Dear Friends, 

Happy New Year from the team at the Jesuit Institute! 2025 is underway, and we are contemplating our first-quarter goals and New Year’s resolutions. 

As we consider all that we must do in 2025, we can take some advice from St Ignatius. In a letter addressed to a person seeking guidance on prayer and decision-making, St Ignatius proposed a peaceful approach with trust in God. St Ignatius tells Jerome Vines in 1555, “…do what you can calmly and gently. Do not be disturbed by the rest, but leave to God’s providence what you cannot manage yourself.” With this in mind, perhaps there is an invitation here to make the plans we have to make for 2025, knowing that whatever else happens, God’s grace will lead us and support us. 

Looking ahead to 2025 at the Institute, a lot will be going on. In the first quarter, we have our training programmes. Two programmes will introduce Ignatian Spirituality: Tsoseletsa (at parishes in Soweto and the East Rand) and Hearts on Fire. We will also offer training in spiritual accompaniment and how to lead others through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.  

We will soon have the season of Lent upon us. Keep your eyes open for our Ash Wednesday day of reflection (5 March) and Tuesday night Lenten Lectures. We will also provide daily one-minute reflections on our social media platforms to keep engaged for the 6-week journey until Easter. Finally, if you are looking for a space to get away and pray, there is a 3,5,8-day silent, directed retreat at our Auckland Park retreat centre starting in February (24 Feb - 5 March). For more information, please contact us at retreats@jesuitinstitute.org.za. To register directly on our WhatsApp channel for the Lenten reflections, you can subscribe at the following link:  Lenten Reflections

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all Matric students for their outstanding results for 2024. May God be with you as you embark on your exciting new projects for the year ahead. Let the rest of us ask God to help us trust in his grace and support as we journey with him into 2025.