The local and universal dimension of transformation

The mission of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has always been both deeply local and universal. JRS is born in every relationship where we accompany a forcibly displaced person and share our lives for a time. We are moved by the suffering of others, and we care. The core of this relationship involves listening, often in situations of great uncertainty, loss, or trauma. Through listening to each other, we can discover our shared humanity, and space may open for us to imagine a different future. These hopes and aspirations help us see the fullness of life that God has promised to all of us. It is a truly transformative relationship in which God’s presence in our world can become incarnate.

Nothing is more local than these relationships, which lie at the core of JRS and shape its services—our practical help toward a different future. I believe this is what Fr. Pedro Arrupe recognised when he asked JRS to provide a service that is human, pedagogical, and spiritual. At the same time, Pedro Arrupe clearly expressed that there is a universal dimension to this work. Our response to the tragedy of forced migration expresses how we live our humanity. It is a call that extends far beyond merely accompanying refugees. Our actions demonstrate who we are and who we aspire to be before God in this world. This engages us, as a Jesuit apostolate, a religious order, and as members of our societies, in pursuing justice and reconciliation in our social and political systems. We are called to become pilgrims of hope both locally and globally. Because of this great challenge, JRS was established within the General Curia as an apostolate directly under the responsibility of Fr. General.

Since 1980, JRS has embodied both local and universal aspects of its mission in various ways. I remember the iconic image of a group of refugees celebrating the Eucharist in the fields along the Thai-Cambodian border, as well as JRS's significant role in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. I recall the beginning of visits to refugees in detention centres; our numerous social, legal, and medical services in many parts of the world; and JRS becoming a leading force behind the International Detention Coalition, which has become a major advocate for ending the detention of refugees. I also remember the early 1990s when JRS started operating in the large refugee camps of that time. We decided to enter the humanitarian field because many refugees were living in camps regulated by the UN system. The transformative experience of accompanying them inspired us to provide quality education in this humanitarian setting and to develop systematic expertise in education in emergencies.

A structured and articulated response

At the end of Fr. Arrupe's tenure, there were 6–8 million refugees worldwide. Today, more than 120 million forcibly displaced people exist, and their numbers continue to rise significantly. In 2024, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) directly assisted over 1.1 million refugees through projects and programs in 58 countries, with a global budget of USD 102 million and about 11,500 refugee staff members, employees, religious personnel, volunteers, and interns. Demand for accompaniment and services has grown substantially. At the same time, with increasingly restrictive asylum policies and the deliberate dismantling of humanitarian aid, our sense of humanity is being tested even more.

As a Jesuit apostolate, our main contribution to shaping a different future remains the transformative experience of listening to and accompanying refugees—a process that also changes us, is life-affirming, and creates meaning. Our work is crucial in a world filled with aggression and exclusion. To be truly effective in our presence, services, and advocacy for justice and reconciliation, we need a clear and coordinated response now more than ever. JRS has expanded in many places in ways that are often unplanned, driven by local needs. This reflects the local nature and main goal of our work. For a unified effort that supports local initiatives while addressing today’s universal challenges, there is a simple question: Which part of the work do we do better together, in a connected way, instead of reinventing the same actions 58 times in our 58 countries?

Over the past years, we have identified three key areas where the interconnected structure of a global apostolate is particularly useful. The first area emphasizes strong organisational practices and includes global policies, operational standards, and procedures that align all JRS offices work together to maintain quality. For example, clearly defined standards for policies that protect children and vulnerable people, along with oversight of their implementation, are essential. Shared accounting systems that guarantee the reliable management of large sums of money are also vital. Adequate support for staff working in very difficult situations should be available across all JRS offices. These examples are especially important because every activity bearing the name of JRS is viewed by external actors—such as governments, UN agencies, and donors—as part of an international organization. As JRS, we are held accountable.

Secondly, we aim to deliver quality services to refugees in areas like education, livelihoods, mental health, psychosocial support, and reconciliation. These areas require specialised knowledge, and we also contribute to creating such knowledge through our experience of accompaniment. This expertise cannot be offered separately in every country where needed. It requires an organizational structure that can make it available wherever it is needed.

Thirdly, fundraising at the global level with international agencies, global donors, or multiple religious congregations depends on a coordinated approach that includes a clearly defined flow of information among many offices, consistent donor stewardship, and technical expertise in grant writing that cannot be duplicated by each country office.

Besides these organizational issues, messaging and advocacy are crucial in today’s world. We live in a time when our shared humanity is no longer considered. What we have seen in the past with landmine victims and administrative detainees has become much more common. Anyone who is not seen as useful for a specific political or economic goal, in a world of empires trying to expand their spheres of influence, can be discarded, considered irrelevant, and denied care. We can only confront this environment with strong, consistent, and united messaging across many settings that advocate for the world in which we want to live. A different future is possible because we live it together with refugees.

All of the points above call for an organisational structure that extends beyond a network or federation. They urge us to transition from collaboration among offices to the integration of functions, as this produces better results for the mission. As a global apostolate, JRS needs to move beyond a network approach—where different partners temporarily come together around a specific issue—and beyond a federation model, in which several organisations sharing the mission and possibly also the name adopt a common work plan under a charter they follow and dedicate certain resources to.

