ignore it. Think for a moment about those who suffer. Everything you feel, even if it is difficult, can become your prayer now.

Our immediate surroundings, our everyday life, are also not free from suffering and hurt. Our closest people sometimes disappoint our expectations, we encounter injustice at work or in society. We ourselves are not always able to love as much as we would like to. Entrust to God the relationships in which you need more kindness, care and love.

This desire for love makes us hurt by the suffering of others, makes us outraged by injustice, and makes us long for deep, close relationships. This desire is deeply ingrained in us; shows us who we really are. It is the sacred space of God’s presence in us, the dwelling place of goodness, beauty and peace. Stay in this space for a moment.

Talk to God who is the source of peace within you. Open yourself to His inspiration: how you can convey this peace to the world.
Glory be to the Father…

Prayer: Modlitwa w drodze editorial team
music: Dominik Dubiel, Mateusz Frankiewicz, Anna Weber
arrangement: Mateusz Frankiewicz

https://modlittwawdrodze.pl/modlitewnik/inne/proscie-o-pokoj

On October 1, 2023, the Ignatianum Academy in Krakow was transformed into the Ignatianum University. Thanks to this, it joined the group of the best universities in Poland. On this occasion, on October 6, a press meeting was held with the rector of the Ignatianum University, Fr. prof. Tomasz Homa SJ.

The rector presented the University’s development plan and answered journalists’ questions. He noted that raising the rank of the educational establishment proves the recognition of its high scientific level. Currently, the University is authorized to award doctoral and habilitated doctor degrees in six scientific disciplines and three fields of science. The ambition of the Ignatianum University in Krakow is to become a leading Jesuit research and teaching center in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ignatianum is characterized by an atmosphere of great openness, which makes it stand out from other universities. The approach to students is based on the almost 5-century tradition of Ignatian pedagogy. This is expressed in providing students with high-level education enabling them to develop professionally and ensuring self-fulfillment, as well as spiritual, moral and social development, – emphasized Fr. rector Tomasz Homa SJ.

Enrollment for the first year is 1,300 students, which is 300 more than last year. The academic community has a total of approximately 3,200 students. The most popular fields are „Psychology” (about 10 people applied for one place) and „English Philology”.

The nearest plans include launching three new fields of study in the areas of computer science and artificial intelligence, law and health sciences. Two of these directions will be opened next year. Meanwhile, the University is thinking about building a new campus and expanding the University to approximately 5,000 students, and at the same time it is concerned about constantly improving the quality of its offer.

The press briefing preceded the Inauguration of the Academic Year 2023/2024, which started at 10:00 Holy Mass celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus under the leadership of His Eminence, Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz. The Holy Mass gathered a group of professors and students of the Ignatianum University and representatives of other academic communities in Krakow.

The rest of the ceremony took place in the Great Hall in the main building of the University.

Five novices of the Society of Jesus moved to Krakow to begin three-year philosophical studies at the Ignatianum Uniwersity. Philosophical studies are the next stage of formation, which follows the two-year novitiate period and taking monastic vows. This time, first-year scholastics form an international team, which consists of two Poles, two Ukrainians and a Russian. Get to know the inspiring stories of  their lives and vocations that they told us themselves.

My name is Bakhtier Alimov. I come from Russia and was born in Moscow in 1992. My mother has distant Polish roots, and my father is a Muslim from the Turkish-speaking countries of Central Asia. My second birth took place on Holy Saturday in 2008, when I was baptized in one of the then two Catholic churches in the Russian capital. If I could live my life a thousand times and in a thousand ways, and in each of them Christ came to me, I would always answer: „This time, too, I will follow you.” When God proposed the monastic path to me, although I felt surprised, I had no doubts. If I could sum up what my relationship with God has taught me in one sentence, it would be: total trust. I am an orientalist who is passionate about the culture, history and art of the peoples of the East, especially India and Japan. I am well versed in music, history and traveling to the most unusual places.

My name is Szymon Dębczyński. I am 28 years old and I come from Włocławek, Poland. I am a hairdresser by profession. Before joining the Society of Jesus, I studied geology in Poznań. I wrote my bachelor’s thesis on Precambrian paleogeography, i.e. continental migration, and my master’s thesis on komatiites – one of the oldest rocks in the world.

After graduating, I entered the Major Seminary in Włocławek. During Lent, Father Józef Augustyn SJ led retreats for seminarians. He was the first Jesuit I had the opportunity to meet. He made a great impression on me. After leaving the seminary, I decided to enter the Jesuit novitiate in Gdynia. After two years, I made vows in the Society of Jesus and went to Krakow to study philosophy.

I am Bohdan Melnytskyi. I was born 26 years ago in Khmelnytsky, Ukraine.

There was a time in my childhood when I had a great desire to serve God deep in my heart. During high school, I began to distance myself from the Church, explaining to myself that God was simply with me, and I had to take care of many professional and personal responsibilities. Already during high school, I worked as a hip-hop and break dance coach (everyone asks if I like dancing. I immediately answer: no, I worked for money). During my teacher studies, I ran my own school, having everything. I lived for myself. Over time, I realized that something was wrong, that this was not what human life was about.

What’s missing when you have everything?

After making a kind of Examination of Conscience of my entire conscious life, I rediscovered my vocation and Christianity as an invitation to a deep relationship with Christ. After a long discernment, reading fragments of the Autobiography of St. Ignatius and after making retreats several times, including spiritual exercises, I decided to join the Society of Jesus.

In 2021, I entered the Novitiate in Gdynia. After two years with a wealth of beautiful, sometimes difficult experiences, I made my perpetual vows. In October I start my Philosophy studies in Krakow…

My name is Yurii Nadra. I come from Ukraine, from the city of Ternopil. After graduating from high school and studying, I started working. The type and location of work changed from time to time. Until recently, I was involved in independent renovations of apartments and houses.

One day I was standing at my uncle’s funeral and listening to the priest’s sermon. One sentence moved me very deeply. These were the words of St. Augustine: „You created us, O God, without us, but you cannot save us without us.” While discovering Augustine, my entire ontology and perception of the world fell apart and I found something completely new.

It seemed that I had everything, but from somewhere deep inside there was an unsatisfied desire. One day, while renovating another apartment, the thought occurred to me: Should I let God satisfy my spiritual hunger?…

A former student of Polish philology who tries to describe the Extraordinary in simple words.

And also a former employee in a factory producing foams for electronics and household appliances.

Adrian Wieczorek, Jesuit – an unspectacular hero of everyday „being yourself”,

Who is delighted with the extraordinary everydayness of life.

On September 19, a presentation of Andriy Zelinsky’s SJ book „Anatomy of a Warrior” took place in the artistic space „Tower on Pochayna” (Kiev, Ukraine). This is the second book published by the Ukrainian Jesuit this year, after the allegorical fairy tale „Semen’s Stars”.

„Anatomy of a Warrior” is a book about the warrior that lives in each of us. About the changes we can make in our lives if we become aware of our own experience and path. This is a book dedicated to all Ukrainian soldiers – both those who fight on the front line and those who fight for their right to exist every day in hundreds of other ways.

Moreover, it is a book for everyone who wants to move forward, cares about his own development and believes in the power of the human spirit.

Father Andriy Zelinskyy SJ (born 1979) is a Jesuit, military chaplain, political scientist, teacher, co-founder of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy and best-selling author.

Fotos: Колесо Життя

From September 4 to 6, 2023, Dalibor Renić SJ, the new President of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials, was in Ukraine, where, together with Father Jarosław Paszyński SJ, Superior of the Southern Poland Province of the Society of Jesus, he visited the places where Jesuits serve: Lviv, Chernivtsi and Khmelnytskyi. It was Father Renić’s first visit abroad, immediately after taking up his new position on August 31, 2023. Its goal was to show solidarity with our brothers in Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war.

On September 2, 2023, Dalibor Renić SJ flew to Krakow. On the same day, he met with his brothers from the Residence in Krakow. The next day he concelebrated Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and then met with the College community and the scholastics, who would begin their philosophical studies at the Ignatianum University a month later. During the meeting with the scholastics, Father President pointed out that in the European context, the challenge for the Jesuits is the constant care for a deep spiritual life and the ability to discern in order to help people encounter God.

On the Sunday evening (September 3, 2023), Fr. Dalibor Renić SJ together with Father Provincial Jarosław Paszyński SJ started his journey to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Mission is an integral part of the Southern Poland Province of the Society of Jesus. On Monday, Father President met with the Brothers who serve in Lviv and Kyiv. He visited the refugees’ house in Lviv, run by Jesuits (JRS Ukraine), and a house in Briukhowychi , where JRS Ukraine cooperates with nuns in helping refugees.

On Tuesday, Father President saw intensive preparations in Chernivtsi for the opening of the “SPACE OF HOPE” project of the Jesuit Center for Spiritual and Psychological Health, Dialogue and Communication next year. The mission of “SPACE OF HOPE” is to be spiritual and psychological help for people from Ukraine who have experienced the effects of the war, then dialogue supporting efforts for a just peace, then forgiveness and reconciliation, and finally communication enabling a meeting on the basis of truth.

On Wednesday, Father Dalibor Renić SJ met with the community of Jesuits in Khmelnytskyi, who run a parish and a retreat house, which was transformed into a refugee aid house immediately after the beginning of the war. The next day, Father President returned to Krakow, and in the afternoon he came back to Brussels, where his headquarters is located.

For the Jesuits in Ukraine it was a special time of meeting and reflection in an atmosphere of brotherly solidarity. It was very important for Father President to personally be with his brothers where the war was going on.

On the first anniversary of the death of Father Stanisław Pomykała SJ (1950-2022), who worked, among others, in Vitebsk, Belarus, Bishop Oleh Budkiewicz, together with the community of Vitebsk Jesuits, blessed a commemorative plaque placed in the hall of the Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

The ceremonial consecration of the plaque commemorating the Polish missionary took place on September 3, 2023, exactly one year after his untimely death.

Father Stanisław Pomykała SJ was born on January 4, 1950 in Brzeg Dolny near Wołów, Poland. He joined the Society of Jesus on July 30, 1965.

After his monastic studies, in 1980 he began working in the Polish Section of Vatican Radio in Rome and, as a reporter, accompanied many pilgrimages of John Paul II. He was associated with neocatechumenal communities, where he served for many years.

After finishing his work at Vatican Radio in 1990 and the sabbatical year, he was sent to Novosibirsk in 1991, where he helped Bishop Joseph Werth SJ – the first ordinary of the Apostolic Administration of Novosibirsk. He was the founder and director of the „Inigo” Spirituality Center in Novosibirsk and led retreats also in other cities of the Russian Federation and former Soviet republics. He also lectured on Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy at a local university. From the end of 2021, he worked in Belarus, first in the parish of the Holy Trinity in Hlyboble in the Vitebsk diocese (2012-2014), and then in Vitebsk – in the parish of St. Anthony (until 2017) and in the parish of St. Władysław, which the Jesuits formally took over in 2019 and built a church for the parishioners dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, consecrated in July 2022. He was the spiritual father of the priests of the Vitebsk diocese.

The parish of the Immaculate Conception in Aarhus celebrated this weekend the 150 years of it’s existence after the Reformation. (Catholic communities existed in the city until 1537) The celebration began on Saturday at 12.00 with the Eucharist celebrated in the Chaldean rite in the Chaldean Church of St. Nicholas located in the parish. The liturgy gathered the Iraqi community who is an important part of the Catholic presence in our city. The Mass was presided by our Jesuit brother – fr. Antoine Audo SJ, who is the Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo in Syria, and who accepted the invitation to preside over the Jubilee celebrations.

The afternoon was an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful concert given by our organist Tony Nguyen who is also a concert pianist accompanied by a soprano singer Julie Husballe. The main Sunday Mass of the Latin part of the parish gathered many people from our community as well as guests from the neighboring parishes and from other cities. The church was filled to capacity. Many of the guests followed the Mass on the screens set up in the parish house, since the church couldn’t accommodate all the guests.

