Offer to Saint Ignatius at the occasion of the World Congress of Alumni Barcelona 2022

In 2021, the Society of Jesus celebrates the 500th anniversary of the wounding of Ignatius of Loyola at the siege of Pamplona. On this occasion, an Ignatian year has been decreed. WUJA will hold its World Congress in July 2022 in Barcelona. On July 30, the members of the organizing committee of the World Congress participated in a Mass on the occasion of the feast of St. Ignatius in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona, in the presence of Father General. On this occasion, the president of the organizing committee, Francisco Guarner, who is also a member of the WUJA board, entrusted the preparation and success of the future congress to the protection of St. Ignatius, laying a wreath of flowers at the foot of his statue and saying the following words.

We, Alumni of the Sant Ignasi Sarriá school in Barcelona on behalf of all the Alumni of colleges and universities around the world, want to offer this wreath of flowers, that at the end of the Eucharist we will put at the foot of the statue of Saint Ignatius, to entrust the World Congress of Jesuit Alumni that will take place, God willing, next year in Barcelona on these dates of July 2022.

Today especially in this 5th Centenary we want to give thanks for “so much good received” through the Ignatian education and to take up the challenge we Alumni have in collaborating with the ideal of transformation of the world that the Society of Jesus proposes to us at the present time and with it the message and motto of our congress ” united by values, moved by the future “ that is a guide in our lives and on our paths.

We also want to remember the teachings that the recent Covid 19 Pandemic and the recent catastrophes, natural or caused by us, of water and fire have shown us, so that they are a mark and sowing of humility, equality and solidarity among us and towards our Common Home.

Thank you very much Saint Ignatius for your life, for your passage through Barcelona, our city, and that your example help us to know how to ask for forgiveness, and to help and accept others with understanding, seeing everything new in Christ.

Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona July 30, 2021

Francisco Guarner
Member of the Council of WUJA