Jesuit European Social Centre

26/08/2026

📢 𝗔 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲’𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀

🌍 Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels continues to carry significant economic, social and environmental costs. Energy price volatility affects households and businesses, while heatwaves, wildfires and droughts place growing pressure on communities and ecosystems across the continent.

🤝 Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) has joined over 200 European and international organisations in calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for an independent, science-based roadmap for reducing Europe’s fossil fuel dependence.

✉️ The open letter calls for a clear and credible transition towards affordable, secure and renewable energy. It also calls for public investment to support the transition, strengthen Europe’s resilience and protect workers and vulnerable households. A coordinated European approach is essential to provide long-term direction and ensure that the transition is both effective and fair.

📄 Read the open letter and see the full list of signatories in the attached document: https://eeb.org/en/library/letter-to-president-von-der-leyen-make-this-fossil-fuel-crisis-europes-last-one/

Today, almost 200 European and international organisations, industry associations and national organisations are calling on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to use her State of the European Union address to launch an independent, science-based report with one clear objective: Make this foss...

31/07/2026

Today, 31 July, we celebrate the 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗼𝗹𝗮, founder of the Society of Jesus.

Born in 16th-century Spain, Ignatius left behind a legacy built on discernment, the search for truth, and a commitment to serving the common good. These values continue to inspire the work of Jesuits and their partners across the world.

Happy feast day to all, especially those in the Jesuit family around the globe! 🌍



📷 https://thepioneerwjhs.com/12489/student-life/students-discover-ignatian-pilgrimage/

30/07/2026

From 6 to 10 July, JESC Director Filipe Martins SJ joined the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 (𝗖𝗣𝗔𝗟) for its annual gathering of Social Delegates and Social Centres in Santiago. It was a week of shared reflection on the region's challenges: poverty and inequality, urban violence, democratic backsliding, alongside the diverse Jesuit social projects on the ground.

A highlight of the week was a visit to 𝗛𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼, founded by St Alberto Hurtado SJ, which today runs 200 centres across Chile, serving more than 35,000 vulnerable people each year. A powerful reminder and inspiration for long-term, faith-rooted social commitment.

👉 For more details, and JESC updates, check out our latest 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://mailchi.mp/jesc.eu/inspiration-and-gratitude?e=71f7672ceb

29/07/2026

🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱

On 30 June, the JESC team gathered for its annual "Tempo Forte" retreat, a day to evaluate the year, realign on priorities, and envision the future together. The day included lunch with Renic SJ and Villagran SJ, President and Socius of Jesuit Conference of European Provincials, and closed with a thanksgiving Mass.

It was also a moment of transition. We said a heartfelt farewell to Botond Feledy, ELP Manager since the programme's very beginning, and to Benoît Willemaers s.j., whose quiet and faithful work as Secretary for European Affairs has shaped much of JESC's mission. And we warmly welcome Lucia Trubenova, who is already part of the ELP team, and Motsch SJ, who step into their new roles with our full support and enthusiasm.

A special thank you also to Safae Isham from Universidad Pontificia Comillas, who completed a five-month internship with the JESC Carbon Initiative in mid-July.

All the best wishes to those who leave for the next stage of their journey. And to those who arrive, a heartfelt welcome! 🙏

23/07/2026

🌿 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁: 𝗘𝗟𝗦𝗶𝗔'𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆

On 29 June, the European Laudato Si' Alliance (ELSiA) held its Spring Assembly in Brussels, welcoming two new members: Pax Christi International and New Humanity International NGO (Focolare Movement), and looked back at a year of growing cohesion through shared retreats, joint advocacy on , and dialogue on food policy.

The assembly looked ahead to a letter to EU institutions, continued CAP reform work rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. It was also a chance for a warm welcome to Emmanuelle Huet as ELSiA's new Ecology Advocacy Officer.

Hope keeps taking root wherever people choose to gather and act together for the common good.

