WASHINGTON D.C.: THE WUJA COUNCIL THAT WENT BEYOND A MEETING

WASHINGTON D.C. – Sometimes, a board meeting can be a statement of principles. That’s what happened when the WUJA Council chose the American capital for its November 2025 meeting. The goal was not only to talk among themselves but to touch ground in one of the epicenters of the global Jesuit mission and build bridges with its main actors.

With the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States: A frank conversation with its President, Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ. The message: WUJA is not a nostalgic club but an army of professionals and leaders ready to be “companions in mission” The reception was one of total openness to exploring synergies.

With Educational Power: Meetings with Fr. Robert Reiser SJ -Secretary for Education and leaders of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Jesuit Schools Network. The focus here was on the missing link: how to move from being “graduates” to being “permanent allies” of schools and universities. The need for a fluid transition from student to active alumnus was a recurring theme.

With the Activist Heart: Participation in the massive Ignatian Family Teach-In connected the councilors with the energy and social commitment of the grassroots. It was a powerful reminder that the network lives, above all, through its capacity to serve. The trip to Washington left two certainties. First: key Jesuit institutions in North America recognize and value WUJA’s potential as a global articulator. Second: the model of this council – mixing internal work with strategic immersion in the field – is a success. It shows that global governance cannot live in an ivory tower; it must breathe the air of the communities it serves. Washington was not an endpoint but a starting point for a deeper, more collaborative presence in the region