European Confederation of Jesuit Alumni/ae
Confédération européenne des Ancien(ne)s Elèves des Fathers Jésuites
Minutes of the meeting in Frankfort on October 20th and 21st 2007
Present:
de Langsdorff , Eric, F, Carrera, Hervé, F, Kottrup, Bernard, D, Rebes, Enrique, SP,
Miselyte, Nomeda, LIT, Marini, Gianpaolo, I, P. Ceroni SJ, Umberto I, Gatt, Stephen (P), MT,
Deneef, Alain, B / WU, P. Meseguer Ruiz S.J, Fernando, SP, Cacchione, Ciro (P), I, Rogers, Paul, GB,
McCABE, John, GB, P. Arts SJ, Luk, B, Judo, Frank (P), B, Bayard, Alain (P), B, Long, Gerard, IRL.
Mikalkenaite, Jovita , (P) LIT, v. Braunmühl, Hermann, D, Mariano, Giuseppe I , Gallioni, Vincenzo, I
Wildner, Wolfgang, AUT, Portisch, Hans, AUT, Thürliman, Christoph, CH, de Leusse, Pierre, F (P), Rösch, Bernhard, D, Garrido, Filipe, PT,
Agtmael, Julie Van, B, Roeck, Vincent de, B, Niemeyer, Timo, CH, Alakszai, Zoltan, HU,
Dudas, Zsófia, HU, Anguissola, Marco, I, Arosio, Paolo, I, Cattano, Massimiliano, I, Cifola, Valerio, I,
Aidietis, Gintautas, LIT, Kasparaité, Lina , LIT, Maruniakas, Ramunas , LIT, Medzvieckaite, Ginte , LIT
Serys, Povilas, LIT, Agnell, José Louis, SP, Gomà , Mireia Ribas, SP, Ruiz de Eguino, Alfonso, SP
Excused:
Lukosevicius, Martynas, LIT, Camenen, Francois-Xavier, F / WU, Fábregas Alegret, Gonçal, SP (P), Czech, Magdalena, PL, Paczynski, Damian, PL, Myszk, Lukas, PL, Lochrin, Mark, IRL,
Perreau, Sabine, F, Martin, Olivier, F, Cooreman, Louis, B, P. Pilette SJ, Maurice, B,
Thompson, Bernard, GB / WU, Petrulis, Simonas, LIT, Nagy, Gabor, HU, Delair, Serge, F.,
P. Salembier SJ, Pierre, F, Gilson SJ, Michel, B, Knecht, Konstantin (P), D
Welcome
Welcome and prayer inspired by the message of messages of Father Kolvenbach (to the address of young alumni/ae and the laity (Franklin magazine summer edition 2007) cf distributed texts
Welcome by Father Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rhode SJ, dean of the University St. Georgen
1. Welcome by Eric de Langsdorff and presentation of the working program
–Presentation: Pierre de Leusse, the new French president/ Hermann inform that Dr Konstantin Knecht is the new German President.
– DVD presentation of the exchange program « Intercambio 2007 » of the Spanish and Hindu alumni/ae associations by the Spanish association (DVD presented by Alfonso Ruiz de Eguino, report of the visit of some Spanish alumni/ae associations in Kolkata): this project aims to inform young people of both countries about the social realities and social activities in both countries.
– Approval of the minutes of the Paris meeting.
– Delivery of the postulates developed by the bureau after the Paris meeting and sent to P. Mark Rotsaert s.j., President of the Conference of European Provincials in march 2007 to be examined by the next Jesuit General Congregation.