👉 elsialliance.org

20/07/2026

🏆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗘𝗦𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗨 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Our congratulations to Rhythm Garg , a student at St Aloysius College Sixth Form in Malta, who has won national recognition at the Malta National Contest for Young Scientists for her project on the environmental efficiency of Maltese schools.

🇲🇹 Her research drew on data from the 𝗝𝗘𝗦𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲‘s environmental audit of St Aloysius Primary School, part of JCI’s pilot programme in Malta, to analyse carbon footprint data and model potential emission reductions. A good example of how robust environmental data can drive evidence-based sustainability strategies in education.

Rhythm will now represent Malta at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in Kiel, Germany, this September. We wish her the very best!

Learn more about JESC Carbon Initiative here: https://carboninitiative.eu/

For more ecology updates, check our Eco-bites newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/jesc.eu/a-heated-month-before-summer-rest?e=71f7672ceb

01/07/2026

🙏 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗮

On 24 June, powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, causing widespread destruction and leaving thousands of families facing urgent humanitarian needs. The full scale of the disaster is still emerging, and emergency responses have begun.

Fe y Alegría Venezuela, Jesuit Refugee Service Venezuela, and other Jesuit partners are on the ground, conducting rapid assessments and providing emergency shelter, essential relief items, protection, and psychosocial support to those most affected.

The Network for Development and Mission has officially activated its emergency protocol, coordinating the Jesuit response across its member organisations worldwide. If your Province or institution receives requests to support Venezuela, please direct them to your local Xavier Network member listed in the link below.

For individuals wishing to contribute, Xavier Network partners across Europe, the Americas, and Australia are ready to receive donations in your country.

👉

The Xavier Network launches a joint emergency appeal for Jesuit works in response to the Earthquake Emergency in Venezuela.

23/06/2026

🇪🇺 𝗘𝗣 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗨 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

On 22 June, Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) and the European Laudato Si' Alliance (ELSiA) hosted a dialogue at the European Parliament on the future of European agriculture and land use, with MEP Manuela Ripa (EEP, DE) as our host.

The discussion centred on a recent study commissioned by the German Catholic Bishops' Conference, presented by Dr Stefan Einsiedel. Its core argument: agriculture today is asked to do it all: produce food, mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity, and sustain rural life... and these goals can no longer be pursued in isolation. What's needed is a systemic approach to land use, one that treats land not just as an economic resource but as a common good with social, ecological, and intergenerational weight.

In the panel that followed — with MEP Waitz (Greens/EFA, AT), Sophie Utner (MIJARC Europe), and Theo Paquet (EEB), moderated by researcher María Cordero-Fernández , speakers explored the ethical stakes of land use, and the gap between the public goods farmers are expected to deliver (biodiversity, carbon storage, water protection) and the support they actually receive for doing so.

The timing matters. With negotiations on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework underway, the future of the Common Agricultural Policy is very much in play at a moment when defence, competitiveness, and energy security are all competing for the same resources.

📑 Read more about the event in our article: https://jesc.eu/food-security-climate-protection/

Thank you to all who joined this rich exchange!

23/06/2026

🇪🇸 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗮

From 19–23 May, social delegates from across the sixteen Jesuit European Provinces gathered in Barcelona. Beyond updates from each province, the week included work on a shared "theory of change" to guide joint action for the next two years, sessions with local experts on migration and political polarisation, and visits to inspiring projects on the ground from MigraStudium to Cristianisme i Justícia. The delegates also visited the Sagrada Família, with its recently completed Tower of Jesus.

📰 Find more details and articles in our latest Just Talk newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/jesc.eu/uniting-faith-and-justice?e=71f7672ceb

20/06/2026

“𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡.” — Pope Leo XIV, 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙨

On this World Refugee Day, we remember that behind every statistic is a person, a family, a story of displacement and hope. At JESC, we are called to solidarity and stand with all those who have been forced to flee their homes.



📷 Photo by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)