Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
The spiritual journey we’ve just completed has revealed not only the scope and reach of our service to the People of God but also the remarkable variety of settings in which we carry it out. As I reflect on the depth, significance, and dedication demonstrated throughout our days together, I feel a profound sense of consolation. I can only say: we are blessed, and we have every reason to thank God.
If I had to pick two words as my main takeaways from this symposium, they would be: proximity and fidelity.
Proximity is key to our mission in Africa. Whether we discuss vernacularization, contextualization, adaptation, or inculturation, all these efforts demonstrate a desire to connect with the real lives of our people, those very places where the Resurrection is happening today.
Fidelity, on the other hand, urges us to return to our spiritual roots and to deeply engage with the original spirit of the Spiritual Exercises—those same Exercises that continue to shape, reform, and transform us as ministers of consolation and discernment.
This symposium, unprecedented in its conception, was planned in two stages. The gathering we are now concluding was meant as a form of collective discernment, a brainstorming session guided by the Spirit. God willing, we hope to reconvene in 2027 to begin harvesting the results of this meaningful encounter and to give more focus to our collective effort.
As President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar, I pledge to reflect your aspirations to the Major Superiors and to support them with tangible actions.
I consciously avoid giving final words, because I believe in open-ended conclusions—ones that inspire us to renewed personal and community commitments. Let us leave here not feeling like it’s the end, but with a sense of mission.
I sincerely thank Father Joseph Mboya, Father Jean Luc Enyegue, and the Historical Institute for organizing and making this wonderful symposium happen. I also appreciate each of you for your active participation and generous contributions.
May God bless you abundantly and grant you travel mercies as you return to your respective places of mission.
Thank you.
Fr. José Minaku, S.J.
President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM)
