Jesuit Delegate for Socio-Environmental Apostolate Visits JRS Europe Regional Office

BRUSSELS – The JRS Europe Regional Office welcomed Father Agnaldo Pereira de Oliveira Júnior SJ, Delegate for Socio-Environmental Apostolate of the Conference of Jesuit Provincials of Latin America and the Caribbean (CPAL), for an enriching exchange on June 5th. During his visit to the Brussels headquarters, Father Agnaldo met with the JRS Europe team to learn about the JRS mission in Europe and to share insights about the reality and challenges of Jesuit social apostolate work across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bridging Jesuit Social Mission Across Continents

Father Agnaldo’s visit provided a valuable opportunity for JRS Europe staff to gain deeper understanding of how Jesuit social ministry operates in the Latin American and Caribbean context. The Brazilian Jesuit, who brings extensive experience working with vulnerable populations, shared perspectives on the intersection of environmental justice and forced displacement—issues that resonate strongly with JRS Europe’s mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees and forcibly displaced people.

The dialogue highlighted the global nature of challenges facing displaced communities and the importance of coordinated Jesuit responses across different regions. Father Agnaldo’s background in migration work, particularly his role as former national director of the Jesuit Migrant and Refugee Service (SJMR) in Brazil, provided relevant insights for the European context where JRS Europe coordinates activities across 23 country offices and projects.

Expertise in Migration and Social Justice

Father Agnaldo brings significant academic and pastoral credentials to his current role. He holds degrees in Philosophy and Theology from the Jesuit Faculty (FAJE) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and earned a Master’s degree in Moral and Pastoral Theology as well as International Migrations from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid. His diverse pastoral experience includes work with homeless populations, base communities, children victims of abandonment and violence, people with AIDS, and youth ministry.

This rich background in addressing multiple forms of vulnerability aligns closely with JRS Europe’s strategic priorities, which include ending immigration detention, promoting social inclusion, defending safe and legal pathways to protection, and raising awareness about migration issues.

Strengthening Networks for Global Impact

The visit underscores the importance of collaboration between different branches of Jesuit social ministries worldwide. As CPAL works through social networks including the Network of Social Centers comprising 38 centers across 12 provinces in Latin America and the Caribbean, the exchange with JRS Europe represents an opportunity to share best practices and coordinate approaches to common challenges.

JRS Europe’s recent work, including “The One Proposal” coordinated response to the Ukraine crisis that has served over 127,000 people fleeing violence, demonstrates the impact of coordinated Jesuit humanitarian response. Such experiences provide valuable models that can inform social apostolate work in other regions facing displacement crises.

The meeting reflects the global vision of Jesuit social ministry, where local expertise and regional perspectives contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how to build “human fraternity and socio-environmental justice” as outlined in CPAL’s mission. Father Agnaldo’s insights on environmental challenges in Latin America and their connection to forced displacement offer important perspectives as JRS Europe continues developing its advocacy and policy work with European Union institutions.

This cross-regional dialogue represents the kind of collaboration essential for addressing the complex, interconnected challenges of our time, from climate change to forced displacement, that require coordinated global responses rooted in Jesuit values of justice and solidarity.