Bishop Antoine presided the Mass accompanied by Bishop Czeslaw Kozon of Copenhagen, our Jesuit brothers from both danish communities and friend of Jesuits – Fr. Vasyl Bahlei from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Community. Fr. Mateusz Ignacik SJ represented Fr. Provincial of the Greater Poland and Mazovia Province of the Society of Jesus, to which Denmark belongs. Priests from the Danish Lutheran Church were also present at the celebration.

After the Mass the festivities continued in the neighboring Catholic school were the guests could experience the variety of tastes from almost all over the world in the plates prepared by parish groups from different countries. There were friendly speeches and the exchange of gifts. One of the gifts touched us in a particular way. The Ukrainian community offered us a special relic. It was a part of a rocket brought by soldiers from the front in Bakhmut, decorated with the image of St. Ignatius. Many Ukrainians expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome they received in our church. As a souvenir of the Jubilee celebration the guests could buy a Jubilee bell. The small bells were made for us by the same German bell foundry that made the four bells that hang in the church tower.

Monday will be a possibility to organize meetings with our Syrian guest. There is scheduled time for the press, a meeting with the parish council to discuss ways to continue supporting the church in Aleppo as well as a meeting open to parishioners and christian friends from other communities.

Reported by Fr. Kris Augustyniak SJ

Five novices from the Southern Poland Province and the Greater Poland-Mazovia Province of the Society of Jesus pronounced their religious vows in Gdynia, Poland. They vowed poverty, chastity and obedience.

The event took place on August 26, 2023, in the home chapel of the Jesuit College in Gdynia, during the Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Częstochowa.

These novices are:
1. Bakhtier Alimov SJ (PMA) from Russia, born in Moscow in 1992.
2. Szymon Dębczyński SJ (PMA) from Poland, born in Włocławek in 1995.
3. Bohdan Melnytskyi SJ (PME) from Ukraine, born in Khmelnytskyi in 1997.
4. Yurii Nadra SJ (PME) from Ukraine, born in Tarnopol in 1992.
5. Adrian Wieczorek SJ (PMA) from Poland, born in Słupsk in 2001.

In October, they will begin philosophy studies in Krakow.

On June 24 this year in Taiwan, Deacon Przemysław Mąka SJ was ordained as a presbyter. The newly ordained comes from the Province of Southern Poland and was applied to the Chinese Province.

Along with Przemysław Mąka, Michael Nguyen Phuoc Bao Dai Loi and Philip Fung Hon Chung were also ordained presbyters on this day, and Paul Pham Khanh Linh was ordained a deacon.

His Excellency Most. Rev. Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, Bishop of Hong Kong, was the ordaining prelate. He is also the former Provincial so it was a joy to see him in Taiwan again. At his side were Fr.       Stephen Tong Chak Long, SJ, Provincial of the Chinese Province and Fr. Louis Gendron, SJ, rector of the St. Robert Bellarmine theologate community. The liturgy was held on a hot and humid afternoon at Holy Family Church filled with the faithful in Taipei, Taiwan.

During his exhortation, Bishop Stephen Chow invited the ordinandi to serve others rather than seek to be served. He encouraged them to live today in way that leads Jesus to say on the last day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Fr. Provincial Stephen Tong said that the ordinations we see today are the result of a long process. The path to ordination has joy as well as many struggles, challenges and tensions. Some of these challenges are known only to the ordinandi and God. Yet God’s love and grace have prevailed and brought these four Jesuits to ordination today.

Since the ordinandi hail from different countries, the liturgy had a distinctly international flavour. The prayer intercessions were read by family and friends in Polish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tayal (Taiwan indigenous language), Mandarin Chinese and English. Multilingual songs also helped the congregation to appreciate the beauty of these cultures. The Chinese Province has local vocations in Taiwan, however, most Jesuits serving here come from other Provinces or regions.

Participants at the Mass included many healthcare professionals (Fr. Philip Fung is a medical doctor), priests and religious from many countries as well as the former vice-president of Taiwan and his wife.

At the closing of the liturgy, it was time to hear from the four Jesuit ordinandi themselves. They creatively used the four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises as a structure, each ordinand sharing words in relation to the theme of one week. A clear motif emerged—gratitude—for family, Jesuits, collaborators and benefactors.

Jesus has called each of these men personally. May what God has begun with much grace and care be brought to fulfillment in the years of service, sacrament and shepherding ahead.

Sources: jezuici.pl, amdgchinese.org

On July 10-12, on the occasion of the NATO summit, the meeting of the Military Ordinaries of the European Bishops’ Conferences also took place in Vilnius. This was an occasion to reflect together on the pastoral care of military personnel and their families, with a fraternal exchange on experiences and decisions in the current European scenario, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. One of the participants in the meeting was Fr. Andriy Zelinskyy SJ – the chief military chaplain of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Fr Andrij Zelenskyy SJ presented the development of the role of chaplains during the war. In a conflict situation, such as the one Ukraine is facing, starting in 2014 and especially with the Russian invasion in 2022, one witnesses – the Jesuit chaplain declared – situations of aggression of entire communities of civilians, acts of violence, even on women and children, leading to the radical destruction of space and time; the limit of humanity is crossed; a real ontological collapse is reached.

In this context, the chaplain’s role is to be present in the field by accompanying soldiers for spiritual care, with the administration of the Sacraments even in the trenches, with prayer in small groups, with support and proximity. It is a service that is part of a broader framework, of continuing education, to counter the disorder generated by war with the search for the order from which peace can arise, with the commitment of all to seek truth, choose the good, fight for justice, and contemplate beauty.

The Archbishop of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas, CCEE President and also Military Ordinary for Lithuania, highlighted that this Vilnius meeting is the first one of the military ordinaries organised by the CCEE, and that it will take place every two years, to deal with pastoral issues related to the military world.

Abp Grušas concluded: “we want to accompany this summit of heads of State, members of NATO, with the prayer that their choices will be oriented towards the common good, that they will work for human promotion, and that they will work to put an end to conflicts and to guarantee peace”.

Many moments of prayer accompanied the meeting: in the chapel of the Gates of Dawn, as well as in Vilnius Cathedral as well as in the Shrine of Divine Mercy. During the meeting the Bishops and representatives of the Military Ordinariates of Europe prayed in a special way for the peace in Ukraine.

Sources: jezuici.pl, ccee.eu

On 13 June 2023, a presentation of the book „Semen’s Stars” by Fr. Andrii Zelinski SJ took place at the Ivan Franko State University of Zhytomyr (Ukraine). The presentation brought together a wide range of teachers, students, military personnel and volunteers, as well as friends of the author.

„Semen’s Stars” is a book about what Fr. Andrii considers his main mission, namely the „art of starlighting”. Starlighting is the ability to release from a person his light, energy, potential, thanks to which he shines, like a bright star, and can brighten the world around him.

Fr. Andrii started to write this book in 2015. The book contains much of the author’s experience. The main characters of the book are a whole generation of Ukrainians who believe that a better life is possible, a better world is possible, and they are ready to fight for these ideals. The narrative shows free people in a free world. However, it is important to remember that freedom requires an open heart that knows how to listen. Free people are also masters of their own lives, able to create the future.

The author himself describes the genre of his book as a fairy tale, but everything in the book is based on true events. A fable, on the other hand, is a condensation of folk wisdom. In a fable, good triumphs over evil and beauty is stronger than ugliness. This is what helps to cope with traumatic realities.

The overarching theme of the book is that of journey. For Fr Andrii, a journey is not just about distances. Above all, the journey means encounters and events, interaction with the world and with oneself. And all of this generates an experience to be realised.

„Semen’s Stars” is not Fr. Andrii’s first book. Books published in previous years have become bestsellers on the Ukrainian book market. However, the author himself notes that „Stars of Semen” is the most important book of all those he has written.

Fr. Andrii Zelinskyi is a Jesuit priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), chief military chaplain of the UGCC, advisor to the head of the UGCC on communication strategy, lecturer of the Ethics-Politics-Economics programme at the Ukrainian Catholic University, lecturer at the Leadership and Management Institute of the Ukrainian Catholic University, co-founder and lecturer of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, political scientist, publicist, book author and public figure.

The beginning of the war

On the evening before the start of the Russian aggression, together with a group of friends from the young and adult ministry, we decided to celebrate at a Georgian restaurant. Over delicious food and wine, we shared our dreams, planned the development of the ministry, and talked about future vacations. When we were heading back home, none of us could have imagined that the next morning we would witness the beginning of a war. Around five o’clock, we were awakened by the incomprehensible and ominous roar of enemy aircraft engines flying low over our cities, destroying the times that were once peaceful and calm.

On the first day of the attack on Ukraine (Thursday, February 24, 2022), I was hallway through individual Ignatian retreats that I was leading for two priests. Interestingly, one priest was reflecting on the theme of the First Week, which focuses on personal sin and its consequences, while the other was praying with the theme of the Third Week, accompanying Christ in his suffering.

After a conference, I decided to go for a walk to pray and collect my thoughts. I wanted to somehow support the people and show them that I was with them. So, I put on my Jesuit cassock and went to the city center. On people’s faces, I saw fear, uncertainty, and surprise. A gloomy silence hung everywhere. At one point, the realization came to my mind that refugees would arrive in our city any moment – people we don’t know, with whom we have no connection, and whom we would have to take care of and help somehow. On my way back from the walk, I stopped by our parish café where the young people from the ministry had gathered. In a somber mood, they were following the latest news about the advancing invasion. I sat among them and suggested that we could get involved in this war by helping people in need. We can try to overcome evil with good. I proposed that we jointly reorganize the Jesuit retreat house for the needs of refugees who would be seeking shelter while on the move or a place to wait out the war turmoil. The young people understood the idea and immediately decided to put it into action. Perhaps their involvement stemmed from youthful enthusiasm and heroism, or from a desire to escape and forget about fear and uncertainty, or from a desperate need to take action when we actually feel helpless and don’t know what to do. However, what matters is that from the second day of the war, we have been working tirelessly, 24 hour per day, seven days a week.

It has been more than a year since the war began, and so much has happened… Our city is an important transportation hub, and as a result, many people come to us for help. We respond to everyone to the best of our modest abilities. Most of those who come forward are parents with children. It is not uncommon for them to bring pets with them. They wish to spend the night or stay for an extended period of time in a safe place.

House guests

During the first month and a half of the war, we hosted people who stayed with us for short periods of time (1-5 days). The people coming to our house were subjected to security checks to ensure their safety. Our home cooperates with the police, which allowed us to protect ourselves from incidents. We have accommodated over a thousand such individuals! Many of them showed visible signs of how much they were affected by the war and their escape. Some looked like shadows of their former selves: sad, withdrawn, and frightened. By providing them with spiritual and psychological support, we helped them open up and simply pour out their suppressed emotions, and then patiently listened to their stories.

I am still impressed by the expressions of solidarity, selflessness, and self-organization from our parishioners who rose to the occasion in this time of trial. As volunteers, they took care of cooking, laundry, cleaning, security, and logistics. In a word, they did it all!

At the beginning of April, we started accepting people for longer stays. We didn’t know how our guests would cope with the hardships of the prolonged war and living in a relatively small house. There were many eager to stay – up to 60 people. The living conditions provided relative comfort for 30 residents. Despite personal discomforts, we decided to help a larger number of people. One of the real challenges was sharing including many spaces, such as rooms, bathrooms, recreation hall, dining room, and kitchen. Our residents patiently and understandingly went through the tense process of discovering the strengths and weaknesses of their neighbors, with whom they were bound by fate. Over time, as the Ukrainian army advanced on the front lines, some of our residents started leaving. Some returned to their hometowns after ensuring that the hostilities had ceased. Others found accommodation in the city or other parts of the country and moved away. Some decided to stay with us and eventually formed a real community of families who support each other in need.

What could I compare this experience to? Maybe to a very long sea voyage that doesn’t seem to have an end. We are sailing on a crowded little vessel that resembles Noah’s Ark. There are animals on board, as you can find cat or dog in every room. The journey is not easy for various reasons, but we are motivated to sail together until the end of this war.

The ministry for refugees

As I mentioned earlier, along with starting my ministry as the director of the retreat house, I had a desire to create a home-shelter where every guest would have a chance to begin their journey with Jesus or find strength on their path. It was important to me that our house would be a significant point on the map not only of the region but also a place known throughout the country. Interestingly, through the policy of hospitality and open doors to needy to some extent, we have been able to realize the guiding ideas.