2. Summary of the news by the participants of each country followed by a discussion:
– Germany: The foundation « Stellaner Stiftung » has been launched; the sporting event « Stellaner Cup », bringing together 3 German colleges and the one from Copenhagen has been a big success (it would be desirable to have the Hungarian and Polish colleges participating). The “Initiative Christen für Europa e.V. / ICE», (an association created by German Christians and Jesuits with the aim to organise meetings for young people of eastern and western Germany) has launched a foundation called « Brücken in die Zukunft » with the intention of helping to organise vocational training for young people from the eastern countries in cooperation with the Jesuits of these regions. It has to be mentioned that the European commission runs a program aimed to improve the vocational training, funding this kind of initiatives and that the association of German alumni/ae is working on that project.; it is suggested that the European Confederation of Jesuit alumni/ae participates at this project run by the Jesuit colleges by supporting it through its network and its experience (especially in the European eastern countries) to find for example an apprenticeship training position.
Following this request the bureau of the European Confederation agrees in principle to support this project and will define its role with the leaders of the project.
Pierre de Leusse points out that the French Province has just opened a service centre in the university of Lyon for foreign students (where there are many of them) to help and second them in the framework of their studies (on the basis of the model already existing: the Cised and which was put up for the students of the university of Paris VIII in Saint Denis).
In Belgium, the foundation « Stanislas Kostka » serves more or less the same purpose through different grants.
– Switzerland: The alumni/ae association will organise information evenings for school leavers wishing to study in Switzerland. A general assembly will be held on December 12th to decide if the Swiss association becomes a member of the European Confederation and the World Union; Christoph Thürliman asks to be informed about the study visit in Zurich and Basle of students coming from our countries, as the association is disposed to welcome and help them.
– France: The new French President, Pierre de Leusse visited some local associations, he was pleasantly surprised to discover the high commitment and mobilization of the members, which is also reflected in the numerous projects in other countries like India, Vietnam, Africa, but also France. He also informs that the federation will organise a meeting of all associations at the college Franklin on April 12th to discuss educational topics, and to which the members of the federations are of course kindly invited to participate.
– Malta: The centenary of the college will be celebrated in the presence of many alumni/ae (notably the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister) and of Father Kolvenbach SJ.
– Italy: Ciro Cacchione informs that Italy has a similar project to France to focus the work of alumni/ae on educational items.
– Spain: The general assembly took place in La Coruna, in May; the next one will take place in October 2008 at Malaga.
– Austria: Contacts exist between the alunmi/ae and those of the college of « Kalsburg » in Vienna. There are no contacts with the « Aloisianum College » in Linz. The relationship with the Society of Jesus is not satisfactory; there are social projects in Rumania.
– Portugal: The Confederation is pleased to see Filipe again, who gives some information about the Portuguese federation. Eric will send a letter to the Portuguese President to give him some explanations about the nature of the international mandate of Filipe (in the framework of the Confederation and as representative of Europe in the World Union).
– Lithuania: The federation offers seminars about spirituality and is preparing a summer camp for disabled children.
– Hungary: offers grants for students on the basis of social criteria and school grades.
A charity dinner has been organised to back these grants. Next spring students will work as interns with Hungarian parliamentarians in Strasbourg and Brussels; the Hungarian federation will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2009. On that occasion it is suggested to organize one of the two meetings of the European confederation in Budapest.
– Belgian Walloon region: 6 students from eastern countries benefit at the time from grants from the foundation « Stanislas Kostka »
– Ireland: 5 associations are participating at a humanitarian project in Africa: 12 pupils defined a social project and the work to accomplish. They built 3 classrooms and a sanitary block, working 5 days a week from 8a.m to 4 p.m., they were put up in African families and participated at African mass on Sundays.
– Great Britain: An alumni student in Glasgow proposes to organize a “Tour de France” by bicycle to collect funds for social projects.
– Belgium, Flemish region: An additional meeting will take place on May, 24th on education (in synergy with the Italian and French projects); the federation is trying to put up an association in a Flemish college where there was none, a small working group has been established by alumni from catholic schools.
– Giuseppe Mariano suggests the printing of a membership card of the European Confederation, the association of Turin being well equipped and having the correct software to realise this project. The following discussion shows that it is not clear what could be the added value of such a membership card and how to distribute it, particularly since similar projects in Flanders and Portugal where unsuccessful.
