As the pandemic situation eased and border controls relaxed, nearly 20 young Jesuit priests who are in apostolic ministries of the Chinese Province met on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival at the beautiful and serene Xavier House in Hong Kong, where they spent time in a spirit of communion while participating in a five-day workshop.
This gathering-cum-workshop, focused on Spiritual Conversation and Discernment in Common, was jointly organised by the newly appointed Assistant for Formation of the Chinese Province, Fr Paul Zhai, Delegate for China, Fr Xavier Zong, along with Ms Sally Law, Formation Officer at Xavier House, Cheung Chau, Fr Elton Fernandes from the Ignatian Spirituality Center in Taipei, Fr John Lee Hua from Manresa Center of Spirituality in Changhua, and Mr Cosmas Tsao, a full-time spiritual director. It was a showcase of creative collaboration across regions and units within the Chinese Province, as well as with laypeople.
To ensure that the workshop did not become too “theory-oriented”, the preparatory team provided five sessions of personal prayers, inviting the young priests to reflect on the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the Chinese Province from their own experience. They were also invited to reflect on “Which would better serve Jesus’ invitation to the Chinese Province: sending scholastics to Manila or studying theology in Taipei?” They discerned which choice would align more effectively with the Province’s mission in the next decade. After the reflection, each person brought the fruits of their prayer back to the group for spiritual conversations and took turns practicing the role of facilitator before returning to the larger group for presentations and exchanges.
Overall, what struck the young priests, who hadn’t seen each other in many years and were spread across the globe, was their profound gratitude for the strong bonds of brotherhood and the desire for communion, which was also felt by the two lay collaborators who acted as facilitators. This sense of brotherhood, experienced through communion, also served as a reaffirmation of their collective identity, as well as the source of fulfilling their mission.
During the heartfelt exchanges, not only were they willing to embrace each other’s vulnerabilities, but they also recognised and celebrated the inherent goodness in one another. At the same time, they felt the positive energy of “upward mobility”, recognising that it is Jesus who desires to bring them all together so that the boat of the Chinese Province can navigate through the waves. This unity and willingness to support and serve each other also led some brothers to let go of past judgements and open up new perspectives on their relationships with their brother Jesuits. Such a sense of brotherhood and community pleasantly surprised the lay collaborators, leaving them hopeful for the future of the Chinese Province.
The young priests also responded very positively to the practice of Spiritual Conversation and Discernment in Common. The most impactful aspect of their experience was the emphasis placed on the “inner movements ” at both personal and communitarian levels. In addition, they gained a deeper awareness of the invitation of Jesus, trying to discern where Jesus wants them to go. They appreciated the details of the discerning process, which brought a new level of depth and practicality, making what they had learned no longer a paper exercise.
Several participants noted that the practice of Spiritual Conversation and Discernment in Common had tangibly benefited their apostolates, particularly in parish governance. They also humbly admitted that they are not yet experts in Ignatian spirituality and that they need continued practice and a deeper understanding of its profoundness.
It is noteworthy to mention that during the workshop, Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of Hong Kong and former Provincial Superior of the Chinese Province, and Fr Stephen Tong Chak-long, the current Provincial, took the time to attend the gathering and presided at the thanksgiving Mass, giving much encouragement to the group. In addition, several Jesuits in formation in Hong Kong came at the end of the workshop to engage with their brothers, whom they had not met or seen in a long time.
In the first large-group sharing session, Fr Provincial Tong urged everyone to read the document on De Statu Societatis Iesu 2023, recently issued by the General Curia, and invited them to reflect on the identity of the Jesuits. Quoting the late American Jesuit spiritual director Fr William Barry, who said, “You are the Society”, Fr Tong encouraged the young priests to demonstrate care for the Society of Jesus and her provinces. He also shared his own experiences from a recent trip to Africa, where he visited different provinces, and answered questions from the assembly.
The young priests left the gathering full of apostolic zeal and with a strong sense of brotherhood and mutual support in the Lord. They will continue to go to different parts of the world, united in mind and spirit, to fulfil the mission entrusted to them by the Society.