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By Fannie Dionne
How can Jesuit parishes truly welcome everyone and empower parishioners to take the lead in their communities?
In this conversation, Fr. Jean Francky Guerrier, SJ, former Associate Assistant for Pastoral Ministry, reflects on how the Universal Apostolic Preferences come to life in Jesuit parishes across Canada. He highlights the ways in which the Universal Apostolic Preferences are woven into parish life and how lay leadership and collaboration are shaping the Church’s future.
Where are we currently standing in the pastoral sector within the province in relation to the UAPs?
I am impressed and consoled by how the parishes are involved with the UAPs.
Showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment is the first of the UAPs, and our parishes really stand out where Ignatian spirituality is integrated into homilies, adult formation, and youth programs. Some parishes have already introduced Ignatian-style retreats and prayer workshops, making discernment more accessible to the faithful.
There is also the preferential option for the poor and the excluded: homeless ministries, food banks, and refugee accompaniment. Those aspects are integrated into our parish activities.
Youth participation is a challenge in many parishes. We are trying to really accompany them, creating some dynamic programs to really to bring them back because we understand they are a very important part of our Church
Following a meeting earlier this year in New Orleans with the other assistants in this sector and lay partners from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, I think it is urgent that we develop some programs to raise awareness in parishes about the intersection between pastoral work and ecological spirituality, the care for our Common Home.
One of the challenges in many apostolates is working with young people. How do you reach out to them?
We will try to make them active in church life, put them in leadership positions, and then make them design what they want. They also participate in other projects like food banks, so they understand they are making a difference in society. Those aspects work, according to the pastors. They also have school, sports, friends, and responsibilities. We know that their lives are demanding.
But having a connection with Christ may improve even the quality of what they can do as human beings. Ignatian spirituality makes them understand how unique and important they are in relation to others and to God.
Where do you see the future of this sector?
One aspect is that lay leadership is essential. Even with a priest in the parish, a lay person can oversee the administration. It relates to the idea of the synodal vision of the Church and of communion. And those lay administrators need training to foster collaboration.
Another aspect is the formation of new priests for parish work. As the Associate Assistant for Pastoral Ministry [Editor’s note: Fr. Vernon Boyd, SJ, has replaced Fr. Guerrier since the interview], one recommendation to the Provincial is that newly ordained Jesuits should have training to work in the parishes. With the university ministry, we make sure the Jesuits are ready to work there. It needs to be the same when we think of parish ministry.
How can we make the Church feel like home for the parishioners? How do we welcome people? It is at the centre of this sector.
How do you feel about the role of women and the welcoming of LGBT+ people in the parishes?
Most of the lay administrators are women in some of the parishes (not Jesuit parishes) which I have visited in Montreal. They have the right and responsibility to tell the pastor if some decisions are not good and the direction he should be taking. The pastor should really be open to this work in dialogue. It is one aspect that I foster in my conversations with pastors.
As for the LGBTQ+ community, I am always encouraged by the All Inclusive Ministries and their monthly Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto. It’s one way we can welcome everybody as persons. Not welcoming them, thinking we can change them, but welcoming them as they are, like Pope Francis said.
Our lives can be transformed by listening to women, LGBTQ+ persons, nonbelievers… All those encounters really shaped my life. I encourage that as the Associate Assistant.
What about collaboration within this sector and with other sectors?
We focus on building bridges. My role is not to tell pastors what to do, but to promote collaboration between them. That is why we have a once-a-month sharing of best practices, for example, that can inspire pastors from other Jesuit parishes in Canada.
Inspired by practices from the Conference, we are also sharing resources on a platform, for example documents for youth groups.
We are also planning to have a lay formation at the Villa Saint-Martin for people from the different parishes to foster collaboration.
