IV Congress of Directors of Jesuit Secondary Schools of Europe (JECSE)

Konstancin Jeziorna, Warsaw, Poland - 16-20 October 2002

150 directors and province delegates from 20 European countries as well as from Egypt, Lebanon, USA and Canada are participating in the Fourth Congress of the Jesuit European Committee for Secondary Education (JECSE) at Konstancin Jeziorna, Warsaw, Poland, from 16 to 20 October 2002.

Theme of the congress is: "Education to live in a multimedia society. Educational, Ethical and social aspects". The main speaker is John Pungente SJ from Toronto, Canada. The organizer is the Arrupe Formation Center for Educational Leaders in Gdynia. Father General, Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, could not attend the Congress, due to his trip to the USA, but he sent a message.

Message of Father General

It is pleasure for me to greet all of you who have came to Warsaw for the Fourth Congress of the Directors of Jesuit Secondary schools in Europe. Since you have a vitally important role in the educational apostolate of Society of Jesus in this part of the world, I wish that I could be with you in person. Unfortunately, I had a previous commitment to attend a meeting of the Provincials of the United States. Nonetheless, welcome this opportunity to greet you and address a few words to you.

Before all else, I wish to express my deep gratitude to you for accepting a leadership role of Jesuit Secondary schools. The position of school director is demanding of any age, but to lead a school in our day calls for a special kind of courage of generosity. Expectations are plentiful, recourses are often scarce and each day brings new challenges. You firm conviction about the impact which Jesuit education can have on the lives of your students, however, has lead you to embrace a particular form of service, and I thank you.

I want to offer a word of special appreciation to the lay directors among you. Your numbers have increased notably since the last congress in 1999, and they will continue to increase. I realize that the society of Jesus is asking much of you. You are being called upon not only the lead you schools according to the highest professional standards, but also to preserve and promote the specifically Jesuit character and mission of your schools. I have been invited to immerse yourselves in a tradition of over 450 years and to make it you own. I have every hope that you will offer your own unique contribution to it. For centuries Jesuits have been known for a speaking about “our” schools. We meant schools staffed almost entirely by Jesuit priests, brothers and scholastics. Now that has changed. The meaning of the word “our” have much broader meaning. It embraces you, and we value you as our companions in the educational apostolate. We welcome you for the gifts, which you will bring to the schools precisely as lay persons. We know that the schools will be enriched and blest by your presence. For our part, we Jesuits promise to share with you our experience, our resources, our trust and our friendship.

The topic, which you have chosen for the congress, “Education to live in the multimedia society,” is certain to provoke serious reflection and animated discussion. I am pleased to see that you are going to devote your attention to three keys aspects of the media- the pedagogical, the social and the ethical. I would like to offer a brief thought about the pedagogical aspect. People take diverse stances towards the media. Some live quite comfortably with the media; others are ill at ease or suspicious. Our Jesuit tradition suggests that we look upon the media as any created reality- with respect. They are creatures, and they can lead to God or away from God. As educators, you realize that the media have tremendous potential for good. Most importantly, they can help students learn. They can engage the senses and the imagination. They can open a young mind to wonder and adventure. They can lead to joy in learning. Teachers likewise can find in the media a welcome resource for developing a pedagogy marked by creativity, innovation and consideration of the needs of individual students or groups of students. In this regard, I cannot help but think of Ignatius, who was always eager to adapt the Spiritual Exercises to the needs of each retreatant. In addition, I suspect that there is a relationship between the media and the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm. It might prove valuable to reflect on that relationship during these days.

It is certainly significant that your congress is taking place for the first time in Eastern Europe. Your presence in Warsaw is acknowledging and celebrating the rebirth of Jesuit secondary education in a part of Europe where it flourished for centuries. With you I stand in admiration of our colleagues in Eastern Europe for their apostolic boldness, their ingenuity and their determination in the face of daunting obstacles. They deserve our support and we have much to learn from them.

This is an opportune moment to talk about collaboration. When we consider all the challenges facing us- in our local context, in the context of Europe and in the context of the entire world- we realize very quickly that we need one another’s help. We are all limited by our own place, time and history. We need to be open to the insights and experiences, the successes and the failures of others. We can accomplish so much more when we work together than when we try to accomplish everything on our own. We find strength and encouragement when we stand in solidarity with others. I encourage you, then, to find practical ways to collaborate among yourselves on both the regional and international levels, and to remain in close communication with one another after these days in Warsaw.

I have already mentioned the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm. In the coming months the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education will be asking you to participate in an evaluation of the effectiveness of this document as well as the document “Go Forth and Teach: The Characteristics of Jesuit Education.” I am sure that your participation will help all of us to understand what we have accomplished in the renewal of Jesuit secondary schools since the publication of these two documents and what remains yet to be done. Even as we go through the process of evaluation, we are proceeding according to the Paradigm itself. We are engaged in the fifth step- “Evaluation.” Since the publication of the two documents, there has been much “Action”- activities, programs and projects. Now it is time to evaluate the “Action.” Throughout the evaluation you may find it helpful to keep in mind the famous three questions of Ignatius. They are as compelling today as ever: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What shall I do for Christ?

In closing, I want to thank the Jesuit European Committee for Secondary Education for organizing this congress. A special word of gratitude goes to Father Wojciech Żmudziński and the staff of the Centrum Arrupe, who took care of the many practical details of these days. I want to express my appreciation to Father Pierre Salembier as he completes his term as President of the Jesuit European Committee for Secondary Education. Father Salembier’s wise and generous leadership has been a great gift to us. Finally, I extend my thanks to all of you for devoting this time to the apostolate of Jesuit secondary education. May the Lord abundantly bless you, your families, your colleagues and your students.