Jesuit European Social Centre

16/10/2026

🌾 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Food connects many of the topics at the heart of Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC)'s work, such as care for creation, social justice, and the wellbeing of future generations.

🌏 This World Food Day, under the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” we are reminded that transforming our food systems means ensuring that everyone can access healthy and affordable food, while respecting the people who produce it and the planet that sustains us.

Through our food policy work and the Our Daily Bread network, we continues to support a fairer and more sustainable food system in Europe.

15/10/2026

🎙️ 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?

We are pleased to welcome Johanna Bernsel, Deputy Head of Cabinet of European Commissioner Glenn Micallef and responsible for the Intergenerational Fairness portfolio

Working at the heart of the European Commission’s work on intergenerational fairness, her participation will bring particularly relevant insight to our discussion on how the new Strategy can inform EU policymaking and strengthen dialogue between European institutions, civil society and different generations.

Join us in Brussels or online and take part in the conversation!

📅 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟵:𝟬𝟬
📍 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗥𝘂𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝟮𝟮, 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀
💻 The event will also be livestreamed. Free participation with registration required.

🔗 More info and registration: https://jesc.eu/the-new-strategy-on-intergenerational-fairness-what-does-it-change/

12/10/2026

🌍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 ?

💡 Will it influence the way Europe makes decisions today with tomorrow in mind? How can we move from a non-binding strategy to concrete implementation? And what role should young people, civil society and faith communities play in holding institutions accountable for future generations?

👥 On 𝟭𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀, we will bring these questions to a high-level panel including Johanna Bernsel, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Glenn Micallef and responsible for the Intergenerational Fairness portfolio; Krzysztof Balon, Vice-President of the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group and co-rapporteur on the Strategy; Kieryn Wurts from the Conference of European Churches CEC; and Filipe Martins SJ, Director of Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) and co-leader of the Fit for Future Generations Initiative.

📅 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 | 𝟭𝟵:𝟬𝟬
📍 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀
💻 Also available via livestream
🎟️ Free, registration required

This will be a chance not simply to present the Strategy, but to ask the harder question: what needs to happen next for intergenerational fairness to become a real principle of European policymaking?

👉 Read more and register:
https://jesc.eu/the-new-strategy-on-intergenerational-fairness-what-does-it-change/

27/09/2026

🌍 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲𝘀.

In his message for this day, 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗼 𝗫𝗜𝗩 invites us to look especially at migrant and refugee children, under the theme “𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻.” Behind every statistic is a child with a story, fears, hopes and an inviolable dignity. As the Pope reminds us: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”
👉 Read Pope Leo XIV’s message:
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/migration/documents/20260811-world-migrants-day-2026.html

May we choose welcome over indifference.

17/09/2026

🌿 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻

Today, we celebrate St Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century Benedictine abbess, theologian, composer and Doctor of the Church.

For Hildegard, creation was a living expression of God’s love, in which humanity, nature and the divine are deeply connected. Her writings explored the relationship between spiritual health, human well-being and the flourishing of the natural world. 🌏

Centuries later, her vision still resonates strongly with the call to integral ecology: to recognise the importance of care for creation and care for one another. Let her wisdom continue to inspire us to protect our common home with responsibility and hope.



Photo: Statue of Hildegard von Bingen by Karlheinz Oswald

11/09/2026

❓𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

✍️ Over the past years, this question has accompanied a great deal of our work at JESC. Together with many partners, we created the Fit for Future Generations initiative, trying to bring a longer-term perspective into European policymaking.

📖 Today, the global catholic magazine La Civiltà Cattolica publishes an article, by Benoit Willemaers and Filipe Martins, about this journey, from Catholic Social Teaching and Laudato si’ to the EU’s first Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness.

🌏 It is also a reflection on responsibility: what kind of world are we leaving to those who come after us?

https://www.laciviltacattolica.es/2026/09/11/equidad-intergeneracional-y-cuidado-de-las-generaciones-futuras/

En su esencia, la equidad intergeneracional representa unaaplicación particular del principio del bien común.

10/09/2026

🛢️ JESC has joined other 30+ Irish and European organisations in urging the Irish EU Presidency to put the issue of fossil fuel profit taxation on the agenda of the next Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting on 18-19 September. This has already been requested by six EU Member States: Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Spain and Portugal.

👉 Read the calls and the rationale behind it below.

30+ Irish and European organisations urge the Irish EU Presidency to put the issue of fossil fuel profit taxation on the agenda of the next Economic and

01/09/2026

🌿 Today marks the beginning of the , an ecumenical period running from September 1st to October 4th (till the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi).

🌊 This year's theme, "Living Water," was inspired by Ezekiel’s vision of a life-giving river: a small stream flowing from the sanctuary that continuously deepens into a river, turning salt water fresh, nourishing fruit trees along its banks, and bringing life to dead places.

🌍 Amid global climate challenges, ecological displacement, ongoing legislative debates, and technical targets... this season reminds us that ecological restoration often begins quietly with the choices we make, the dialogues we open, and a shared commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us.

🙏 Over the coming weeks, we invite you to join communities around the globe to participate in this ecumenical journey of prayer, reflection, and concrete action for our common home.

🔗 Find out more about celebration guides and prayers to participate on: https://seasonofcreation.org/

31/08/2026

🌍 Celebrating the Season of Creation at the European Parliament in Brussels 🌍

Join us on Wednesday, 9 September for a celebratory Mass at the EU Parliament, marking the Season of Creation and promoted by the European Laudato Si' Alliance (ELSIA).

🕣 8:30 – 9:00
📍 Prayer and Meditation Room, EU Parliament (ASP 00H152, ground floor, behind the Expat office)
✝️ Presided by Fr Manuel Barrios, Secretary General of COMECE

All with a valid access badge to the European Parliament are warmly welcome to join us in prayer for peace and social justice. 🙏🌿

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...