What does the Society of Jesus expect from Jesuit alumni today?
Message for the XI WUJA Congress
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Dear friends in the Lord,
I warmly congratulate the leaders and organizers of the XI WUJA Congress. Your dedication in bringing Jesuit alumni together from across the world reflects the best of our shared apostolic spirit.
The title United in Spirit, Leading with Purpose evokes a call for Jesuits and mission partners to unite in a single mission: the transmission of faith, justice, and reconciliation. This congress is an invitation to all of us — Jesuits and alumni — to join forces and respond with generosity and courage.
Since 2019, the Society of Jesus has been guided by four Universal Apostolic Preferences, confirmed by Pope Francis and reaffirmed by Pope Leo XIV. In approving them, Pope Francis reminded us that the first preference — showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment — is foundational: without it, the other three will not bear fruit. Spiritual rootedness is not a preamble to mission; it is its very heart.
On the Solemnity of Pentecost 2026, Father General Arturo Sosa wrote to all Major Superiors calling for renewed intensity in accompanying young adults towards a hope-filled future. As WUJA participants, you have a unique role in this mission. I invite you to reflect on how you can encourage and inspire young people — especially those on the margins — to discover their part in it. Alumni are not simply beneficiaries of a Jesuit education; they are bearers of the flame, called to pass it on.
May your days in Yogyakarta be marked by deep encounter, genuine discernment, and joyful fraternity. I wish all participants a truly fruitful congress.
United in the Lord,
Fr Jimmy Bartolo, S.J.
Secretary for Education, Society of Jesus