The fortunes of war brought people of different religions and beliefs to our home. Just imagine: Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims living under one roof. People united by common suffering, helping each other and sharing a little kindness. It’s a foretaste of the Kingdom, where there is no Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all (Colossians 3:11). Writing these words reminded me of a funny incident. It happened that after a few days of hosting a Jewish father and son, they threw a shout-out to me: „Praised be Jesus Christ.” I was speechless and I admit I didn’t know what to say. Disoriented, I blurted out, „Amen!”

We experienced Easter deeply. Its date coincided with the arrival of many people who decided to stay with us for a longer period of time. All the guests in our home were invited to celebrate Easter in the Roman rite together with our parishioners. To facilitate participation in the liturgy for those who were not familiar with the Roman rite, we organized a series of meetings for the interested ones. Anything „new and different” attracts attention. Everyone was very curious (even the nonbelievers). They asked many questions, compared our customs with Orthodox rituals. Many encountered Roman Catholics and a different Christian tradition for the first time. After the Triduum liturgy, we celebrated together through the night. Although war spread fear and claimed deadly tolls, we were celebrating the victory of Good over evil there; Life over death; Christ over the prince of this world…

Other significant, spiritual and unifying moments were the celebrations of the sacrament of reconciliation, baptism, and confirmation that we administered in our chapel to all those willing and in need. I will never forget the Muslim lawyer who brought a confused Orthodox person to confess and reconcile with God. I will never forget the hundreds of painful stories that people released while staying in our home. I recall with fondness the baptism and confirmation I administered to a young girl. The baptism was organized hastily, and the godparents were quickly gathered volunteers who henceforth referred to each other as „godfather/godmother”.

For our guests, staying in the retreat house is a somewhat unexpected, but extraordinary experience. The residents are aware that they are living in a monastery located next to the parish church, with a communal cemetery surrounding the entire complex. Most of them people are from the former Soviet Union. Although they were baptized formally, they were brought up in a spirit of state atheism in their families. Moreover, in their home countries, they did not have the opportunity to meet and experience what a Christian community is like. On the other hand, the local communities they had access to seemed to them too conservative, closed, and inaccessible. Unfortunately, this is a result of insufficient evangelization and catechesis, a problem present in Orthodox churches. Many of our residents, having plenty of free time, started asking important life questions. Some of them are slowly discovering the presence of God, whom they experience in conversations with our volunteers and parishioners. Encouraged by the hospitality and openness of the locals, they begin to participate in the life of the retreat house and the parish, in liturgies and prayers. Over time, they go to confession. Moreover, the residents are discovering the value of community, opening up to others, and learning to cooperate. Everyone has their duties and helps with keeping order or in the kitchen. Currently, over half of the 30 people living with us have started practicing the faith in the Church. I can say that, in their case, the war has turned into a great retreat.

How am I experiencing all of this?

Currently, I strongly feel the action of the Holy Spirit, and the war has accelerated Ukraine’s process of maturing and unifying. Yes, the Holy Spirit is „condensed” here in a powerful way. People pray every day. Church leaders tell people not to harbor hatred, to pray for enlightenment and conversion for the enemy, and for endurance and God’s protection for us. Soldiers on the frontlines ask us to pray for them because they are experiencing things that are humanly impossible, bullets miss them. I see how rapidly this nation is maturing, how motivated it is, how conviction is growing deeper, how it increasingly understands the values it is willing to defend at all costs, and how its identity is strengthening. And I want to participate in this and contribute in some way. I consider it an honor to be able to participate in all of this. For me, Ukrainians are now like Christ, going through their own Stations of the Cross, being betrayed, tortured, whipped, killed, but ultimately resurrected. I am proud of them, and it is an honor for me to serve Christ present among them in such a time. People are united and in solidarity, they have grown to love each other. This war has brought this nation together in a way I have never seen before. We have Mass in the chapel every day for those who are willing to attend. The Word of God nourishes and guides us. We know what to do, and we certainly don’t rush to flee. On the contrary, we have a strong willingness to serve those in need. To anyone who reads this text, I would like to ask for prayers. Evil has its limits, and we overcome it with goodness.

Fr. Bartłomiej Przepeluk SJ 

With the following text by Fr. Wojciech Nowak SJ, we begin a series of articles in which we will present current testimonies of Ignatian retreat participants. In this regard, we encourage you to send short personal reflections to the following e-mail address: [email protected]

Searching for God beyond the Arctic Circle

Recently I received the following email: “My name is James (name changed), I have just moved here to Tromsø and could say that I have been a little bit lost in life. Which led me to find out about the retreat. I have been raised a Catholic, but have not been keeping up with my religion much since moving out of my parents’ house. But nowadays I am really searching for a deeper meaning in life, or if anything, for myself. Which is why I would really like to experience this Silence retreat. I was wondering if there is any Silence retreat planned for the next couple of months and if you could give me any additional information on it?”

The author of the e-mail refers to what took place in October 2022 in Northern Norway beyond the Arctic Circle. It was my fourth retreat season in Tromsø. This time I led 4 retreats: The “Foundation” of Spir. Ex. (5 days, 12 participants) and The First Week Spir. Ex. (6 days, 2 participants), the Jesus Prayer Retreat (5 days, 6 participants) and the individually guided retreat (6 days, 1 participant).

The retreat took place as before in Carmel in Tromsø – the northernmost Catholic contemplative monastery in the world.

As regards the place: Northern Norway is specific – a harsh climate and raw, beautiful, majestic nature (mountains and sea). Some are in love with „such climates”, and others, including Norwegians, are surprised how you can like them (well, maybe, except for Lofoten) and how you can live there (yes, you can go there once to see the polar lights). Northern Norway is also „specific” because there also come here people who, after various life’s turmoil, want to start their second part of life just here. Therefore, some people still approach the Ignatian retreats organized in Tromsø with distrust and rather sceptically – because „what can be good from the North?”

And yet … people came not only from different parts of Norway, but also from abroad: from Sweden, Great Britain and Hungary. It should be added: they flew especially for the retreat – from the airport to Carmel and from Carmel to the airport. The Catholic Church in Norway and in Scandinavia in general is a multinational community and so were the participants of these retreats: Norwegians, an Eritrean, two Hungarians, an Italian, three Portuguese, a Rwandan, a Nigerian, a Slovak, a Lithuanian and two Polish. The Norwegians participating in the retreat are Catholic converts. One of them became a member of the Catholic Church two years ago. Socially and professionally, the participants included two psychiatrists, from Oslo and Stockholm („in case of emergency”, I would be in good hands), a manager, a pharmacist, nurses, a bus driver, a carpenter, a reindeer herder (an indigenous Sami), social workers, teachers and employees of church institutions (including Caritas). At the end of the retreat, one of the participants, a Norwegian woman, said: „My trust and my love for the Catholic Church has grown.” Another one confessed: „I have found that I am in the right Church” (not that I have anything against ecumenism – W.N.).

The phenomenon of these retreats is a combination of 3 factors: (1) the place itself – Carmel is located in a panoramic place on the island of Tromsøya with a view of the mountains and the sea (fjord), a place described as mystical (by some: „magic”), (2) hospitality and ambiance created by the Carmelite Sisters (including delicious meals) supporting retreatants with their prayers and (3) the phenomenon of St. Ignatius and his path to knowledge and union with God – in this case, combined with the „road to Mount Carmel”.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius is a path that opens perspectives in the development of a relationship with God and leads further.

More and more people are finding this road in Northern Norway. The question inevitably arises as to who will accompany these people on this path, because one man – even a Jesuit – will not suffice.

Wojciech Nowak SJ

Kind, humble, open to the needs of people, filled with the spirit of the Gospel – the brothers. They support fellow priests in preaching the Word of God and at the Eucharistic table, they work in many apostolic works. They are a visible sign, a testimony of humble service, a showcase of religious congregations. In recent days, they have been experiencing a special time at the side of Our Lady of Jasna Góra. Around 130 of 1163 of those serving in Poland came to Chęstochowa in order to “recharge their batteries there”.

XXXIX Polish Pilgrimage of Religious Brothers to Jasna Góra, which took place on October 13-14, is patronized by St. Joseph.

In his speech preceding the Holy Mass, Fr. Damian Muskus OFM addressed the challenges faced by the brothers in the today’s situation of the Church and the world. He encouraged them to be apostles of reconciliation and peace, to witness with even greater enthusiasm and dedication the hospitality of the Church, welcoming every person with love.

He stressed the importance of bearing witness to brotherhood and the beauty of community in a world of deepening “loneliness and individualism.” He reminded that no one lives just for himself, that the experience of love and mutual giving is the foundation of our development, as well as the source of joy. He pointed out that the brotherhood is not only a matter of bonds within the religious family, but is also a testimony in the relationships with the people to whom the brothers are sent. Today, the brotherhood is needed like the oxygen.

The special experience of the brother’s pilgrimage was the carrying of the cross together, which was symbolic and emphasized the unity of spirit in following the Crucified and Resurrected Christ.

On the second day of the pilgrimage, which started with the Morning Mass in the Chapel of the Rosary, the brothers listen to Fr. Krzysztof Dyrka SJ, who addressed the topic “Current challenges in formations of religious brothers.”

The last point of the program was the Mass in the Chapel of the Miraculous Image; Fr. Jacek Kisiński CMF, the chairman of the KEP Commission for Consecrated Life, presided the mass and gave the homily.

Brother Remigiusz Rutecki SJ (first to the right on the image above), who has been taking part in the pilgrimage of the brothers for 13 years, tells a reporter from Jasna Góra radio that, considering the fact that 10% of the brothers still come here to draw strength and seeing the represented diversity, the heart rejoices. Looking with the eyes of faith at the statistics, which show how the numbers are declining year on year, one can still be optimistic. We are still needed in society, and we observe how God is working through our hands.

How was your vocation born?

During the carol service in 8th grade, the parish priest asked me if I would like to be a priest – brother Remigiusz recalls. I then firmly replied: “No, not a priest!” This question had stayed with me for a long time. There was high school, then there was the army, work, and meanwhile, I started studying local government politics, later did a master’s degree in political science in Gdańsk University, but that question of the parish priest “would you like to be a priest” had always been somewhere in the back of my mind. I changed jobs, school, but at some point, I thought something had to be done in this life. Being 32 years old, I started seriously to think about the religious order and went to vocation retreat to Elbląg, to the Franciscans. There, I talked for the first time about what I was feeling, what I was thinking. And there I started to talk about my vocation, but the father I spoke to said: “We could take you, but since you have a degree, it’s only to be a priest”. And I said: “No, Father, I would like to become a brother.” This somehow discouraged me from the Franciscans and after returning from the retreat, I started looking for the information on the Internet. I looked at Dominicans and the Pauline Fathers, but also came across the Jesuits. And as I lived in Gdańsk at that time, I arranged a vocation meeting in Gdynia and there I learned more about Ignatian spirituality. Father responsible for vocations at that time gave me a Jesuit newspaper with a description of the jubilee of the 60th anniversary of the religious life of brother Kowalczyk from Warsaw. It described his life in the order, and this was something that attracted me. I started seeking admission to the Jesuits. Now it has been 14 years since I became a Jesuit, and I work in our Curia in Warsaw as well as in the parish of St. Stephan. I have always been attracted to the quiet work in the background, supporting those priests who work on the front lines. This second front line is also very necessary, it is an important background.

If you are interested in joining the Jesuit order:

E-mail address [email protected] is for candidates who want to apply to the Jesuit order from the following countries: Poland, Denmark, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
E-mail address [email protected] is for candidates who want to apply to the Jesuit order from Poland and Ukraine.

On September 3, 2022 Fr. Stanisław Pomykała died in the Jesuits Collegium in Warsaw. He was born on January 4, 1950 in Brzeg Dolny near Wołów. He entered the Jesuit Society on July 30, 1965. After the novitiate in Stara Wieś and finishing his education within the scope of secondary school, he studied philosophy at the Jesuit Faculty of Philosophy in Kraków during 1970-1973. Afterwards, he did his regency in WAM Publishing House (1973-1974). He studied theology at the Jesuit Faculty of Theology Bobolanum in Warsaw (1974-1978) and in Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw (1978-1979). He was ordained a priest on July 30, 1977 in Warsaw by bishop Jerzy Modzelewski.