3. World Congress
The President has given a report on the meeting which has just been held with the President (Bernard Thompson), the Secretary (François-Xavier Camenen) of the World Union, Father Salembier, representing Father general at the World Union in Nairobi (Kenya), the alumni/ae and different Jesuit representatives of the African Provinces in order to launch the preparatory work of the next World Congress which will be held in Africa in 2009; he explained the reasons why the venue has been changed namely from July 23rd to 27th 2009 in Bujumbura (Burundi) (the members of the executive committee present in Nairobi having accepted the suggestion having unanimously been ratified by the delegation of African countries) ;
4. Budget of the European Cobnfederation
GianPaolo Marini (treasurer) presented the financial report and asked for payment of the contributions (to allow the Confederation to function for the two following years). The funds situation will be attached to this report and will serve as a reminder to pay the contributions for those federations which haven’t paid their contributions yet for 2007.
5. Representation et presence of the European Confederation in different European networks
Different leads have been submitted by the President to develop the European dimension of the Confederation, the cooperation with different European networks of the Society or of alumni/ae in the apostolate:
– Secondary eductaion: the President and the spiritual assistant will attend as guests the congress of the « JECSE » (Jesuit European Committee for Secondary Education)
– International network of young people: to be present (to decide at the next meeting which form, formal membership or partnership) within inYgo international coordinating the activities of ignatian networks of young people of different countries.
– Social and humanitarian activities: The Network Javier (with SJ NGO’s from 4 European countries) runs important solidarity projects on an international level; the Pedro Arrupe World Association (« social arm » of the World Union) and the JesuitRefugee Service JRS Europe (who organizes among others each year the price award Arrupe for the work done by the pupils of Jesuit colleges in Europe).
– Alumni/ae of catholic schools: Unaec Europe, is a member of the world organisation Omaec, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Rome on All Saint’s Day 2009. Eric will represent the European Confederation as we are a paying member of Unaec Europe, Stephen Gatt (President of the alumni/ae of catholic schools of Malta), Vincenzo Gallinoni, (Honorary President of Unaec Europe) and Laurent Grégoire (President of Cofaec France).
– European construction: relationship with Ocipe to exchange informations.
6. Statutes
Giuseppe Mariano with the assistance of Frank Judo and Jean-François Ledoux (Belgian legal experts) prepared a new version of the statutes; The new version will be sent to all the members to give us the opportunity to approve the statutes at our next meeting in Turin, which implicates the holding of a general assembly with a quorum of 2/3 of its members being present or represented. .
7. Meeting of the young people
cf. summary attached.
8. Next meetings of the European Confederation
The next meeting will take place on March 1st and 2nd 2008 (1st WE) in Turin (Italy)
the themes on the agenda are:
– amendment of the statutes
– next World Congress in Africa
– the implementation of the action plan (communication, partnership with existing Jesuit or
alumni networks (for education, young people, social action…)
– exchange of information about the activities of the federations, particularly the educational
projects (Northern Belgium, France, Italy) and vocational training for young people (project
presented by Germany), responsibilities….
The second meeting will take place in autumn, on October 11th and12th (second WE) at a place which still needs to be determined.
The first meeting in spring 2009 will take place in Budapest at the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Hungarian federation (date to be determined in Turin also).
We also wish to remind that documents (summary of the meetings, the text of the Charta « En todo », the list of the federations, the address book etc.) can be found on the web-site: www.jesuits-europe.info/alumni.
9. Thanks
The Confederation wishes to thank the German Confederation for the very warm welcome in Frankfurt and especially Father Arts for the celebration of mass and his homely, as well as Frank Judo for the interpreting (English-French and vice versa) during the whole meeting.
We also wish to thank the numerous young people who where very motivated and fully engaged.
Bernard Kottrup
Secretary
November 31st 2007