This became especially clear in 2025 when the U.S. government issued a Stop Work Order, practically ending all funding support to refugee projects overnight. It happened on a Friday. We could not imagine going back on Monday and telling thousands of students that their school no longer existed. Nor could we imagine telling those seeking help through our mental health and psychosocial support programs that no one would be available to talk to them anymore. Instead, we launched a global appeal to keep at least some services running. In the end, we raised USD 4 million out of a shortfall of more than USD 11 million. This was crucial: it helped us avoid breaking our trusted relationships with refugees and prevented services from shutting down abruptly. This response was only possible because organisational structures at JRS were already in place. Information from projects could be collected through established channels. Emergency protocols allowed fundraisers to act immediately. Bridging funds could be mobilised. Equally important, we were able to communicate right away what was happening—an enormous shift in the humanitarian paradigm that could profoundly impact all of us.

Elements of a global apostolate

The vision of JRS as a global apostolate of the Society today can be summarized in five key points.

First, the mission of JRS reflects the broader mission of the Society of Jesus as a work of reconciliation, guided by the Universal Apostolic Preferences. It is rooted in St. Ignatius’s desire to help souls, share the experience of God’s presence in everyone’s life and in our world, and live as witnesses of hope. A key strength of JRS's mission is that the transformative experience of listening and accompaniment is accessible to people of various beliefs and backgrounds, and it brings them together. When selecting projects and programs, JRS uses the criteria for apostolic works outlined in the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus.

Secondly, as a global apostolate, JRS demonstrates the organisation's commitment through a shared strategic framework that guides and prioritises efforts across different local contexts, tailored to their specific realities. Over twelve months in 2024, we conducted this process, involving all JRS offices and including hundreds of contributions from individual team members, refugees, and entire teams. The process was based on a discernment methodology. Starting with a thorough evaluation, we created a context analysis and engaged in a week-long reflection and discernment on enablers for a different future. A foresight-planning exercise focused on future access to protection for forcibly displaced people, developing scenarios of potential developments and challenging our imagination to prepare accordingly. Today, we see that our worst-case scenario has materialised much faster than anyone anticipated. Yet, we are ready to work in a connected way on building refugee agency, strengthening communities, forming new strategic partnerships, and renewing our services in an environment of precarity. There is a shared sense among us of unity and purpose regarding what protection can mean when states and legal systems fail or are dismantled.

Thirdly, as a global apostolate, JRS must define and enhance the implementation of key processes at the global level to support and sustain local operations. This specifically involves effective operational management, resource mobilization with global donors, and programme quality—areas that cannot be adequately managed by each country alone.

Fourth, there is a need for unified teams of staff members that transcend office boundaries and are guided by functional responsibilities, operating under shared leadership. A global apostolate requires strong local teams rooted in listening and accompaniment, capable of developing relevant local services. Without them, nothing would have meaning. At the same time, it requires global support teams with an executive mandate to implement necessary actions under leadership supervision. Communities of practice can exchange experiences and offer advice, but they cannot ensure implementation, which would otherwise remain fragmented.

Finally, JRS can only succeed as a global apostolate if its governance bodies—such as boards and councils—are aligned and act in a unified, coherent, and effective manner to support the definition and implementation of essential functions. This involves a significant responsibility. Members of governance bodies are expected to make decisions for their respective countries or regional offices with an informed understanding of realities beyond their own contexts. Mutual representation within governance bodies can help. As with the operational level, coherence and reliability across governance structures can only be maintained through active, well-informed, and committed bodies that strengthen both local action and global processes.

Mission and identity

The most essential part of JRS's mission is its staff members from diverse backgrounds who are deeply rooted in an experience of transformation. This is especially crucial as we confront a world that relies less on the rule of law, multilateral agreements, and institutions capable of encouraging meaningful dialogue. A world of empires trying to extend their influence continually breeds violence at their borders, as painfully demonstrated in Ukraine over the past four years. Authoritarian regimes also generate violence inside their own borders. We are witnessing an unprecedented surge in hatred and exclusion toward refugees and forced migrants, resulting in deadly border regimes, extended detention, and scapegoating of refugees for unrelated, unresolved issues. This empire-driven world lives alongside neglected peripheries—forgotten crises where entire populations face systematic persecution and terror, with no governments advocating for their human rights. In such a world, conflicts will grow more frequent and brutal, while effective protection measures become increasingly scarce.

It is understandable that one may become frustrated, feel helpless, grow exhausted, mourn the loss of financial resources and organizational tools, or feel overwhelmed by the deadly consequences of an agenda of hatred and destruction. How, then, can our sensitivity survive, and how can we keep it alive? How can we support one another? How do we speak to one another about God’s presence in this world? “As a global apostolate of the Society of Jesus, the fundamental challenge of JRS is to build on an identity deeply shared by its members. As a large organisation scattered throughout the world, acquiring and nurturing identity requires specific and systematic programs.” [1]

I vividly remember a practice from a local team. Most team members were involved in outreach work, but everyone would gather at the local office on Friday afternoons for about an hour. It was a meeting without a formal agenda. One by one, each person shared their experiences from the week—what they observed, the joys they felt, the struggles they faced—and what those experiences meant to them personally. Much of the understanding came simply through speaking aloud. Toward the end, the team reflected on what this meant for their relationships with refugees and the services they provided. I saw this as a form of mutual support that constantly highlighted our transformative presence, even during difficult times. It kept hope alive and provided direction.