After theology in 1980, he started working in Vatican Radio Polish Section in Rome. He accompanied Jan Paul II on many pilgrimages. He did his tertianship in 1982-1983 in Trosly Breuil in France with the guidance of Fr.  André de Jaer. He made a solemn religious profession on April 22, 1985 in Rome. He was involved in Neocatechumenal Way communities, in which he served for many years.

In 1991, after finishing his work in Vatican Radio in 1990 and after a sabbatical year, he was sent to Novosibirsk, supporting bishop Joseph Werth SJ – the first ordinary of Novosibirsk Apostolic Administration, which covered at the time the whole of Siberia. After a year he became a member of the Independent Russian Region of the Society of Jesus. During that time he was a founder and director of Spiritual Center “Inigo” in Novosibirsk as well as gave retreats, also in other cities of Russian Federation and in some former Soviet Union countries. He gave lectures on spirituality and Ignatian pedagogy in the local university. From the end of 2011 he worked in Belarus, first in the parish of Holy Trinity in Głębokie in diocese of Vitebsk (2012-2014), and later in Vitebsk – in St. Anthony Parish (until 2017) and in the parish of St. Vladislav, which Jesuits formally received in 2019 and where they built a church dedicated to St. Ignatius Loyola, consecrated in July 2022. He was a spiritual father of priests in diocese of Vitebsk.

After the restructuration of religious provinces, on July 31, 2020 he was assigned to Greater Poland and Mazovia Province. In the beginning of 2020, he began his struggle with cancer, which was followed by the move to Poland for treatment. He lived in the Jesuits Collegium in Warsaw at Rakowiecka 61 street.

He passed away in 73^rd year of life, 58^th year of his religious vocation and 46^th year of priesthood.

We will say goodbye to Fr. Stanisław on Friday, September 9^th, at 11:00 am at St. Andrew Bobola National Sanctuary in Warsaw. Thanking God for the time of his ministry in the Society, especially in the Vatican Radio and in Russian Region, let us pray for his eternal happiness alongside the Risen Christ.

From the 24th to the 30th of July, the first session of the Summer Theology School was inaugurated. For the first time, these potential lay leaders of the Catholic Church in Central Asia had the possibility to participate in academic courses devoted to theological studies.

Twenty participants from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan participated each day in four lectures. Courses were conducted in Russian. During the current summer session, the organizers offered the following courses: History of Christianity in Central Asia; Introduction to Moral Theology; Introduction to the Bible; as well as Selected Questions in Christian Anthropology. The courses were conducted by Fr. Tomas Garcia, SJ, professor at the Papal Gregorian University in Rome; Mr. Kevin White, scholar of Church History from Almaty, as well as by Jesuit Fathers from Kyrgyzstan—Fr. Anthony Corcoran SJ and Fr. Rafal Bulowski SJ.

The main idea of the Summer Theologica School was to provide local Catholics with the possibility of academic and intellectual experience in the sphere of Theology. In addition to receiving specialized knowledge, participants likewise had the possibility to engage in discussion and in interesting intellectual arguments. Each day a “round table” was conducted in which participants of the school shared impressions which were inspired during the day. In free time between course lectures, the participants of the school prayed together, socialized, and shared experiences of their local Churches.

Unfortunately, Catholics from Tajikistan were unable to participate in the Summer Theological School because of the tense circumstances at the Kyrgyz – Tadzhik border.
The Jesuit community in Kyrgyzstan organized the Summer Theological School. Participants were sent by local Ordinaries. Both participants and organizers completed the current meeting in Issyk-Kul with the desire and hope to continue next year.

We are pleased to announce that the International Art Competition „St. Ignatius Loyola Through the Eyes of Children and Youth,” organized by the Public Primary School Bolesław Krzywousty in Wolin, ended.

Forty-eight works were awarded or distinguished on the international stage in seven competition categories. Three hundred eighty-four works from over 100 schools, kindergartens, cultural and educational institutions (from Poland, Bolivia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Philippines, France, India, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Myanmar, Germany, Norway, Rwanda, Ukraine, Hungary and Italy) were submitted to the competition.

Fr. Provincial Zbigniew Leczkowski SJ sent thanks to the participants and organizers of the competition, and awarded the prize to a student from the Philippines and two distinctions for the works of students from Szczecin and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

Dear Participants of the international art competition, which on the occasion of the Ignatian Year was entitled „St. Ignatius of Loyola through the eyes of children and youth.”

From May 16, 2021, to July 31, 2022, we commemorated the 500th anniversary of the conversion of the Founder of the Order, which today includes over 14,000 men ready to follow St. Ignatius, loving and serving people for the greater glory of God. I am very grateful that you honored this outstanding figure in such a beautiful and creative way.

I congratulate those whose works have been awarded and encourage all of you to continue to develop the talents you have received from God. Let St. Ignatius continues to inspire you and intercede for you.

I want to express my gratitude to the organizers of the competition, headed by Rev. Marcin Miczkuła. You made an excellent gift for the Jesuits, promoting our Founder among children and young people and providing us with an unforgettable artistic experience.

Thank you, and I bless you from the bottom of my heart
Fr. Zbigniew Leczkowski SJ
Provincial

Below is the work that received the 1st Prize in the D category and the Fr. Provincial’s Award

LIST OF ALL AWARDED AND DISTINGUISHED WORKS

KATEGORY A:
I. AGUSTIINA NORIEGA CALLISAYA, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
II. HELENA WÓJCIAK, SP 3 RABKA-ZDRÓJ.
III. CLARE IHGEE, MCA MYANMAR
DISTINCTIONS:
SHIVANE K., LAV INDIE
IGA BOGUSZ, PM 29 OLSZTYN
LILIANNA PUWAŁ, NORWAY
ELENA MATEKOV, PRZEDSZKOLE BREGUNICA CROATIA

KATEGORY B:
I. AMELIJA BARONAITĖ, ŠIAULIŲ JĖZUITŲ MOKYKLA, LITHUANIA
II. ANABELLA ESPRELLA SALTA, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
III. JAKUB IKWANTY, ZSP DYS
DISTINCTIONS:
MARIA OZGA, SP 39 GDYNIA
DARIO AGRAMONT ERGUETA, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
ELIZA ŻARNOWSKA, SP 159 KRAKÓW
CARLOS IGNACIO ZEGARRA AZAD, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA

KATEGORY C:
I. BLANKA INGLOT, SP 2 GŁOGÓW MAŁOPOLSKI
II. LILIANA ŁUNIEWSKA, SP 1 MILANÓWEK
GENINA FATIMA, MCA MYANMAR
III. EMA CIVAITE, ŠIAULIŲ JĖZUITŲ MOKYKLA, LITHUANIA
DISTINCTIONS:
ALICJA ROT, SP 52 GDAŃSK
FERNADA MERCADO, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
WIKTORIA SZACHNOWSKA, SPI INOWROCŁAW
PAULINA GAWRON, SP 2 GŁOGÓW MAŁOPOLSKI
HANNA KISS, SVETIS HUNGARY
SAULĖJA KRIŠČIOKAITĖ, ŠIAULIŲ JĖZUITŲ MOKYKLA, LITHUANIA

KATEGORY D:
I. ELIZABETH SIMONE REQUIOMA, SACRED HEART SCHOOL – ATENEO DE CEBU, PHILIPPINES
II. MONIKA SZKLARSKA, SP 53 CZĘSTOCHOWA
III. ALEKSANDER VIEUXMAIRE, NSP 47 PRIMUS WARSZAWA
DISTINCTIONS:
LENA ANDRYSZCZYK, SP 44 SZCZECIN
ANDREAS CHICATASUTMOLLER, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
KRZYSZTOF LISIAK, SP 3 MYSŁOWICE
NADIA DĄBROWSKA, SP 58, ŁÓDŹ
JOSEPH P. LAV INDIE
MARTA SAPIS, SP 53 CZĘSTOCHOWA
OLIWIA WOJCIECHOWSKA, SP 53 CZĘSTOCHOWA
ARIANA RIZNYK, SP ŁANIOWCE, UKRAINA

KATEGORY E:
I. JULIA KASPRZYKOWSKA, LO IM. KOPERNIKA TARNOBRZEG
II. JESSICA JOY, INDIE
FERNANDA CACERES, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
III. OLGA SZMIŁYK, PSP 55 ŁÓDŹ
DISTINCTIONS:
MONIKA BLOCH, SP PALOTTI, LUBLIN
ZOFIA MYDŁOWSKA, SP ŻERNIKI WROCŁAWSKIE
ROGER X., LAV INDIE
PAWEŁ WTYKŁO, SP GŁOGÓW MAŁOPOLSKI

KATEGORY F:
I. AARON ALEJANDRO PHILCO MILLAN, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
JOAQUIN ALBERTO SCHIAPPAPIETRA VILLCA, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
II. CARLA ELIZABETH VAIDIVIA, FEPPA SAN CALIXTO, BOLIVIA
KRAGAITĖS PIJOS, GIMNAZJUM ŠIAULIAI SIMONAS DAUKANTO, LITHUANIA
III. EGLE LISECKAITE, SAULETEKIO GYMNASIUM SIAULIAI, LITHUANIA
VANESA STULGYTE, SAULETEKIO GYMNASIUM SIAULIAI, LITHUANIA
DISTINCTIONS:
EPHREM IDOSSA BELINA, ETIOPIA
ANDREA VYCHODILOVÁ, CÍRKEVNÍ STŘEDNÍ ZDRAVOTNICKÁ ŠKOLA BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC
KEVIN GATSINZI, ECOLE DES SCIENCES LOUIS DE MONTFORT DE NYANZA, RWANDA
JULIA ŻUKOWSKA, ZS SUCHOWOLA
URTE KRUSINSKYTE, SIAULIUI JULIANS JANONIO GIMNAZIJA LITHUANIA

KATEGORY G:
I. MATEUSZ PIETRZAK, ZNPO CZĘSTOCHOWA
II. JULIA KURASZ, ZSS IM. UNICEF RZESZÓW
III. JULIA PASEMKO, ZNPO CZĘSTOCHOWA
MAJA PASEMKO, ZNPO CZĘSTOCHOWA
DISTINCTIONS:
MUHIRWA JUSTIN, ST. IGNATIUS KIGALI RWANDA
OLIWIA RYMKIEWICZ, ZSS 1 ZIELONA GÓRA
RAFAŁ ZIELIŃSKI, SOSW NOWOGARD

Below, works distinguished by Fr. Zbigniew Leczkowski SJ, Major Superior of the Greater Poland and Mazovia Province of the Society of Jesus:

LENA ANDRYSZCZYK, SP 44 SZCZECIN.

ERIC TASHBULATOV, PSKO ODRODZENIE BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

Additional awards

Nagroda Pani Ewy Grzybowskiej, Burmistrza Wolina:
ANDŻELIKA SZUBARGA, PSP KONIEWO

Rev. Leszek Konieczny Award, parrocco della parrocchia di San Nicola a Wolin:
CARMEN MENCARINI, PERRUGIA, WŁOCHY

Ms Joanna Kleszcz Award, director of PSP in Wolin:
WADIM KULBACH, KAMYSZENKA, KAZACHSTAN

Nagroda Pani Agnieszki Peplińskiej-Kot, dyrektora Biblioteki Publicznej Gminy Wolin
MAJA ROSPRZAK, SP 4 MIKOŁÓW

We congratulate the winners and all participants of the competition. We would also like to thank all priests, teachers, and parents for helping students to prepare their works as well, as we are deeply grateful to all patrons and donors.

               Three months have passed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. During this period, thanks to the commitment of parishes and other Jesuit works, many people affected by the war have been helped.

