Mexico City. From July 21 to 26, Fr. Roberto Jaramillo, SJ, Director of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) of the General Curia of the Society of Jesus, visited the Mexican Province to gain firsthand knowledge of the work carried out by its social apostolate and to strengthen dialogue around the Society's social mission.

As part of this visit, the Gathering of the Social Dimension of the Mexican Province with the Secretary for Social Justice and Ecology was held in Mexico City on July 21 and 22. The event brought together more than 20 representatives from the Province's various social ministries and the Jesuit University System. Over the two days, participants shared experiences and reflected on the challenges facing Indigenous missions, migration, human rights, healthcare, and collaborative work among networks and universities in Mexico.

Following these sessions, Fr. Jaramillo visited several ministries and initiatives of the Province, including Centro Prodh, CIAS por la Paz, the Jesuit Refugee Service, BIOS Medical Center, Fundación Justicia y Amor, the National Dialogue for Peace, and the Sierra Norte de Veracruz Project, in order to see their work up close and strengthen collaboration with their teams. While touring the Sierra Norte de Veracruz Project, he was accompanied by Fr. Enrique Javier Mireles Bueno, SJ, Provincial of the Society of Jesus in Mexico.

In an interview with Jesuits Mexico, the Director of the Secretariat highlighted that one of the greatest strengths of the social dimension in Mexico is the Province's ability to bring together ministries from different apostolic sectors around shared projects.

"The institutional framework" developed in recent years, he explained, has made it possible to foster collaboration and strengthen joint efforts among human rights centers, popular education initiatives, ministries accompanying migrants, healthcare initiatives, and universities. Although he noted that this collaborative work can continue to grow, he emphasized that it already provides a strong foundation for responding to the country's current challenges.

Regarding the principal challenges facing the social apostolate, Fr. Jaramillo stressed the importance of focusing efforts and strategically directing available resources in order to be more effective in addressing the complex issues facing Mexico.

"Perhaps we need to plan our impact more strategically," he said, noting that, given the decline in both human and financial resources, it is essential to prioritize those initiatives capable of having a more decisive impact on social and ecclesial reality.

When asked what distinguishes the Society of Jesus' social apostolate from other organizations committed to justice, Fr. Jaramillo identified three defining characteristics rooted in Ignatian spirituality.

The first is a commitment to justice grounded in faith and in the recognition of the inherent dignity of every human person. "We hold a profound conviction: our work to defend, accompany, and promote justice is rooted in faith. It is not simply an ideological conviction or a political project. We believe that dignity is inherent to us as human beings, as children of God, and as brothers and sisters," he affirmed.

The second trait is discernment, understood as the ability to read the signs of the times in order to guide decision-making and, whenever necessary, adjust one's course. "What happens, what we say, what we do, what we plan... often requires the ability to make corrections based on the discernment we undertake," he explained.

Finally, he pointed to a hopeful vision of reality as a third distinguishing feature—one that seeks to build a more just world from the conviction that justice benefits society as a whole. "We are not working for justice out of bitterness, negative rebellion, or blaming privileged groups. We work for justice because it is good for everyone, and because we recognize that a more just world enables all of us to become more fully human," he concluded.

In his closing message to those serving in the ministries of the social dimension, Fr. Jaramillo encouraged them to go a little further: "As Jesus told his disciples in one of the Gospel passages: put out into the deep. Go a little farther. Be more generous, because the Lord has been exceedingly generous with us and with the Province."

He also urged them to trust that the social apostolate is a mission guided by the Holy Spirit and built through the shared responsibility of Jesuits and lay collaborators alike. In this regard, he emphasized that: "The participation of lay people is a gift of the Spirit. It is not merely a numerical or demographic strategy. We are all called to discern, to share, and to assume responsibility, each according to our own place and vocation."

Lastly, he reminded them that although Jesuits bear a particular responsibility for the institutions entrusted to them, "that does not mean setting aside the voice expressed through the people who work alongside us, and above all through the victims—the very people whose dignity we seek to honor and restore."

Original article by Jesuits Mexico