JCAM Holds First Ignatian Young Adult Ministry and MAGIS Strategic Meeting
The gathering brought together Jesuits, lay collaborators, and youth ministry delegates from all seven JCAM Provinces under the theme “One Mission, Many Frontiers: Aligning Ignatian Young Adult Ministry Across Africa.”
For the first time, those responsible for Ignatian Young Adult Ministry across the Conference met to pray, reflect, and plan together. The meeting created a shared space to listen to one another, learn from different experiences, and develop a common vision for accompanying young people across Africa.
Throughout the week, delegates reflected on the realities facing young people today. While the contexts differ from one country to another, many of the challenges are shared across the continent. Young people continue to face unemployment, migration, poverty, mental health challenges, digital influence, and uncertainty about the future. At the same time, participants recognised the energy, creativity, resilience, and deep desire for meaning that characterise many young Africans.
A key message that emerged from the meeting was the need to move beyond organizing events and instead focus on long-term accompaniment. Inspired by the vision of Father General Arturo Sosa, SJ, delegates reflected on Ignatian Young Adult Ministry as a process of helping young people grow in faith, discern God’s call, build community, commit themselves to justice, and become leaders in both the Church and society.
The programme also benefited from contributions by resource persons from across the Jesuit network. Sessions explored digital ministry, vocational accompaniment, youth social entrepreneurship, justice and ecology, and the changing culture of today’s young people. Special attention was given to preparing African participation in MAGIS Korea 2027 through presentations on the global MAGIS vision, lessons learned from MAGIS Portugal and World Youth Day, and the plans for the upcoming gathering in South Korea.
Greater collaboration among Provinces, stronger formation for Jesuits and lay collaborators, and wider participation of young people in planning and leadership were identified as priorities for the future. Delegates also emphasised that young people should not simply be beneficiaries of ministry but active partners in shaping it.
One of the major decisions of the meeting was the choice of the North West Africa Province to host MAGIS Africa 2028 in Ghana. This will be the first continental MAGIS gathering since the inaugural edition held in Zimbabwe in 2014 and represents an important step in strengthening collaboration among Ignatian young adults across Africa.
As participants returned to their Provinces, they carried with them a renewed commitment to work together in accompanying young people with greater creativity, deeper Ignatian spirituality, and a shared apostolic vision. This first strategic meeting has laid a strong foundation for closer collaboration across JCAM and for a future in which young people continue to play a central role in the mission of the Society of Jesus in Africa.
