The 5th Governing Council (GC) meeting of the Federation of Jesuit Alumni Associations of India (JAAI) was held on 26^th and 27^th March 2022, at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata. As a precursor to the meeting, a session on spiritual conversation was conducted by Rev. Fr. John Ravi, SJ, in the pre-lunch session on 26^th March 2022. This special deliberation on the theme entitled “Invitation to introspect, reinvent and invigorate through the ‘Cannonball Moment’ of St. Ignatius of Loyola (A call for inner-transformation)” made the event more meaningful. A written speech of Rev. Fr. Dr. J. Felix Raj, SJ, Vice Chancellor, St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, was read out on the theme ‘Universal Apostolic Preferences’ (UAPs). The entire spiritual conversation provided the participants with an excellent opportunity to get better insights into the ‘Cannonball Moments’ and the significance of spiritual discourses.

The JAAI GC Meeting comprising GC members, Province Coordinators of Alumni, permanent invitees and special invitees was held on Sunday, 27^th March, 2022. The meeting started with an opening prayer and observing one minute silence in honour and remembrance of the departed souls. It was then followed by the blessing and guidance of Rev. Fr. Jerome Stanislaus D’Souza, SJ, POSA and observation by Rev. Fr John Ravi, SJ, National Advisor, JAAI. The meeting was presided over by Mr. S. Chenthil Kumar, President, JAAI and effectively coordinated by the Mr. Neel Mani Rangesh, Secretary, JAAI. The GC members and other participants provided a brief account of the various socially responsive activities that were undertaken by the alumni associations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic like vaccination camps, distribution of food etc., and also some innovative activities that significantly impacted the weaker sections of society. The meeting also deliberated upon the need for building expert panels of different fields like Doctors etc., for immediate response during any exigencies/requirements; and publication of an edited e-book on “Jesuit Contribution Towards Nation-Building: An Alumni Perspective” etc. The preparation for the 10^th National Congress of JAAI, to be held at Patna, and issues relating to participation at the WUJA World Congress – 2022, were also discussed at the meeting.

Mr. Partha Sarkar
Kolkata

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