A Reflection:
Teaching at Kanisius Kalasan, I’m constantly looking for ways to make Ignatian spirituality relevant to the modern age. I found a powerful answer during this year’s leadership development program (LDK), ‘Leaders as Agents of Change.’
The setting wasn’t a peaceful classroom, but the edge of a hot, busy highway. Watching our students form a circle and cheer over the roar of passing cars, I realized they were experiencing a modern-day ‘retreat in the marketplace.’ In that challenging environment, they learned the most important leadership skill of all: staying focused on their core values regardless of the noise around them.
Collaboration and Fraternity
The presence of speakers Mr. Danang, Mr. Didit, and Mr. Yoga from Kolese de Britto High School was a tangible manifestation of the Jesuit network. Also present were Dito and Febri, alumni of Kanisius Kalasan Junior High School and currently studying at Kolese de Britto High School, to share their learning experiences. This collaboration was not just a transfer of leadership knowledge, but a process of sharing life. Through simple games such as “swapping shoes” and the challenge of raising a flag with limited equipment, the students were invited to practice discretion: how to make the right decisions amidst limitations.
Examen: Seeing God’s Traces through the Dynamic Lens
One of the most memorable moments for me was the Examen and three-round spiritual conversation session. In a silence that contrasted with the noise of the highway that morning, the students were invited to look inward through the Johari Window method.
In the small groups we accompanied, I witnessed the vulnerability and extraordinary strength of these young people. They learned to listen to each other with their hearts, a true practice of personalist cura. This is where I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit at work: when a student was able to express their reflections honestly, and the others listened without judgment.
Being a Compassionate Leader
This program offered far more than just lessons in public speaking or organizational management; it ended with a profound commitment to servant leadership. Through independent orations and mini-theatre performances, the students learned how to champion ‘the good news’ through tangible actions within our school community.
Accompanying these 25 students felt like a spiritual journey of my own. It served as a powerful reminder that our mission as educators goes beyond academic excellence (competence). We are here to form individuals with a heart for others (compassion) and a faith that seeks justice (conscience), ensuring that these core Canisius values take deep root in their lives.
From the dusty highway to the silence of our final prayer, one lesson stood out: true agents of change are those who have the vision to find God in all things.
