Fr Pollock was on the road for visitations, a homecoming for Fr Vinai, and one more novice for the Region.

Fr Paul Pollock, Regional Superior, made the annual visitation of Myanmar and Thai scholastics/brother at Arrupe International Residence (16 Jesuits) on March 2 to 5; and Truk, Micronesia (1 Jesuit), March 6-7. He returned to Bangkok on March 9.

Thai Region happily welcomed Fr Vinai Boonlue. He completed his tertianship in Sri Lanka on February 28, and has now returned to Chiangmai. The main mission given to him by the Society is to prepare himself for the PhD in anthropology at Chiangmai University, in June 2009. In the meantime, he will be assisting at Seven Fountains, until he begins full time work on the doctorate.

Mr. Narongrit Daowruangpadung (Tua) was accepted to the novitiate. He was part of the post-high-school candidates group, and he applied to the novitiate together with his two companions last December. There were a few intricacies that had to be worked out before he could be accepted. He begins his novitiate in Taunggyi on April 30, 2009. He will go first to Yangon to join the candidacy program and polish up his English. The three Thai men will return to Thailand at the beginning of April 2009, have a family visit, and then be in Taunggyi by April 28. The novitiate will officially begin on April 30, 2009.

Please say a prayer for the present 4 Thai novices who are finishing their last experiment, and will be making their final discernment retreat in the middle of March. (Contributor: Fr Paul E. Pollock)