JAAI - TO GIVE AND NOT TO COUNT THE COST

 

“To give and not to count the cost” was the motto chosen when JAAI (Jesuit Alumni Association of India) was established way back in 1996 and registered as an organization.

On February 14, 2016 the JAAI Governing Council comprising of 16 elected /nominated members representing all  the Jesuit Provinces and 16 Jesuits representing their  Provinces as coordinators for the Alumni Movement, together with the JEA secretary, Fr. Sunny Jacob SJ, met at Sanjeevan Ashram , Pune for their biennial  meet.

The meeting was well attended. Twenty five alumni flew in from North, South, East and West. Practically every Province was represented either by an alumnus or a Jesuit coordinator.

Although the meeting was a routine one I was impressed  by the enthusiastic participation of the alumni representatives of each Province. They hailed from rich, wonderful, professional backgrounds: there was a doctor, a chartered accountant, an Industrialist, an IT professional, a media person and others engaged  in well placed careers. Their commitment , in terms of time, energy, expertise and money,  to the alumni movement was stupendous. Truly they’re living up to their motto, enthusiastically engaged in promoting the movement in their own milieu and contributing to the alumni movement at large without counting the cost.  A wonderful band of Jesuit Lay Collaborators with no baggage and no salaries. Two Alumni have designed an excellent Power Point Presentation on the ethos of the Jesuit Alumni associations, skilfully tracing its roots and foundation to the spirit of the Founder St Ignatius and co-founder St Francis Xavier, as manifested in the Society of Jesus. Soon this PPP will be made available to all interested in understanding the structure and purpose  of the Movement and in promoting the growth of alumni movements, at the global, national, province and local level. Their concern to intensify, rejuvenate and revitalize alumni  organisation remains a top priority ,viz. to give back to society what they have received from their Alma Maters. The Alumni Exchange Programs, the Blood donation Drive and schemes to assist Jesuit inititiatives are praiseworthy.

Jesuit Alumni/ae congresses have been held systematically and meticulously organized at the global, national, and zonal level at regular intervals to keep the Jesuit Alumni flag flying high. The coming events , whose dates you may want to save, are as follows:

West Zone Alumni Congress :WZC -May 21- 22, 2016, Raia, Goa

Jesuit Alumni Association of India Congresss. : JAAI  July/August 2017 at Ranchi

World Union of Jesuit Alumni  Congress:WUJA   July 2018 at Cleveland,U.S.A.

For more info. log on to www.jaaiindia.com & jaai westzone and spread the word to your Alumni Associations. 

Evarist Newnes, S.J.