Aid in Ukraine

               Until the Easter holidays, the Jesuit retreat house in Khmelnitsky functioned as a stopover point where people on the move could spend one or two nights. Up to 70 people a day were received. In total, more than 1,000 people took advantage of this opportunity. At the same time, the refugee house in Lviv also regularly welcomed families, and they could stay as long as they needed. In this way, around 150 people were helped in the run-up to Easter. At present, both the Lviv and Khmelnitsky Houses are accepting refugees for longer periods. As of today there are 18 people in Lviv, although two more families are expected to join soon, while 58 people are staying in Khmelnitskyi. At the same time, the management of the Lviv house has rented a house in Briukhovychi near Lviv, where more people will soon be admitted. This will be the third Jesuit place for refugees in Ukraine.

Aid in Poland

Playground in Gdynia. Photo made by Sergi Camara.

               In Poland, during the first month of the war, 118 people were received in Jesuit houses and parish rooms, which had been adapted to this aim. In April, a further 51 people were taken in, while at the same time 20 people left our houses for Ukraine or western countries. At the beginning of May, 149 refugees were staying in our premises.

               Our works also undertook various other activities to assist the refugees. Until the beginning of April, our „Jesuits for Ukraine” team cooperated with various organizations that were then organizing the process of accepting refugees in Western countries. In this way we managed to find accommodation for 478 people. At the beginning of May another transport, now organised by Rotary International, left Poland. Another 22 people then took advantage of the opportunity to live in the West.  A group of 50 people from Warsaw to Marseille is also due to leave soon.

Language course classes in Jastrzębia Góra.

               At present, a major undertaking in Poland is the organisation of language courses. This activity involves the Jesuit Centre of Education in Nowy Sącz and the Holy Spirit Parish, the Jesuit University in Kraków, the Jesuit Social Centre „In Action”, as well as St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Andrew Parish in Jastrzębia Góra, and the parish of St. Klemens Dworzak in Wrocław. In total, about 268 people are currently taking advantage of the opportunity to learn Polish offered by these works. It is worth noting that in this group are also children, for whom special groups have been prepared, where they learn through play. Apart from these undertakings, the Jesuit works also undertake other initiatives. In Nowy Sącz, the „Czerwona Kalina” centre was opened, where, apart from language classes, integration activities for Ukrainian children are regularly held. At the Ignatianum Academy, there is a psychological help point for refugees. Similarly, psychological assistance is offered by the Vinea Foundation in Poznań. In Gdynia, five Ukrainian pupils were admitted to the Jesuit School Complex and six children were admitted to the nearby 'Drużyna Kostki’ nursery school.  Two children from Ukraine were also admitted in a kindergarden in Myslowice.

               We did not expect three months ago that the war would broke out. In such situation thanks to the spontaneous and energetic activities of various groups and individuals, it was possible to support the refugees. It was an extremely intense period, and the above-mentioned figures on the assistance provided by Jesuit works cannot show the many human stories, struggles and encounters that lie behind these statistics. At the same time, we are faced with the need to organise long-term assistance for refugees in Poland. With this goal in mind, our „Jesuits for Ukraine” team has begun working with two international organizations: Jesuit Refugee Service and Xavier Network.

In the last two months, refugees from Ukraine have settled in most Jesuit parishes and communities. We are currently hosting 148 people in our homes and parish premises. This is an unusual experience, bringing with it much good and surprise. Below are some of the recent events related to helping the refugees.

The remarkable concert in Wrocław

In the parish of Klemens Dworzak in Wrocław on Divine Mercy Sunday an unusual concert took place entitled „True Belarus for Ukraine”. Three professional opera singers from Minsk performed the following works: „Maria Regina Mundi” , „Polonaise” , „Thank you Lord” „Blessed”, „Ave Maria” and „Revie ta stognie Dnieper szerny” – a song – symbol of Ukrainian struggle and „Mahutny Boża” (God Almighty) – a song considered to be an unofficial religious anthem of the Belarusian national movement. Two of the performers are repressed people who were banned from performing at the Belarusian Opera House. The singers donated the money collected during the concert to the refugees hosted by the parish – with this gesture they wanted to help the Ukrainians who found themselves in an even more difficult situation than their homeland.

As Father Superior Janusz Sliwa underlines, the group of 26 people who moved into the catechetical house a month ago are finding their way very well in the new situation. There is also much cooperation among them even though the families did not know each other before. For example, one old lady has become involved in taking care of bringing the children home from school. Parishioners are also very engaged. Some time ago, a request was made to run a Polish language course for visitors from the Ukraine, and in a very short time, several Polish language teachers were willing to take on this task. In turn, another person decided to organise a trip to the zoo for the guests, which turned out to be an excellent idea, especially as there are many children in the group living in Wrocław.

Refugees in Jesuit parish in Bytom

Parishioners in Bytom have also become very attached to the group of refugees who came to their parish over two months ago. There are currently 12 women and children living there. On Divine Mercy Sunday a café was opened in the parish, which was an opportunity to celebrate together – an occasion made all the more appropriate by the fact that Resurrection Sunday in the Orthodox Church was celebrated that day. On this occasion, cakes were also taken to a school located in the parish, where there are currently about 50 people from Ukraine. Nine boxes of gifts were also collected for this school as part of the collection accompanying Easter.

Psychological support in Poznań

A little later, on the first weekend of May, open days were held in Poznań in the counselling centre of the Vinea Foundation, during which it was possible to take part in sensory therapy and art therapy classes. As Fr Grzegorz Dobroczyński SJ, a member of the board of the Vinea Foundation, reports:

Actually, this is the official beginning of activities. In April we worked conceptually on preparing the offer for refugees, assembling the team and preparing the necessary materials.

Currently, the counselling centre offers psychological help: individual and group therapies for people of different age groups. Importantly, the help is provided in Ukrainian.

The above information is only a small part of the various activities and stories related to hosting people from Ukraine. For refugees, it is a time of taking their first steps in a new country – at the same time, despite their involvement, many of them are waiting for the moment when they will be able to return to their homes.

In Jesuit Church in Poznań Ukrainian Orthodox Christians celebrated the Easter Mysteries. The number of believers surprised everyone. Since 10 April, the Sunday before Palm Sunday, we have hosted in our church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Consolation, Father Ivan Dziuba CPU, an Orthodox priest, who took care of the faithful who came to Poznań from Ukraine. After Easter, the Orthodox Liturgy will continue to be held here.

„The attendance can only be compared to events over 30 years ago, when mass celebrations were held in the temple and in the square in front of it. The 300 Orthodox church candles, which were prepared by the Orthodox pastor, Fr Ivan Dziuba, were sold out in a flash already on Saturday. The gratitude of the participants of the liturgy, headed by the pastor, was touching. It is also expressed in the entries in the memorial book in front of the altar of St Andrew Bobola. There were also many baked goods and Easter eggs given to the Jesuits in order to thank them,” says Father Grzegorz Dobroczynski SJ of the Jesuit community in Poznan, who blessed the food during the Easter breakfast for refugees at the International Trade Fair in Poznań, where about a thousand people gathered.

Six Carmelite nuns, who came from Kiev, have been welcomed at the St Igancy Loyola Spirituality Centre in Częstochowa. This is an unusual situation if one consider that a retreat house is a place where people come to meet God. From now on, retreatants will be accompanied by the presence of a community totally dedicated to prayer.

The sisters have very good conditions as they have a part of the house that is separated from the rest of the retreat house. The part consist of 7 rooms, a chapel, a dining room and two common rooms. This part of the house used to be occupied by other sisters, which however left it few years ago.

Before welcoming the sisters, the space was adapted. Pieces of furniture were rearranged and a fridge and a cooker were bought. The Carmelite Sisters of Częstochowa also took part in the preparations, donating a washing machine.

As Fr Artur Wenner SJ, director of the retreat house, points out that the situation in Częstochowa is unusual:

Now we have three Carmels around Jasna Góra: one motherhouse from Częstochowa, one from Kharkiv and one from Kiev. The sisters have found a shelter here and we have found prayerful protection for the work of the retreats.

Many refugees have arrived in Jastrzębia Góra in the last month. The Jesuit parish dedicated to Sts. Ignacy Loyola and Andrzej Bobola does its best to support them.

So far, the biggest work of the parish is running an aid station for people from Ukraine. They can get food, clothing, chemicals and cosmetics there. The point functions thanks to the commitment and generosity of parishioners. It is accompanied by a very efficient coordination of activities. Particularly helpful is regular information about needed products, which is published on the parish profile.

The station is open Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. and it serves about 100 people a day. There is also an exchange of information on accommodation or job finding needs on this occasion.

The parish has also organised a three-month course in Polish, taught by Danuta Uhryn, a Polish language teacher, and by the poet and writer Wacław Oszajca SJ.

Polish classes are held on Wednesday mornings and evenings, in two groups. One can simply come to the lesson – there is no previous registration. – informs Father Tomasz Klin SJ, the parish priest.

Since most of the arriving people belong to the Orthodox Church, cooperation with Orthodox priests from Gdansk has been established. So far, one service in this rite has been held. The church in Jastrzębia Góra is at the disposal of the Parish of St. Nicholas in Gdańsk.

The Jesuit community is also involved in helping the refugees. It received six people in religious house in March – they have already decided to go back to their hometown in Ukraine.

This year we are celebrating Easter having in mind the war going on across our border and many refugees live around us. The holidays were an opportunity to meet with them or to get involved in helping Ukraine.

In Bydgoszcz, on Palm Sunday, the community of Renewal in the Holy Spirit „Mary’s Love” organised a charity fair to send gifts to Ukraine for Christmas. Preparations began a few days before the fair. Members of the community made their own butter lambs, palms, Easter cakes and Christmas decorations. The fair also offered new and second-hand books, household goods and toys for sale.

We managed to collect 5722 zloty. These funds helped us buy the most necessary products, which were sent to Bucza in Ukraine. They were received by two orphanages and a military unit. – informs fr. Paweł Sawiak SJ, the coordinator of the community.

Many Jesuit communities are currently hosting refugees, so it is hard to imagine not joining them in celebrating such a special time as Easter. This is why in Jesuit Community in Gdynia guests from Ukraine were invited to the festive Easter dinner.

Actually, for many Ukrainians, Easter will be celebrated on next Sunday, due to the calendar, which is used by the Eastern Churches.

The Jesuit parish dedicated to Klemens Dworzak in Wrocław hosts 24 refugees since the beginning of April: 14 children and 10 women. The youngest of the children is just a few months old, the oldest is 12 years old.

The vast majority of the accommodated women work, the children go to school and the youngest to kindergartens. The refugees are also provided with specialist medical care, which they have already benefited from many times. We no longer collect any gifts, our guests are provided with all necessary things. – informs parish priest Janusz Śliwa SJ.

The reception of such a large group of refugees was possible thanks to the great generosity of parishioners. Many of them were involved in the work to adapt the catechetical house.

Five of the adapted rooms had been used by parish groups. It was therefore necessary to find new space for each group. It turned out that there were some unused rooms under the church which, once tidied up, could fulfil this role.

In the meantime, the rooms in the catechetical house have been properly furnished. In addition, three kitchenettes have been created and equipped with gas cookers, fridges and washing machines. The installation of showers in the bathrooms was also part of the renovation work.

The work was accompanied by fundraising for the refugees. All the preparations took three weeks. Thanks to the intensive work and the extraordinary generosity of the parishioners, we were able to create very good conditions for the refugees, not only in terms of housing, but also in terms of other forms of support – such as finding a job, or providing medical assistance.

On Sunday 27.03 in the parish of Bytom took place two collections for Ukraine. Parishioners collected  school supplies for 25 Ukrainian children who have started to learn in a nearby school. Moreover, they collected funds for sister Lucyna Grząśko, a Verbist who works in Radio Maryja in Kiev, and for people from pastoral ministry in Kiev. The story of s. Lucyna is very moving, as she is working devotedly in besieged Kiev. The collection was organized by her sister Anna, who is also a religious and works in Bytom – that is why the action was called: “From sister to sister”.

The first refugees settled in the parish house in Bytom already on 28 February. A group of three women and four children arrived then. Four days later a mother with two children joined them. A big support for the newcomers is the fact that they know each other. Unfortunately, one of the ladies had to return to Ukraine shortly after arriving:

One mum left her son in the care of friends and returned to Ukraine because her parents are in such a state of health that they are not able to travel for a long time. Within two weeks, she arranged for her parents to be taken into the care of her brother and on the 15th of March she came back to Bytom. So since that day 10 people have been living with us. – informs Fr. Superior Mirosław Bożek SJ.

