Reflections on Jesuit Identity

Fr. Huang poses ten points of reflection from the procurates. It will be useful to discuss these in our schools, provinces and region, as well as right here- on campus or on the blog. What are your insights?

Ten points to ponder from our Procurates:
1. Apostolic instruments
Do we understand ourselves and function as apostolic missions?How?

2. Serving faith
How can we be more successful in bringing our students to the joy of friendship with Christ in His community, the Church? How can we assess our success? In non -Christian contexts, how do we serve faith?

3. Bridges to and in the Church
How are we bridging the gap between youth and church?
Are we reflecting on faith in the schools?

4. Collaboration as Mission
How do you see the role of collaboration in your mission?

5. Animated by an Apostolic Community
Who comprises the Ignatian Apostolic Community in your school?
How is maintained? How does it work?

6. Jesuit Community: Accompaniment and Witness
Community as Mission
How do Jesuit communities understand their mission within the larger Ignatian apostolic community?
What needs to be done to change mindsets and attitudes?

7. Close to the Poor, Concerned about Structural Change and the Environment.
Have we grown farther from the poor? How is closeness to the poor promoted?
How have we created a passion for structural change and for care for the environment?

8. The Dimension of Universality
To what extent is there a sense of universal mission in our schools?
How much sharing of perspectives, capacities and resources beyond our provinces and conferences exists?
How do our schools network with other ministries?

9. The Creativity of the Kingdom
To what extent are our schools inspired by competition? To what extent are we limited by our need to compete with other schools?
To what extent are we motivated  by creativity of the Kingdom of God and how is this creativity promoted in our institutions?

10. Discerning the Future of Institutions
What is the quality of our discernment in our schools? How do we begin to freely discern whether we should think of ourselves more as Ignatian, rather than Jesuit works?

What kinds of structures and programs do we need to retain life-giving connection to our Ignatian heritage and presence?