History Line
The History Line: A Powerful Tool for Group Facilitation and Discernment
Speaker: Fr. Franck Janin SJ
Expert in Ignatian discernment and group facilitation
How do we help groups surface their shared story? When communities gather to discern their future, they first need to understand their past—the graces received, the challenges faced, the moments that shaped who they are today.
Fr. Franck Janin SJ will introduce the History Line, a dynamic facilitation tool that helps groups map their collective journey visually and spiritually. Whether you're working with parish councils, university leadership teams, religious communities, or apostolic planning groups, this method creates space for honest reflection, mutual understanding, and deeper discernment.
Fr. Janin will explore:
How the History Line works: practical steps from preparation to presentation
Creating safe space for groups to name both graces and difficulties
Using visual storytelling to reveal patterns, turning points, and the Spirit's movement
Adapting the tool for different contexts: large conferences, small teams, cross-cultural groups
Connecting shared history to discernment about future directions
This practical session will equip facilitators, pastoral leaders, and anyone accompanying groups through processes of reflection and planning. The History Line has proven invaluable in synodal consultations, apostolic discernment, leadership transitions, and community renewal.
Join fellow Jesuits and religious, lay collaborators, facilitators, pastoral workers, and all those seeking effective tools for accompaniment and group discernment.
Monday, 26th of January | 2:00pm (CET)
The webinar will be conducted in English with live translation into Spanish and French.
Fr. Franck Janin SJ is a member of the European Francophone Province and has extensive experience facilitating discernment processes across Europe and beyond. He is a member of ESDAC and a key contributor to the "Ignite the Way" initiative supporting synodal transformation in the Church.