Challenges to Collaborate
Sr. Katleho Khang, SNJM
I was introduced to Ignatian spirituality about twenty years ago during my religious formation. Looking back, I believe that this prepared me for this special journey and mission. In 2011, I became part of St. Ignatius Community (Winnipeg, Canada) and, inspired by Jesuit prison ministry, I started thinking of how I could collaborate with the Society of Jesus in the social apostolate.
In 2018, I joined the Jesuit Institute South Africa, which provided an opportunity to directly contribute to the Society’s work of justice and mission. My experience is that Jesuit Social Apostolate plays a crucial role in society, giving a voice to the marginalised. I have particularly worked in South Africa on two projects that focused specifically on gender justice, racial justice, poverty and advocacy for migrants.
I have experienced the presence, support and love of God in my journey in the Jesuit Social Apostolate in many ways. First on a personal level through spiritual conversations which enhanced my personal and spiritual growth. Second, by collaborating with Jesuits who are committed to the work of justice, particularly in Migration. They shared with me some of the struggles, and joys of ministry. One of the highlights was spending a week in refugee and migrants’ camps in Musina, on the Zimbabwe border with the media team from the Jesuit Institute and Fr Rampe Hlobo SJ. If I had not been a collaborator I would not have had this kind of an opportunity in my life. Listening to stories of migrants and refugees fostered trust and gave them the confidence to know that I was ready to listen to them with an open heart. It was an opportunity for growth and challenged me to be more reflective. I received support from the team and the love of God during our end of day reflections.
The Jesuit Social Apostolate has done a tremendous job in many parts of the world, often playing an important role where the institutional structure of the Church sometimes fails to minister to the needs of the larger society. This is what keeps me being a collaborator: being part of a mission that makes an impact on the marginalized and forming people who are increasingly justice conscious.
We live in times when collaboration is much needed in ministry. Collaboration seems to be a challenge for us. I have observed some lost opportunities for collaboration within the Society of Jesus and the larger Church. Moments like these are discouraging, a source of desolation. We need to ask ourselves: what makes it difficult to collaborate with each other and others? What kind of Gospel-based attitudinal change is needed to do what we do for God? We need a more intentional ministry.
Looking back at my journey, both personally and communally, I know that the opportunity to be part of the 50 years celebration of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) will help me understand more the opportunities and challenges of the social apostolate. It will strengthen my commitment and enhance possible collaboration/networking within different conferences. It will be a time to celebrate many decades’ work done by the social sector on justice, reconciliation and peace.
One of the highlights this year was receiving the Jesuit Universal Apostolate Preferences document which clearly focuses the needs of the Church and Society in today’s world for the next ten years. What I find particularly useful in them is the way that they offer a still deeper integration of the Social Apostolate with the broader works of the Society. The Social Apostolate is not so much a single part of the work, but something that should inform ministry in general. As a collaborator whose work is in media and communication this is both an affirmation of what I do – and a challenge to me on how I do my work.
