Pastoral Confrence 2026

Pastoral Conference

“Sharing the Best We Have: Faith, Community, Mission“

10–13 February 2026 | Loyola, Spain

Dear Colleagues in the JECSE network,

We are delighted to invite you to participate in our upcoming International Conference for Pastoral Coordinators from Jesuit and Companion Schools of the European and Middle East regions. As you may know, every three years we gather people involved in pastoral work, mission and identity, and chaplaincy in our schools to exchange experiences and reflect together on our common mission and the current challenges we face in it. 

The theme we will focus on this year is: Sharing the Best We Have: Faith, Community, Mission

In today’s rapidly changing world, Jesuit schools face profound challenges which are of special concern for pastoral coordinators: how to remain deeply rooted in our faith-based identity while engaging openly and compassionately with a diverse and often secular (postsecular) society? What does it mean to be a Catholic school in the 21st century? How do we form communities that are grounded in the Gospel and Ignatian tradition, while welcoming students and staff of all beliefs and backgrounds? How can we build on the enduring aspects of the Catholic and Ignatian identities of our schools while exploring their dynamic relevance to all our staff and students today? How does openness to and dialogue with different worldviews, cultures, and religions invites us to rediscover and strengthen our own sense of identity?

We are called to reimagine how our schools live out their mission—not only in words, but in the daily life of our communities. Many of us feel the tension between staying true to our foundational values and responding with openness and authenticity to the questions and expectations of today’s young people and their families. At times, even within our own institutions, the meaning of “mission” or “Ignatian identity” can seem uncertain or fragmented. 

At JECSE we are keenly aware that these questions are shared by many of our pastoral agents in schools. 

In this conference, which will take place in St. Ignatius’ birth place, Loyola, Spain, participants involved in pastoral work in schools from all over Europe will have the opportunity to explore how we can deepen our own personal faith and, from there, how we can become more fruitful promoters of our Ignatian mission. We will pay special attention to the mandate to promote in depth faith formation which we received from the 2024 word gathering of Jesuit Educators in Jogjakarta, while also enjoying meaningful times of prayer, reflection, and sharing to strengthen our own faith. 

Pastoral coordinators and agents play a foundational role in the mission of our schools. 

We hope to be enriched by your presence, as much as we trust you will be blessed by this event. We are looking forward to meeting you in Loyola!

                With best wishes,

                                        Agnieszka Baran, JECSE director

  Participants

The conference is intended for those who accompany and care for students in their spiritual growth. We warmly invite members of Pastoral Teams, Mission and Identity officers, and chaplains from both primary and secondary Jesuit and companion schools within the JECSE network.

Each school, in consultation with its Education Delegate, is responsible for deciding who will take part. To ensure representation from all parts of the European region, we have agreed on a limited number of participants for each Province or region. Your Education Delegate will be able to provide you with the details.

Conference language

There will be simultaneous translation into three languages (EN / SP / FR).

Small group meetings for reflection and sharing will be in your preferred language (EN / SP / FR).