On August 4, the delegates to the regional meeting of secretaries of Jesuit education arrived in Yogyakarta. They are Frs Yoshio Kajiyama (JPN), Eric Velandria, representing of Fr James O’Donnell (PHI), Stephen Chow (CHN), Jim Croghan (MIC), Gerry Healy (ASL) and Heru Hendarto (IDO). They were billeted at Kolese Santo Ignatius, the Indonesia province’s formation house (theologate) for scholastics. Each participant was given a conference kit containing the written reports from each delegate, as well as recent publications on the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) by Jesuits from South Asia and the Jesuit Secondary Education Association (USA).
Fr Riyo Mursanto, East Asia and Oceania Regional Secretary for Education, formally convened the group on Saturday, August 5, 8:30 a.m. in the conference room of the Kolese Santo Ignatius’s library. The first session was preceded by a morning prayer led by Fr Yoshio Kajiyama. Then each participant took turns in reporting about his country’s national context and its challenges to the Jesuit educational apostolate. Each reporter also discussed his province’s efforts as well as concerns specifically with regard to the promotion of the characteristics of Jesuit Education and the IPP. The sharing of experiences was further enriched by the clarification questions asked, and/or insightful comments presented, by other participants.
A common concern that surfaced was about how to effectively promote the characteristics of Jesuit education and the IPP in contexts where a growing number of teachers, students, and parents were either non-Catholics or non-believers. Another common concern pertained to the (lay) board of trustees’ appreciation of the Jesuit educational tradition, vision, and values. The day’s meeting was capped by a 6 p.m. mass presided by Fr Gerry Healy. The provincial of Indonesia, Fr Priyono Marwan, joined the delegates for supper and post-prandials.
On the second day of the conference, Fr Heru Hendarto led a morning prayer to commemorate the feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration. After a recap of the previous day’s proceedings, Fr Riyo led the group in planning strategically for the region’s forthcoming activities to promote Jesuit education. The group agreed on the urgency and importance of holding a congress on the characteristics of Jesuit education for school boards in August 2007 either in Cebu, Philippines or in Jakarta, Indonesia. The group chose Fr Adolfo Nicolas as keynote speaker.
There was also a consensus to hold a congress for our teachers and administrators to take a second look at the Roman document, The Characteristics of Jesuit Education on the occasion of its 20th anniversary publication. Furthermore, the body unanimously expressed its desire to have Fr Riyo Mursanto continue his term as Regional Secretary for Jesuit Education. The celebration of the holy Eucharist presided by Fr Eric Velandria capped the second conference day. Fr Riyo then treated the delegates to a tasty Javanese dinner and a lovely cultural presentation of the legend of Rama and Shinta, from the Ramayana epic.
On Monday, August 7, the group left the Kolese at 6 a.m. for a trek to restive Mt. Merapi. Afterwards, the group visited St. John de Britto College, a Jesuit secondary school in Yogjakarta. The rector, Fr Ageng Marwata, the school principal Mr. Sukristiyono, and the administrative staff gave a guided tour of the school. By ten a.m., the group went to visit a couple of diocesan elementary schools run by Jesuits under the St. Peter Canisius Foundation. These schools were badly hit by the July earthquake in Yogyakarta. Fr Hartana, head of the Yogyakarta branch of Canisius Foundation, is currently appealing to other Jesuit schools in East Asia and Oceania for help in the physical rehabilitation of these elementary schools.
Later that evening, Fr Ageng Marwata, led a tour of Yogyakarta’s premier Jesuit University, Sanata Dharma. Then, he treated the group to a sumptuous meal of prawns, fish, and Bintang beer to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of the Society of Jesus in 1814. The meal also concluded the East Asia and Oceania regional meeting of secretaries for Jesuit education.