CJI Executive Director Jenny Cafiso to students: “Do your best and do it with joy,” Photo: T. Sison/CJI
OTTAWA — Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) Director Jenny Cafiso urged over 80 Catholic high school and university students who participated in a CJI youth gathering to dig deeper and consider every issue from the perspective of those on the margins of society.
Speaking on the last day of CJI’s 2025 Youth for Others Advocacy Symposium held November 16-18 at Saint Paul University, Cafiso stressed that the presence and needs of the poor and marginalized are not abstract. “Even in this room, there are people here who come from countries where there is war, where there is an authoritarian regime, where there is poverty. There are people here who have experienced exclusion,” she said. “So, sometimes we don’t even have to go that far.”
She urged the students, who visited Parliament Hill on November 17, to educate themselves on issues, to question and analyze what various party representatives are saying, and to always examine the real impact of policies on those at the margins. The students had met with some Members of Parliament and attended Question Period on Parliament Hill as part of the symposium’s goal of introducing students to responsible citizenship and teaching them how to effect change through advocacy, interaction with politicians, and visits to MP offices. The symposium, which takes place every two years, brings together students from Jesuit and other Catholic schools across Canada to explore a specific advocacy theme with the support of experts from the international Jesuit network.
Reflecting on the theme of the symposium, Women at the Heart of Justice, Cafiso pointed out that women are among the most marginalized in society. She referenced a statistic shared by one the symposium speakers, Alanna Trines, Indigenous lead and coordinator for the Ottawa Catholic School Board, who said that although Indigenous women compriseonly 3% of the Canadian population, they represent 50% of incarcerated women. This is a reality that “really stuck with me,” said Cafiso, as she underscored that understanding why such imbalances persist is a vital part of social justice advocacy.
She noted how guest speaker, Sr. Laura Vicuña Pereira Manso had shared stories of women’s experiences with exclusion, ecological degradation, and poverty, as well as how they are challenging such situations. Women are not only victims—they are also powerful agents of change and hope, said Cafiso. Sr. Laura is a member of the congregation of the Franciscan Catechist Sisters, a land defender from the Brazilian Amazon, and vice-president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (known as CEAMA)
Cafiso also shared her experiences of visiting refugee camps, where some CJI Jesuit partners provide humanitarian relief, solidarity, and other forms of support. She said that where there is suffering, there is often greater hope. “I always come back full of hope, instead of feeling despair.”
She highlighted the connection between faith and justice, highlighting how this continues to guide the work of Jesuits in Canada and around the world.
In closing, Cafiso encouraged students to let hope and curiosity, rather than cynicism, energize them. “Ask those questions, not as cynics, but as curious people who are committed to justice and peace.”
She told them not to be overwhelmed by the challenges in the world. “What we’re working on today, people before us have worked on. We did our best. Now it’s your turn. You’re going to water those seeds and then people after you are going to maybe reap the harvest or maybe, they will have to keep watering it. We don’t have to do it all. It doesn’t all depend on your generation or the generation after. Indigenous people talk about seven generations.”
But, she said, “do your best and do it with joy,” citing Sr. Laura as an example. Earlier, Sr. Laura had shared with students her experience of working with Indigenous communities whose lands and natural resources have been devastated by mining, agribusiness and other industries. Later in the day, Cafiso noted, Sr. Laura also actively participated in the student talent show by performing a dance with much joy.
The symposium, which takes place every two years, brings together students from Jesuit and other Catholic schools across Canada to explore a specific advocacy theme with the support of experts from the international Jesuit network. This year’s attendees included students from Loyola High School in Montreal, the Ottawa Catholic School Board, St. Paul’s High School and Saint Paul College in Winnipeg, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Carleton University, and the University of British Columbia.
