A community of solidarity: Xavier Network members meet in Dublin

The member organizations of the Xavier Network met in Dublin, Ireland from March 13 to 15, 2024. The meeting brought together the directors and international programs coordinators of participating organizations from Europe, North America, and Australia, and were generously hosted by Irish Jesuits International (IJI). 

The meeting began with a time of spiritual conversation on our mission and identity as a network, led by Fr. Martin Iriberri SJ, president of the Spanish member organizations Alboan and Entreculturas. We drew inspiration from the Gospel stories of the disciples on the road to Emmaus who failed to recognize Jesus and on Jesus’ exhortation to serve him by serving the least of our brothers and sisters. We reflected on the Xavier Network as a community of solidarity which journeys together to recognize and serve Jesus in the most marginalized women and men in the Global South.  

Xavier Network members at the meeting in Dublin, Ireland. Photo: CJI

We heard from three of our key strategic partners. Caroline Sanga and Fr. Allan Ggita SJ from the Eastern Africa Jesuit Province joined us via Zoom to talk  about the work in South Sudan which is being supported by members of the Xavier Network. Michael Schöpf SJ, International Director of Jesuit Refugee Service and Nacho Eguizábal , Associate Director, as well as Fr. Dani Villanueva SJ, General Coordinator of the international Federation of Fe y  Alegria also joined the meeting. Together, we explored how all of us as international networks of the Society of Jesus, can together best serve people on the margins of society and live out the Universal Apostolic Preferences. We also reviewed the status of current emergencies to which the Xavier Network is responding, including Syria, Ukraine, Haiti, and Nepal.  

As always, the president of the conference of European Provincials, Fr Dalibor Renić SJ and the coordinator of the social apostolate, Fr Filipe  Martins SJ were also present.  The Provincial of the Irish Jesuits Fr Shane Daly SJ welcomed the group and encouraged  the Xavier Network in our journey  of reimagining the mission offices. He expressed the belief that the Xavier Network plays a key role in helping Jesuit Provinces be reminded that there is a bigger world that we are called to serve as part of the universal mission of the Society of Jesus.  

The rich conversations among directors, programs coordinator and our guests helped us to acknowledge the significant ways in which the Xavier Network has grown as a community of solidarity over the years since its inception. Much has been accomplished at the level  of coordination in programming emergency and disaster response, and the development of common policies such as safeguarding policies. Much remains to be done but we share a commitment to cooperation and service.  

Jenny Cafiso
Coordinator, Xavier Network
Executive Director, Canadian Jesuits International