Annual visit of the President of the European Provincials reaffirms the importance of JRS Europe mission in a changing funding landscape

Fr. Dalibor Renić SJ, President of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials, visited JRS Europe as part of his annual visitation, offering a moment of reflection on the organisation’s role within the broader Jesuit mission in Europe.

During his visit, Fr. Dalibor met with the JRS Europe team to exchange on the current priorities of the Conference and the evolving context in which Jesuit organisations operate across the region. As President of the body that connects Jesuit Provinces and Regions to promote common goals and strengthen cooperation across international initiatives, he emphasised the importance of maintaining close alignment between networks engaged in social justice, humanitarian response, and advocacy efforts.

The visit also included individual meetings with staff members, offering space to share experiences from their daily accompaniment of forcibly displaced people as well as reflections on future perspectives for the work of JRS in Europe. These encounters, rooted in the Ignatian practice, provided an opportunity to strengthen the sense of shared mission that guides the work of the organisation.

A key moment of the visit focused on the increasingly challenging environment faced by civil society organisations working on migration and asylum. In a context where public support and available funding for non governmental organisations are progressively shrinking, Fr. Dalibor highlighted the need to remain grounded in the values that shape the Jesuit apostolate.

He underlined that the mission of JRS cannot be reduced to service provision alone, but must remain closely connected to its spiritual foundation and identity within the Society of Jesus. In times of uncertainty, he noted, this identity becomes a source of resilience, guiding discernment and ensuring that the accompaniment of refugees continues to be carried out with dignity, commitment, and hope.

JRS Europe is one of the four networks of the Social Apostolate in Europe, working alongside the Xavier Network, the Social Centres Network, and the Eco Delegates Network under the mandate of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials. Through this collaboration, the organisation contributes to the shared commitment of the Society of Jesus to promote justice and respond to the needs of those who are most vulnerable.

Fr. Dalibor’s annual visit provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on how JRS Europe can continue to carry out its mission in a rapidly changing social and political landscape, while remaining faithful to the Ignatian values that inspire its work across the region.