A global apostolate should provide systematic opportunities for individuals and teams to nurture our sensitivity and to participate in meaning-making. Several years ago, JRS began focused work on mission and identity to create such opportunities. Currently, there is an online orientation course for all new staff members that engages them with JRS’s mission and values, Ignatian spirituality, strategic framework priorities, and humanitarian principles. Additionally, a toolkit exists for local teams to resource their activities, and we are developing a leadership course for country, regional, and sectoral leaders. This course, which includes 11 modules and will launch later this year, involves participants in leadership practices grounded in their own transformative experiences.

To keep hope alive in the new context, JRS sometimes needs to reassess its presence among refugees in extremely deprived environments. What does accompaniment mean when, due to funding cuts, JRS can no longer operate schools in camp settings; when refugees suffer from malnutrition because food rations have been reduced; and when it becomes impossible for them to think about the future because they are struggling to secure even one meal a day? What impact can our presence have in such circumstances? Supporting local teams that are asked to implement severe cuts while they also have to envision a new horizon is crucial. A global apostolate requires dedicated capacity to provide accompaniment and reflection in these volatile environments and to redefine the mission together with the refugees we accompany.

Finally, a global apostolate requires a structure that enables JRS to communicate about injustice clearly and systematically. In response to the significant changes, we face today for our world order, organized analysis and reflection across teams are crucial to establish the basis for advocacy and new integrated programming.

Governance

Alongside mission and identity, the evolution of governance may be the most crucial factor in further strengthening JRS as an effective apostolic work of the Society. “From the universal dimension of the charism also arises the organisation that makes it possible to carry out the mission of JRS. A global organization for a global apostolate is the originality of JRS as an apostolate of the Society of Jesus.” [2]

Unlike any other work of the Society, JRS is directly governed by Fr. General. This setup makes sense because it allows the Society to address a global challenge to our humanity and provide a universal service. It combines a very local presence with a global approach within a single organisational model.

Under the current JRS Norms and Guidelines from 2012, unity of approach and governance is primarily maintained through a clear line of accountability and appointment. A country director usually reports to a regional director, who reports to the International Director, who then reports to Fr. General. This structure is vital for preserving basic organisational unity and governance and reflects both the charism and the services provided by JRS, as emphasized by Fr. General. However, while the Norms and Guidelines outline the basic structure, they offer little guidance on the additional organisation of operations and governance responsibilities needed to support a universal apostolate. The lessons from recent years are especially relevant here.

Operationally, integrated systems for accounting, project management, and funding sources are now vital. Organised information enhances transparency and enables leadership to discern options and make informed decisions that account for both local and global factors. From a leadership perspective, the current three-tier model—international, regional, and country offices—has revealed challenges. Although accountability lines may be clear, management processes are often poorly defined. This can lead to fragmented leadership that depends heavily on individual directors and may even conflict with the universal charism. Therefore, clearly defining key processes is essential.

Regarding relationships of JRS offices with Jesuit provinces, the unique governance model of JRS can raise questions. Why is a Jesuit provincial not solely responsible for JRS's work in the province, as with other apostolates? How should this be managed in practice? Since many decisions made locally have a broader, universal impact, and vice versa, how can this be considered thoughtfully, based on available information? Lastly, the Norms and Guidelines do not specify legal boards but only advisory councils at the country or regional level, following the Jesuit consult model. However, for practical reasons, most JRS offices today have their own legal entities with boards that hold legal responsibility. These important bodies are not integrated into JRS’s usual governance practices.

These and other examples highlight the need to clarify and update the JRS Norms and Guidelines in the coming years to strengthen JRS as a global apostolate of the Society today and to keep the charism alive. Two directions seem especially important. JRS needs strong, mission-driven local teams fully committed to accompaniment, with country offices capable of managing basic operational functions and aligned with the apostolic approach of their respective Jesuit provinces. At the same time, JRS requires strong regional and international leaders who, as a unified team, can provide governance for the universal charism of the mission. These leaders must be connected through transparent data and clear decision-making processes. In addition to local teams, a global office is essential to support operations, fundraising, and mission-driven transformation as a tool to implement leadership strategy.

The next version of the JRS Norms and Guidelines should further develop the organisational structure by adding to the model of already existing lines of accountability key processes and an interconnected way of proceeding. The emerging world of empires is dangerous for many people—through increased violence and resource deprivation—and it calls us to strengthen our response with clarity.

[1] Fr. General Arturo Sosa SJ, address to JRS country and regional directors, “JRS: Discerning Paths of Hope,” 26 June 2024.

[2] Idem.