The refugees were also received by individual families in the parish. To coordinate the help for the people from Ukraine, a special parish team was established. In addition, a group of parishioners have created team of volunteers.

In the parish there is also a former school building, where about 60 people are temporarily accommodated. Volunteers from the nearby high school – teachers and students – help there.

The Ukrainian refugees also want to return the favour as far as possible and are themselves involved in helping:

For the first week our guests received lunch in our religious house. Then we succeeded in installing a recently unused four-burner electric cooker in the common room which they use. The ladies are very happy to be able to cook for themselves. They also asked how they could repay us – what could they do? They engaged in cleaning the of the church and started to volunteer at the food distribution point, which they use.

In recent weeks, it has also been possible to organize activities for Ukrainian children in Bytom’s schools. The city also organizes various additional Ukrainian activities. Thanks to the involvement of the parish, three teenagers living in the parish have started to train football in the Polonia Bytom club.

The generosity and mobilization of parishioners and, more broadly, inhabitants of Bytom is surprising. The refugees are very grateful for their great kindness and openness. At the same time, they miss Ukraine and look forward to returning to their homes:

We hear hopeful sighs from our guests: „maybe already in a week or two it will be possible to return home!”.

With the permission of our guests, we are sharing a photo of the Ukrainian family who stay in our house in Toruń (pictured above, family is accompanied by the community leader). Other Jesuit houses could also experience that „a guest in the house” is indeed „God in the house”. We have collected some accounts from our religious communities that have already received refugees from Ukraine in their homes:

Report from Łódź

Since last Sunday (20.03) two families from Ukraine have been living with us in our religious house. They were brought by the fire brigade from the sports hall where they had spent two days. Two mothers, four children and a grandmother. It is a very moving meeting from the very beginning. Tears of frightened women, embarrassed to cross the threshold of the religious house. And then, upon entering the large room, tears of happiness that they will be able to stay here for a longer time.

Account from the Jesuit Community in Warsaw

Father Rector says that the entire house is now alive with guests from Ukraine. There are sixteen of them, including four children and two people with disabilities. On the notice board there is a list of Jesuits who are available for refugees on a given day. Our guests find it hard to believe that they are safe, they rarely leave their rooms. They are also very embarrassed when they see Jesuits bringing various things from their rooms, which could be useful to them during their stay in our house.

Report from the Jesuit Community and Novitiate in Gdynia

The first people to live with us were parents with three children. The son is undergoing haematological treatment and stays with his mother in a hospital in Gdańsk. The father was released from military service due to the illness of his son and the care of his two daughters. The novices are helping them to acclimatize. Soon the rooms in the crown of the church will be ready for more families. Also our kindergarten will be enlarged so that Ukrainian children can join the group of Polish children, as there is already one Ukrainian teacher working there. At the moment we already have four Ukrainian children in our kindergarten. Moreover, four Ukrainian pupils have been accepted to our Jesuit School Complex in Gdynia.

Report from Nowy Sącz

In the parish of Nowy Sacz we received over 20 refugees: mothers with children. Our religious house accommodated 5 people, the rest were hosted by our parishioners. The parish also supports a group staying in Rytro near Nowy Sacz. Helping those in need unites us, and the generosity we see among all parishioners builds us all up.

Report from Gliwice

In our house in Gliwice there are already 20 refugees from Ukraine. Among them are three 15-month-old children: two boys and a girl. The guests cook by themselves. From time to time, the Jesuits post announcements of current needs on their Facebook page: a cradle for the baby, pampers no. 4, pillows, three round plastic bowls (to fit into a paddling pool), three oblong bowls (to fit into a bathtub), laptops for distance learning… The response of the faithful is so generous that they often have to announce that they do not need particular things anymore.

It’s been two weeks since the war in Ukraine began. Help for Ukrainians is coming from all sides. The Jesuits are also involved in it, coordinated by the team „Jesuit Aid for Ukraine” led by fr. Vitaliy Osmolovskyy SJ.

The priority for our team is to deliver aid to Ukraine. We have supported works run by Jesuits: a refugee house in Lviv and a house in Khmelnytskyi, which is now a stopping point for refugees, and we have also given support to institutions that are our friends: a refugee house in Zhytomyr and an orphanage in Sambor run by the Franciscan Sisters. We have also organized a transport connection with Lviv. Our minibus will regularly take there necessary things and while coming back, bring refugees. Tonight the first transport left Poland. At the same time, the Lviv branch of Jesuit Refugee Service asked us to fund a bus for them and thanks to help of other organizations we managed to do it.

We have also contact with organizations from other countries, which help Ukraine. We have helped several of them to deliver large humanitarian transports to the appropriate places on the border. And in Krakow, at the request of the American team „Operation White Stork”, which is transporting medical aid, we provided storage space and several rooms. We are very happy to cooperate with other organizations, because through small favors on our part we can multiply aid flowing to Ukraine.

In Poland we are mainly involved in the process of organizing accommodation for refugees.  First of all, it means preparing rooms and gathering the necessary equipment, as well as collecting funds. These activities are undertaken by Jesuit communities and parishes locally, as well as by the Jesuit Social Center „In Action”. Communities and parishes in Bytom, Gliwice, Gdynia, Falenica, Nowy Sącz, and Warsaw have already received refugees, which was possible thanks to the quick mobilization and generosity of parishioners.

JCS „In Action” is a ministry with many years of experience in working with refugees, and as such has become a central hub for coordinating refugee assistance in the Polish Provinces of the Society of Jesus. The staff of the center have set up a form, through which people and institutions willing to accept refugees can register. They also provide information on how to do this efficiently, and what is current legal framework of it. In cooperation with „Caritas”, the center has opened a reception point at the border in Zosin. Currently JCs is working on establishing an information point in Dolhobyczow. At the same time JCS „In Action” is constantly sending new transports with aid to Ukraine. The activities of the center could not cover such a large area, if not for the many people who have volunteered to work there.

In addition to providing basic security, there are of course many other needs that we try to meet. In Warsaw and Poznań psychological assistance for refugees has been organized. In Opole a meeting place for Ukrainian children and mothers has been opened. Our team has also begun to raise funds for scholarships for Ukrainian students. This goal is supported by Jesuit schools in the west.

We are aware that this is only the beginning of a huge undertaking, which is to provide help in Ukraine and welcome refugees in Poland. For this reason, we are continually raising funds and asking for your support.

Bank account number (PLN): Towarzystwo Jezusowe Mały Rynek 8, 31-041 Kraków 65 1600 1013 1846 5651 7000 0016 „JEZUICKA POMOC DLA UKRAINY” Kod SWIFT: PPABPLPK IBAN/BIC: PL65 1600 1013 1846 5651 7000 0016 Bank account in EUR and USD: https://www.wakcji.org/wspieraj-nas/#przelew “Jesuit Aid for Ukraine” team: Vitaliy Osmolovskyy SJ, coordinator tel. +48 517 978 549 +380 96 806 1126 – whatsapp, viber, telegram <[email protected]> Damian Czerniak SJ, responsible for aid for refugees in Northern Polish Province tel. +48 797 907 593 – whatsapp <[email protected]> Łukasz Lewicki SJ, director of JCS “In Action” tel. +48 797 907 588 <[email protected]>. Jerzy Zadwórny SJ, Jesuit working on Ukraine, responsible for contact with the team tel. +38 097 159 36 47 <[email protected]>

During the current war in Ukraine, a branch of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is working in Lviv. Fr. Andrii Syvak SJ, a Jesuit residing there, describes its current situation:

„Currently, most people who come from Kiev, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Crimea, Kherson, Wolnovachy and other regions are women and children. Men usually come only as they transport their wives, children, sisters, mothers to safe place. There are, however, some who are exempt from military service for various reasons. Most of these people are not planning to stay, but are looking for an opportunity to leave Ukraine, so the Jesuit refugee house in most situations is a transit point, where people can rest after their exhausting journeys. Refugees often have a few days behind them in trains, buses, and cold train stations. They come to eat, rest, wash, warm up and then move on. It is worth noting that in recent days, due to the relatively safe situation in Lviv, the number of people who want to stay in Ukraine is increasing. These people are following information about how the situation is developing and intend to stay in Lviv as long as it is safe”.

Many of them have relatives and friends in the area where hostilities are ongoing, which is a serious psychological burden for them. They receive psychological and spiritual support at the center”.

„At this time our home is able to accommodate about 35 people. We provide beds, food and access to laundry and bathrooms for all. We also provide clothing and medicine for those who need it. The conditions in our refugee house are good compared to other refugee points, that have been set up in recent days. Above all, we are trying to make people feel that they finally reached safe place”.

„In this tragic time for Ukraine, the experience of working with refugees is a real blessing. It allows us to effectively help those who have been forced to leave their homes”.

The JRS branch in Lviv was registered in 2005. Three years later it opened a building specially adapted to receive refugees. For the first years, it received refugees from abroad: Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Palestine, Afghanistan and others. Since December 2014 displaced persons from the Crimean peninsula and from the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk began to arrive. Refugees were provided with accommodation, food, legal and spiritual-psychological assistance.

The refugee house in Lviv began preparing for the onset of further hostilities from Russia as early as December last year. From that time until the beginning of the Russian invasion, there were preapred supplies of food, basic medical supplies and alternative sources of heating and electricity. Support is now arriving from JRS headquarters and from the „Jesuit Aid for Ukraine” team. Thanks to all these circumstances, Lviv’s JRS can effectively respond to the needs of the current situation.

In the parish of St. Andrew Bobola in Warsaw collections for Ukraine are still being conducted. Volunteers are also expanding the „The Roof over head” database, which is a list of contacts with parishioners willing to accept war refugees under their roofs. Over 20 families are already hosting Ukrainians. Sister Agata from the Jesuit Social Center „In Action” maintain contact with other people willing to receive Ukrainians.

In the near future, we plan to implement the „Angels” program, which will aim to provide care for parish host families and Ukrainian guests. Each family will be assigned a volunteer – an angel, who will have the task of maintaining constant contact with their charges and reporting any needs to us on an ongoing basis. We will support these families, whether through our collection point or financially – says Anna Kozioł, coordinator of the Bobola Aid Group for Ukraine.

Arrangements with the hosts are being finalized with a contract-agreement, that is supposed to make it easier to arrange everything concerning living under one roof.

In recent days, 55 people have joined the team of volunteers and new ones are still being accepted. Any parishioner can volunteer to serve with transportation, assistance at the donation desk, translation, or the „angel” ministry mentioned above.

At the donation point, we collect specific products which we prepare for the planned transports and needs. Every day some transports with aid go out. The list of currently accepted gifts parishioners can find on the parish website and on the Facebook group „Bobola for Ukraine” and at the specially launched telephone. – explains Ms. Anna.

List of ways, in which people can help in Warsaw’s sanctuary of St. Andrew Bobola.

Two days ago, first refugees arrived to the Jesuit community in Gdynia: a young couple with three young children. After the hardships of escaping from Ukraine, they finally found a safe place. It is very difficult, that even there they difficulties have not finished, as one of their children had to be urgently transported to the Provincial Oncological Center in Gdansk due to an illness.

There are more refugees in the area, who have been received by parishioners. Still, the parish and the Jesuit community in Gdynia are preparing themsleves for receiving more people from Ukraine:

We are preparing rooms in the crown of the church that can accommodate about 24 people, and we also intend to make use of guest rooms in the community house. Apart from that we are in the process of preparing 20 places for refugees in other places in parish. – informs Fr. Rector Piotr Szymański SJ.

Gdynia also plans to cooperate with the Provincial Oncological Centre in Gdansk in receiving families, whose children suffer from oncological diseases, if there will be such need.

At the same time in Gdynia, already in the first days after the outbreak of the conflict, two places were created to collect gifts for Ukraine. They continue their activities. One of the collections is coordinated by the “Gaudium Vitae” community, the second – by the Jesuit School in Gdynia. The community “Love and Serve” helps in both actions.

