The Third Seminar of Young Jesuits in Education will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal

“Strengthening teamwork among the Jesuits who are pursuing higher education (PhD/Master) in Secondary and Pre-secondary education”.

Since 2016, the Secretariat for Education has encouraged the celebration of an annual seminar for young Jesuits dedicated to the apostolate of education around the world.

The aim is to respond to the current challenges of the Global Network of Jesuit Education by strengthening teamwork among the Jesuits who are undergoing higher education (PhD / Master) in Secondary and Pre-secondary education or already beginning their work at Jesuit schools.

Two meetings have been held: 2016, Chicago, USA and 2017, Nairobi, Kenya. The next will be in the month of October 2018, in the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu. 

Each meeting involves a group of approximately 10 to 15 Jesuits from different provinces, who are carrying out studies in some area of Education in the Universities of the same region where the seminar is held.

F. Jose Mesa, SJ comments:

The seminars have been possible, thanks to the support and organization of the regional networks who, in many cases, have identified the participants and have taken charge of the logistics and supported the hosting of the gathering. The seminars have also helped to strengthen the networks and to integrate young Jesuits into the net-working. «

Chicago 2016: The first experience

The first seminar was held in January 30-31, 2016 in the University of Loyola in Chicago. Cristóbal Madero, SJ, one of the participants, shares his experience:

In January of 2016, we met a group of about 14 Jesuits from different provinces invited by the Secretary for Secondary Education. What we had in common was the mission of doing advanced studies in education and doing them in the USA. It was a very important experience in my own path of academic formation in the Society. I think of three experiences that I value most: Sharing with Jose Alberto and Bill Muller and learning about the issues discussed in Jesuit secondary education worldwide served to broaden my vision.

Secondly, meeting and spending time with the other Jesuits studying in United States. For various reasons, we had not met each other because we were distributed in 8 or 10 different institutions on the two coasts and the Midwest of the USA.

Finally, being able to share our research interests and questions in an environment different from the academic one. We got to appreciate the diversity of research topics in which we were working: technologies in the classroom, human rights, curriculum development as integral education, motivation in teachers, different educational needs, among others.

These three moments made our experience in Chicago a real experience of the Universal Society that encouraged us to continue with a greater sense of mission, which we too often respond to only in silent and solitary academic work.»

Photo : http://blogs.luc.edu/

Nairobi 2017: «Develop a broader perspective of Jesuit Education »   

In July 17-22, 2017, 14 Jesuits and members of the JESAMED held a 3 days meeting in Karen House, Karen, Nairobi.

From 17th to 22nd July 2017, there was a meeting organized by JESAM at Roussel House, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya for young Jesuits in Africa involved in the Education apostolate or for those interested in working in that sector in the future. The meeting was facilitated by Fr Jose Mesa,SJ, (Father General’s Secretary for Secondary and Pre-secondary Education), Fr Joseph Arimoso, SJ (JESAM Education Apostolate Commission Coordinator), and Fr Augustin Kalubi, SJ (delegate of Education for ACE province). The meeting was attended by 14 Jesuits from various countries: Angola, Congo DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria, Zambia, Madagascar, Kenya, Togo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda.

In brief, the meeting was very inspiring, very informative, and it enabled various Jesuits Involved in education in Africa to know each other, to work together more, and to share their challenges, their hopes and dreams in this great endeavor of Jesuit education.” – Fr. Kayitare Oliver, SJ. –

Photo: Fr. Kayitare Oliver, SJ

Kathmandu 2018

The third of this series of meetings is being organized by the Education Network of South Asia from October 7 to 12, 2018. A similar number of young Jesuits will be participating, especially encouraged by the recent milestones of the Global Network: the 36th General Congregation, the JESEDU-Rio2017 International Congress and the speech of Fr. General at the same meeting.

Photo: http://www.njsi.org.np/

Our best wishes and prayers for the success of the meeting.

We will be reporting the results of this meeting to our global community.

Map: Google Maps