The Jesuit Parish Priests’ Meeting
To address the evolving challenges of modern pastoral care, the Church Ministry Commission of the IDO Province recently hosted the 2026 Jesuit Parish Priests’ Meeting. The event was held in two separate sessions to ensure parish services continued uninterrupted. The first session took place from September 1–3, 2026, at Griya Asisi, Bandungan, with 19 Jesuits in attendance. The second session followed on September 15–17, 2026, at Griya Paseban, Semarang, drawing 20 Jesuit participants. Attendees included parish priests and associate parish priests from Jesuit-managed parishes across the Diocese of Banjarmasin and the Archdioceses of Jakarta and Semarang.
Following an opening sharing session, the Provincial of the Indonesian Jesuit Province, Fr. Albertus Bagus Laksana, S.J., presented on current pastoral issues. He expressed profound appreciation for the dedication of Jesuits working in parishes. He highlighted that, unlike many other international provinces, the Indonesian Province has a remarkably strong parish presence spanning Java, Kalimantan, and Papua.
To harness this potential, the Provincial championed more structured collaboration through a dedicated network, or “association,” of Indonesian Jesuit parish priests. By establishing a unified direction and a strong Ignatian identity, Jesuit parishes can contribute more to the local Church. He urged priests to optimize their roles so Ignatian spirituality shines brighter among the faithful. Ultimately, this teamwork aims to bring the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) to life, transforming lay colleagues, Parish Councils, and pastoral teams into true partners in mission.
Fr. Bagus also addressed the impact of rapid technological advancement, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). He urged parish priests to stay sensitive to how these shifts affect modern family values. Amid these lifestyle changes, the Church—through its parishes and schools—must embody the theology of communion (communio). As frontline ministers, parish priests play a crucial role in bridging Church teachings with the daily realities of their communities.
To help priests respond effectively to family crises, the committee invited experts from the Faculty of Psychology at Soegijapranata Catholic University (SCU). Dr. Elizabeth Wahyu Margareth Indira delivered a session titled The Art of Accompanying Families in Facing the Challenges of the Times. Meanwhile, the Dean of the SCU Faculty of Psychology, Dr. Kristiana Haryanti, M.Si., introduced the concept of the family as a system of “interconnected vessels.” This principle highlights how a crisis affecting just one family member can disrupt the entire family dynamic.
Crucially, the speakers reminded priests to recognize the limits of pastoral care. They advised referring families to licensed professionals when dealing with deep-seated psychological issues, severe marital abuse, extreme anxiety, or immediate safety threats.
Dr. Indira emphasized that a priest’s job is not to play the hero or fix every problem instantly. Instead, modern pastoral care should create a safe space that empowers families to uncover their own strengths and solve their issues independently.
After the presentations, the priests broke into mixed groups for interactive sharing. They openly discussed their joys and struggles, exchanged ideas on family ministry, and reflected on their shared mission.
The meeting drew strong inspiration from Decree 19 of the 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus. This decree highlights that Jesuit parishes must be animated by Ignatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises, utilizing both personal and communal discernment. It calls on these parishes to offer robust faith formation, spiritual direction, and pastoral counseling.
Moving forward, the communal reflection highlighted three key directions for future Jesuit pastoral work: prioritizing pastoral accompaniment for youth, deeply integrating Ignatian values into daily ministry, and continuing to develop and empower lay leadership.
