Jesuit Mission In Jordan: Nurturing Faith And Community

The Jesuit community in Amman, Jordan, is made up of three members: one from India, one from Egypt, and one from Malta. Together, they are the smallest group of Jesuits among all the countries that make up the Near East and Maghreb Province (PRO) of the Society.

Jesuits have been in Jordan since 1985. Their presence was initially perceived as a potential preparatory step for their return to Iraq, from where they had been expelled in 1968 and 1969, as well as to help in establishing the Pontifical Mission for Palestine in Jordan. A member of the current community regularly travels to Baghdad, where the Jesuits are renovating a house that was recently purchased.

From its inception until 2017, the Jesuit presence in Jordan was a mission of the New England Province in the United States. The memory of many dedicated Jesuits endures in the hearts of those they helped with their unique pastoral care.

The Jesuits collaborate in the mission of the Church in Jordan through two main undertakings: the Jesuit Center and the Sacred Heart Parish. Individually, the Jesuits accompany scores of people in their personal journey through spiritual direction, the sacrament of reconciliation, and Bible Study groups, as well as through the Spiritual Exercises, weekend retreats, and days of recollection for communities of religious sisters or lay people. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) also maintains a small team in Amman.

The Jesuit Center, founded in 1989, provides a range of on-site and off-site programmes designed for the formation of lay Christians. These initiatives include a two-year catechetical formation programme for teachers in Catholic schools in Jordan, conducted in collaboration with Bethlehem University; a nine-month theological formation programme, which is held three evenings per month on weekends; a series of lectures on the Bible in different parishes; monthly pilgrimages to Biblical sites in Jordan for young people; a weekly Mass in Arabic that encourages shared reflection on the Word of God; and a monthly Taizé-style prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with young people. Though limited in scope, the Jesuit Center’s emphasis on the Christian formation of adults and youth represents a distinct contribution to the Church in Jordan.

The Center facilitates weekly formation meetings for the Chaldean (Iraqi Christian) youth group, consisting of approximately 90 members, as well as their weekly choir practice sessions held in our chapel. Additionally, the Center provides a venue for a group of 25 Sudanese refugee children and teenagers, all of whom are Muslim, to engage in refugee-led native music sessions each week. Furthermore, the Center organises English-language classes for urban refugees who aspire to resettle in Australia, Canada, or the United States. These initiatives support refugee outreach and inter-religious dialogue, making significant impact despite limited resources and staff.

Established in 1995, the Sacred Heart Parish is a non-territorial personal parish of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, serving the international English-speaking Catholic community in Jordan. This parish is entrusted to the care of the Jesuits. By 2019, the parish outreach had grown so much that the Jesuits arranged for a Filipino diocesan priest to be assigned to Jordan as pastor of the Filipino community. The Sacred Heart Parish primarily comprises a fluid, frequently changing population, including expatriates employed by international and non-governmental organisations, embassy personnel, migrant workers, and numerous Jordanians who value prayerful liturgies and insightful homilies. The parish is blessed with several dedicated parishioners who organize the Saturday evening liturgies, teach the First Communion and Confirmation classes to children, and invite others to attend church. Currently, parish activities are limited to Amman. The Jesuits celebrate the very well attended Sunday Mass in the Church of St Mary of Nazareth every Saturday evening, and on Sunday evening at the Jesuit Center, where daily Mass is also celebrated on all weekdays at 08.30am.

While the future of this community remains uncertain, it is undeniable that the Jesuits provide a unique contribution to the Church in Jordan. This contribution is widely regarded as a significant blessing by those served by the Jesuit Center, the Sacred Heart Parish, and individual ministries.

By Joseph Cassar, SJ