The annual meeting of the South Asian Jesuit Artists’ Forum (SAJAF) was held at Kalahrdaya – the Universal Home of Art and Culture – Kolkata, on 30 Jan – 02 Feb ’26. The participants were eleven Jesuits and one Claretian priest engaged in various artistic ministries across South Asia. The meeting offered a shared space for prayer and reflection, artistic exchange and serious discernment on the vocation and mission of Jesuit artists.
Fr. Stany D’Souza, SJ (POSA), affirmed the importance of Jesuit artists in the mission of the Society of Jesus. Sessions on the Ignatian Vision of Art, Scripture and Art, Art and Culture today, Modern Trends in Literature and Film and the Role of the Jesuit Artist in the Church helped us reflect critically on the purpose of our creative artistic engagement and its apostolic relevance.
The Jesuit artists experienced a strong spirit of belonging and mutual encouragement, strengthened by meaningful personal sharing and rich, artistic, theological and cultural inputs. The Forum reaffirmed art as an integral part of Jesuit mission and invited the Jesuit artists to shape meaningful and context-rooted creative artistic expressions. The artists spoke of their commitment to strengthen SAJAF through collaboration, documentation, public engagement and future gatherings. Kalahrdaya provided an inspiring environment and warm hospitality. The SAJAF is looking for more Jesuit Artists to join and enrich the Forum.
The author is a scholastic doing his second year regency in Timor-Leste and has been assigned to RTEC (Karnataka Regional Theology Centre) to begin his theology studies from June 2018