People report to us that they need a bed, clothes or other specific items and we do our best to provide them with them. – says Jan Majda, Jesuit who works at the school. He adds that the aim of collection is to help families and institutions in the region, which have accepted refugees.

There are also other initiatives at the school. Yesterday, as part of the „Lectures on Education” series, Ms. Anna Rogowska-Zach, a specialist in child and adolescent psychotherapy, gave information on how to help children and young people affected by trauma. Students, in turn, took the initiative to show around the city to people coming from Ukraine.

The Jesuits in Khmelnyckyi, Ukraine turned a retreat house into a stopping point for people fleeing war zones at the beginning of the war. Now, every day 70 people arrive at the point for the night. They are provided with good conditions: beds with fresh bedding, access to bathrooms, and food.

For many of these people, this is the first place where they can feel safe. This is usually a difficult moment for them, because they can feel their emotions so strongly. Most of these people lost everything while fleeing the war zone.

The center in Khmelnyckyi itself requires constant commitment, so it could not function if not for the sacrificial work of parishioners, students from the academic ministry and other volunteers. This is work under difficult conditions: because the situation is precarious. Every day there are several bomb alerts, often at night, and everyone has to go down to the shelter. There have been cases of the arrival of a person suspected of sabotage.

Despite all this, Fr. Bartek, who works in  Khmelnyckyi points out the extraordinary things that are happening around. He talks about incredible mobilization and unity. He asks us to pray and says:

The Word of God guides us. We know what to do, we know what God wants from us. No one is planning here to run away. There is no panic. There is here a definite readiness to be oneself: not to be afraid, but to be oneself.

CLC-CVX (Christian Life Community) in Europe, through its Migration Network, wishes to condemn all forms of violence against harmless men, women, and children in need of international protection at the Eastern borders of the European Union. Our CLC communities across the EU witness with sorrow and anger the unfolding of yet another humanitarian — and human — tragedy close to our homes.

As Christians, we stand firmly by the side of all those fleeing war, persecution and extreme poverty. In our daily service as CLC communities, we witness the beauty of the encounter with those who join our local communities. We are committed to promoting respect for the fundamental human rights of all individuals. We work restlessly to create more welcoming and inclusive societies across Europe.

We observe in disbelief that the measures taken by European political leaders continue to instrumentalise the plight of refugees for political calculations, include violent push-backs, and frame asylum management as a security threat.

The European Union is obliged to uphold the rights of all refugees and migrants by protecting them from violence at the borders and ensuring that they can apply for international protection.

In the light of the above, we as Christian Life Community in Europe urge Belarus to stop the instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes and all forms of violence against them.
At the same time, we urge Polish authorities, other EU Member States and European institutions to act immediately to:

• restore international law and fundamental human rights at the Eastern border of the EU by stopping push-backs and ensuring safe and legal pathways to apply for international protection;
• allow immediate access for local and international humanitarian organisations to the restricted border area, to deliver much-needed medical and legal assistance;
• allow international observers and independent media in the restricted border area.

Europe is in no way under siege or threatened in its way of life and welfare. Policies that frame migration and displacement as security threats erode protection for the oppressed and treat human rights as privileges for a few.

European CLC Migration Network – CLC in Europe

Foto: Manifestation of solidarity with migrants, Warsaw, November 20, 2021 (jezuici.pl) 

Fr Ramon Ma L Bautista SJ shares his insights into the five moments of the Ignatian Examen and how these are exercised every day towards finding God in ordinary and not-so-ordinary matters of our lives.

Fr Mon is currently the Tertian Master for the Philippine Jesuit Province and Co-instructor of the Tertianship Programme of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. He was Novice Master for almost one decade at Sacred Heart Novitiate. He holds a doctorate in Spirituality from Heythrop College, University of London. He is a prominent spiritual director, confessor, and retreat-giver here in the Philippines, as well as in the entire Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.

Today, September 18, at 4:30 p.m. in the Church of the Name of Jesus in Genoa, Fr. Daniel Nørgaard (PMA) made his first vows in the Society of Jesus in the presence of Fr. Provincial Roberto Del Riccio (EUN). The provincial nominee Zbigniew Leczkowski SJ (PMA) was also present.

Together with Fr. Daniel will take vows: Raul Petru Ciocani (Euro-Mediterranean Province); Pasquale Landolfi (Euro-Mediterranean Province); Guglielmo Scocco (Euro-Mediterranean Province); Gellért Török (Hungarian Province); Dániel Tímár (Hungarian Province) – on the photo below.

On the photo below: Jesuits who pronounced their vows with concelebrants.

Although we have already started Lent, the Christmas season is not far behind us. While in some countries you can hear Christmas carols in November, in Poland we tend to prolong the Nativity celebration till the beginning of February. There is a beautiful tradition in the Catholic Church in Poland in which priests visit the families of the parish in their homes at Christmas time to pray, to chat and to get to know each other.

The pandemic that broke out in the world last year threatens to break this tradition not only this year. But on the other hand the restrictions strengthen apostolic creativity! The priests of many parishes throughout the country decided to invite the faithful to the parish church for a special Mass celebrated for „the Guests”. Where normally the people would welcome priests this time they were welcomed at the church by the priests. Because of the coronavirus the faithful were invited street by street, so that there were not too many people in the church at one time (we aimed at about 15 – 30 people).

We also had a special meeting after every such Mass in our parish to talk to our parishioners, asking them to share their thoughts about their lives, as well as the parish life. As the host, we also prepared a small gift for each family, a reminder that they are not forgotten when they cannot physically attend Masses in the Church. We did not broadcast this conversational part of the meeting online, to provide a space for more trust and openness.

One thought came to my mind when talking with these small groups of parishioners gathered in the church and sharing their faith and ideas: this could be the future of the Church and the parishes in Poland – the Church where the people know each other personally, not only recognizing anonymous faces of Mass attendees, but supporting and praying for each other because they simply know each other. At the same time, the challenge of this new reality for priests is to act more on a personal level, staying very close to the People of God. In Western European countries this idea may not be new, but in the Polish mass Church it seems a reality to come.

Fr. Janusz Śliwa SJ, Pastor of St. Klemens Hofbauer Parish in Wrocław

In Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), on February 20-25, a youth discussion forum entitled „Unity in Diversity” is organized by the State Commission on Religions of Kyrgyzstan in cooperation with the non-governmental organization „Center for Religious Studies of Kyrgyzstan”. A Jesuit, Brother Damian Wojciechowski SJ, takes part in the forum. He appears at this meeting alongside representatives of Islam and the Russian Orthodox Church. Br. Damian, thanks to his in-depth knowledge of various religious traditions and the ability to contact young people, is a highly valued speaker on the forum.

Young people, aged 18-25, who take part in the conferences and meetings, come from seven regions of the country and represent various religions and Christian denominations. „The main goal of this event is to develop young people’s knowledge and skills necessary to build interreligious dialogue,” say the organizers.

As part of the forum, not only conferences and discussions are planned, but also study visits to various places of religious worship, including the Jesuit parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in Bishkek (photos). The entire project is also an answer to Pope Francis’ call to universal brotherhood and to building relationships between people of different religions and with different worldviews.

Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country and knowledge about Christianity among the inhabitants of this country is very limited. The Jesuits working in Kyrgyzstan, seven of them, try to „create bridges” and introduce people to the history and current activities of the Catholic Church. They run parishes, a foundation and a youth centre in Issyk-kul. They also join various initiatives undertaken by other organizations.

In an online conference on Feb 11, 2021, the Russian version of La Civiltà Cattolica was launched. It is based in Moscow and curated by Fr. Victor Zhuk, S.J., from Vitebsk, Belarus. Its task is to deepen the dialogue between Christians from different churches, most of all, between Orthodox and Catholics, between faith, culture and society in the context of Russia and the countries that use Russian as their lingua franca.

The speech on this occasion was delivered by Orthodox hieromonk Ioann Guaita. It was dedicated to the 5th anniversary of the encounter between Patriarch Cyrill and Pope Francis in La Habana, Cuba (Feb 12, 2016). Fr. Ioann presented his view of where the Russian Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches are going and what that means for their dialogue. He also offered a view of the spiritual dimension of the La Habana encounter.

The website welcomes anybody who knows Russian: http://laciviltacattolica.ru/

Tromsø is a city in northern Norway, located 350 km above the Arctic Circle, with a population of approx. 70 thousand residents, called „the Arctic Gateway”.
On September 8, 1990, at the invitation of the then Bishop Gerhard Goebel, a group of 9 Carmelite Sisters came to Tromsø as the Carmel Hafnarfjördur Foundation in Iceland.
In addition to the newly built monastery, consecrated in 1998, there is also a guest house, eagerly visited by friends of the sisters and all those who are attracted by the contemplative silence and the atmosphere of this unique place located on the island of Tromsøya, surrounded by mountains.

The Carmel in Tromsø has quickly become a point of reference for many people, not only from the Catholic Church, in their existential and spiritual quest. People come to the Carmel with all kinds of questions and problems to discuss them with the Sisters.

Most of the Sisters (now 14) of the Carmel community in Tromsø have experienced the Spiritual Exercises. It was a silent desire of the Sisters to organise the Spiritual Exercises in their place. A Norwegian woman I met in 2018, who is actively involved in the life of the local Church, ventured to come to Kalisz for a retreat, to the Center of Spiritual Formation, for which I am responsible. The experience of this retreat, and the testimony of it, was so strong that the idea arose to organize a similar retreat also in Tromsø. The first one that I conducted here took place in October 2019. It was not yet an Ignatian retreat, but a Jesus Prayer retreat. It was necessary to overcome a certain distrust towards the Spiritual Exercises associated with the Jesuits and the ideas about them. The fruit of the retreat in 2019 are weekly meetings of the group praying the Jesus Prayer in the cathedral church. One year after the first retreat I conducted in Tromsø time came for the 6-day Spiritual Exercises in October 2020. There were more persons willing to participate in them than places. A waiting list was created. One of the persons was so determined that he was ready to spend nights in his car in the parking lot, and this is the time of temperatures below zero. Ultimately, 10 persons took part in the retreat: 3 Norwegians, 2 Finns, 3 Poles living permanently in Norway, 1 Mexican and 1 Japanese woman. This group included 3 PhD holders working at university (including an oceanographer), a midwife, an intensive care nurse and a Norwegian language teacher. 3 people flew in from the south of Norway – from Bergen and Stavanger. Three of the participants were members of the Lutheran Church, including the pastor’s wife. The retreat that I conducted was a kind of synthesis of the Spiritual Exercises based on the „First Principle and Foundation” (SE 23). I focused on how we can come into contact with God and how we can experience Him. The topics included the „language” in which God speaks to us, the manner He reveals Himself to us and communicates with us, and the manner in which we can respond to Him with our lives.

I also wanted to lead the retreatants to the meeting with Jesus Christ as a living, concerned and active person with whom we can have a very personal intimate relationship.
At the same time, the retreatants learned about the tools offered by the Ignatian spirituality to cultivate a living relationship with God and „find Him in all things.”

The discovery of God and meeting with Him was facilitated by the atmosphere of silence of the Carmel and the care of the Sisters (delicious food) and the beauty of the surrounding nature, especially in October, when it can reveal all its hitherto hidden colours. One evening, when after 9:00 p.m. we leaving the chapel after the Adoration was over, the northern lights were flickering in the sky.

The retreat was in English and I celebrated the Holy Masses in Norwegian. It was wonderful to experience the unity of faith between us, but it was a pain for me that I couldn’t experience Eucharistic communion with everyone, which wasn’t easy for me to explain entirely.

What was also revealed in conversations with other persons, potential participants of the retreat, was that English was a language barrier for some of them. They asked why this retreat was not in Norwegian. It seemed to me that everyone in Scandinavia speaks English – it may hold true for the Scandinavians, but not all in the Scandinavian Church, which is multinational.

The retreat, as the participants shared at the end, exceeded their expectations. When one of the Protestants heard that God is both father and mother, she said that she didn’t expect a Catholic priest to „say something like that.” This allowed her to experience the feminine and the maternal dimension in a relationship with God.

The retreat turned out to be for everyone, if not „ascent to Mount Carmel”, then certainly the beginning of this path – „the way” also in the Ignatian sense, because, as you know, the Exercises have several stages and I hope they will be continued in that place.

Wojciech Nowak SJ

On September 4th , 2017, Jesuit Primary School in Gdynia was open. The kids- primary school pupils were greeted for the first time. There were 92 new students.

At the beginning of the year, Holy Mass was a great joy for everyone. For the first time they saw and experienced what challenges are waiting for them in the current school year. The view of the twirling children is a small symbol of transformation that takes place in the school. The transformations bring great optimism.

Children found themselves in a new environment very quickly. The integration camps, which combined the elements of getting to know one another as well as learning about the character of the school, certainly contributed to this. First, fourth and fifth classes went to the open-air museum in Wdzydze, while sixth and seventh classes went to the recreation center in Warzenko.

On September 15th, 2017, during the school holidays the vows of children who started learning at school took place. First formers with great commitment repeated words of the oath. They looked adorably. Then all distinguished guests, teachers and students were invited to the school for dessert prepared by the Parent’s Council.

It is also worth noting that during the first three weeks of September, the school hosted trainees who were very involved. Jacek Domański, Dawid Kowalewski and Jan Amilkiewicz not only helped in conducting morning lessons and prayers but also enthusiastically participated in integration camps and other initiatives undertaken by the school.

Once again, we have organized astronomical camps for young people from Suzak region in southern Kyrgyzstan on the shores of Lake Issyk-kul, where our rehabilitation center for disabled children is located.

Two groups participated at the event. Each group consisted of about 50 people. There were young people from eight schools together with teachers. We were helped by volunteers from Poland together with Fr. Scholastic Radek Borawski SJ.

Apart from the classes conducted by Polish astronomers, we put emphasis on trips. The official purpose of the camp approved by the local educational authorities was to observe the night sky. Conditions of Issyk-kulu were excellent! Young people coped well with finding distant galaxies, nebulae, open and even globular clusters. The weather was good. We spent the evenings staring at the objects seen with the naked eye as well as the deep sky objects. Certainly, many participants have been overjoyed at the work of Creation. Group activities during which we used telescopes, observations of heaven brought us closer to God. For this purpose we sowed the seeds and the time will show what will be yielded.

From 3 to 12 September 2017, the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) was held in Brzuchowice near Lviv, Ukraine. It is the supreme collegial legislative body of the Church. It meets every year to make important decisions for the life of the clergy and the faithful of UGCC. This year, the Synod’s theme was „The Prayer and Liturgical Life of the UGCC”.During the session, a special function of the Synod, preacher, was held by Father Marek Blaza SJ, a Polish Jesuit, who has been associated with the UGCC for years. Since 2001 he has been a lecturer in Ecumenical Theology at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, and since 2007 he has been a students’ chaplain for Greek Catholics in Warsaw, helping with his pastoral work in the recently established parish of St. Blessed Mikołaj Czarnecki in Warsaw.

The task of the Synod Preacher was to preach sermons in the morning Divine Liturgies (Eucharists), as well as to lead the day of recollection. In his homilies fr. Blaza referred to the readings planned for the given day. On the day of recollection, however, he addressed three themes: the mystery of the Incarnation, the evocation of the Holy Spirit (epicliasis) and the interdependence between word and sacrament.

Fr. Blaza in his way of preaching provoked the listeners to discuss the topics undertaken in the sermons and teachings given during the day of recollection. There were plenty of threads directly related to Ignatian spirituality and especially to discernment of the spirits, which play a very important role during the Synod.

On September14 the leading Polish Catholic news service DEON.pl, managed and financed by the Jesuit Southern Poland Province celebrated its 8th birthday. A special mass was celebrated on that day in St. Barbara Jesuit church in Kraków, Poland, by Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, the new Metropolitan archbishop of Łódź and a long-time supporter of the service.

Deon. pl is a Catholic social and information portal established and operated by the Society of Jesus and the WAM Publishing House. The portal was launched in beta version on September 18 2009. The name itself refers to the abbreviation of two words – Deus (God) and On-line (Network). It’s a number one Cahtolic service in Poland, visited by over a million unique visitors a month.

Interview with Fr. Jerzy Hansel SJ – hospital chaplain in Opole, Poland.

Fr. Jerzy, what is the role of a hospital chaplain?

Hospital chaplain’s work is one of the forms of priesthood service. A chaplain has day-to-day contact with human suffering, human tragedy – not only regarding patients themselves, but also their families. Patients often ask difficult questions – “why is this happening to me?”, “why do I have to suffer so much?”, “why do I have to leave this world?”… Obviously there are no simple answers for such questions.

You meet believing and not believing patients every day. Can you see any difference in their perception of suffering?

St. John Paul II said once, that “suffering itself isn’t the main problem, but that it is pointless”. In experience of sickness, of suffering, you can see a huge difference between those who believe and those who not. Sickness and suffering for non-believing people is – using St. Paul’s words – “a stumbling block and folly” – unacceptable reality. For believers, those who really believe from the bottom of their hears, sickness and suffering isn’t a pointless accident but a sign of God’s wisdom and power.

Should then a sick person pray for healing?

Of course, we should pray for health, for a successful surgery, but if the sickness lasts for a long time, it can be a situation that God allows to – a sick person becomes a part of Jesus’ Way of the Cross and redemption of the World.

The World needs renewal, so for this intention prayer and sacrifice is very needed. Mary asked three little shepherds of Fatima – Francisco, Jacinta and Lúcia – to pray, especialy the Holy Rosary, to reward her Immaculate Heart, and for the conversion of sinners. This calling of Our Lady is current and will be till the end of the World.

Deep faith is very helpful for patients and their families, especially for the terminal period. Sadness and tears are present but the face and eyes reflect peace, hope and love, what hardly ever happens In the case of non-believers.

You’re not only a priest, but also a doctor. Do these roles complement each other?

My medical experiences – studies and a couple of years of practice – even from some time ago, are helpful because the medical environment isn’t unknown to me. Even though I haven’t worked as an MD for many years the atmosphere of a hospital, patients’ problems, terminology, diagnostic methods and symptoms are familiar. Actually, I quite often happen to meet friends from med university, which is nice too…

Please tell us, what has touched you in a most significant way as a chaplain? Some particular situation…

I remember one man, with a very bad diagnosis but he was able to talk. Whenever I offered him sacraments or conversation he always answered “no”, very strictly. After a couple of days I gave up.

But then, a few days later, when I was passing at his door, a woman who stood there asked me to visit her brother, because his state was very bad. I replied that the man was not interested in any contact with me, so unless she would make him want that – I wouldn’t bother him. But she encouraged him to meet me.

At first our conversation didn’t go well. He was very closed. He told me that during communist times he had worked for the state to fight the Church and the clergy. He was a non-believer but he decided to confess, as his fear of death was so strong. He asked me for a book that would help him prepare the confession, so I brought him St. Faustina’s diary with some parts marked specially for him.

When, after a few days, I came back, he told me: “if the Diary’s image of God is true, then my life is a failure…” He had never been aware of God’s love towards every single person. He said he was ashamed of fighting God and people who loved Him. If he ever had known the truth, he wouldn’t have lived like that.

He confessed, received the Communion, the Anointing of the Sick and died after two days. I think his words are a clue to understand those who declare to be non-believers: they have a wrong image of God, religion and the Church.

Abraham’s way is a pilgrimage dedicated exclusively to men, only to those who are not afraid of anything. Not the distance of over 150 km is a problem, but the form of pilgrimage.

„Apart from the necessary clothes we had nothing. We went without money, credit cards, phones, nor provided meals and overnight stays. We went to Saint Lipka Sanctuary without an appointed route” explains Jesuit Daniel Wojda.

Before they set off, they met at a two-day retreat. One day was devoted to learning how to proclaim the Word of God, how to pray for others. Many prayed for themselves. They adored the Blessed Sacrament. „It was a warm-up,” Daniel smiles. „It turned out to be very precious,” he adds.

The first part of the day is walking in silence. Everyone listened to specially recorded MP3 meditations. Morning is the time for prayer, reflection, dialogue with God. “Everyone walks with a spiritual baggage” – explains Daniel.

He believes that Abraham is a figure that inspires. Patriarch’s life, the life of each of us, is the way of gaining faith, developing it. „We say that Abraham’s Way is not going on one’s feet but heart. It is not measured by the number of kilometres, but the number of transformations that have occurred in me. – he smiles.

They began the journey in Makow Mazowiecki, central Poland and reached Saint Lipka Sanctuary in the north. These were two points that were set ahead on their path. Only those were known. The rest was God’s plan. In the morning nobody knew where to sleep, where to eat, whom the Lord would set on the road.

A pilgrimage without money, without phones, without contact with the world left behind, requires some courage. And this is something that can attract men. Today it is not easy to make them to stand on Jesus’ side to testify of Him. This road taught us that, just as Abraham, to give up everything he have, to be sure, and go for God’s promise – says Romek, a participant.

In total, 35 men went this summer’s Abraham’s Way. The popularity of the pilgrimage is constantly growing and the Jesuits decided to organize another edition in September.

Nearly 300 participants from all over Poland gathered in Stara Wieś (Southern Poland) for the 13th edition of the Ignatian Youth Days,

Ignatian Youth Days is a unique summer event targeted for secondary school students and high school students from all over Poland. Young people spend five days in Jesuit gardens in Stara Wieś near Brzozów. During that time they can be convinced that the faith in Jesus is the source of maturity and strong friendship. The IYD is primarily a celebration of young people who belong to the Jesuit youth ministry of Magis. July’s rally is the culmination of the whole year of weekly meetings in dozens of communities spread all over Poland.

The meeting creates space for young people to answer their questions about their place in society, the Church and their role in the world. They combine their openness with new ideas, willingness to take on challenges and readiness to meet people from different regions of Poland. A good opportunity to do so is primarily the proposed workshop. By taking part, they discover their abilities, talents and get to know cultural and religious values.

Video 1: https://web.facebook.com/ignacjanskiednimlodziezy/videos/1632406856792839/

Video 2: https://web.facebook.com/ignacjanskiednimlodziezy/videos/1632956376737887/

Catholic schools’ headmasters from Ukraine, Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Syria and the Czech Republic in Warsaw.

20 years ago no one expected that the just established Pedro Arrupe Centre for the Formation of Leaders and Educators would reach multiple European, Middle East and Asian countries.

On these days, the Centre completed an international course for 28 Catholic schools’ headmasters from Ukraine, Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Syria and the Czech Republic. The two-week classes lasted from 8 July and were the next stage of professional formation launched last summer.

Between these two summer courses (2016-2017), fr. Wojciech Żmudziński SJ – Arrupe Center director, along with management specialists, teaching and learning methodologies, visited Catholic schools in Ukraine, Latvia, Croatia and Albania, training teachers and motivating local organizations to create more schools, whose agenda would be based on the Christian vision of the world. Another Catholic school in Ukraine will be set up next year, and four public schools have declared their willingness to become Catholic schools. In Syria, the founded Catholic schools are called ”private schools” (instead of ”Catholic Schools”), because the local law does not permit their official existence. However, they gain more and more prestige.

This year, advocacy and training activities are planned in Albania and Ukraine and next year in Croatia and Syria.

St. Stanislaus Kostka’s Jesuit School Complex in Gdynia has roots dating back to the interwar period, when the first Jesuit High School in Gdynia-Orłowo was established. During the 2nd. World War and communism the school was closed but in 1994 Jesuit education returned to Pomerania.

At the moment the Jesuits run a high school (since 1994), a secondary school with a bilingual Polish-Spanish programme (since 2001) and a bilingual elementary school (since 2017).

In our schools we work in line with the Ignatian pedagogy, creating an environment of comprehensive and harmonious development of children and young people. We support students in the natural need to know oneself, others and the world around us so that everyone can find their unique way of realizing fundamental values: truth, goodness and beauty. We support the development of such qualities and skills as reflection, critical thinking, positive attitude, sensitivity, teamwork.

The strong sides of our school are: close cooperation with parents, experienced and devoted staff, optimal school size (about 300 students) and classrooms (about 18 people), international projects, good infrastructure (modern building and sports center with swimming pool).

We believe our school is an excellent proof of a renewal of Jesuit education in Poland.