The Conference team is expanding and strengthening.  Consultations between the President and Provincials over several months have resulted in the missioning of Jesuits from various Provinces to core positions in the Conference.  This generosity of spirit will greatly help the Conference to keep the Society in Asia Pacific oriented towards the service of faith and the promotion of justice. 

The appointments announced by Conference President Fr Mark Raper SJ in December are:

• Team for the JCAP Tertianship (from August 2013): Fr Priyono Marwan (IDO) and Fr Ramon Bautista (PHI).  Fr Roger Champoux (PHI) retires as Tertian Instructor after 14 years in the role.

• Socius to the President and JCAP Treasurer (from April 2013): Fr Simon Yi Kuen-sang (KOR-MYN). Fr Simon will also be the Secretary and Development Officer for the Myanmar Mission Fr Benedict Jung will return to Korea after a long absence.

• Delegate for Studies (new position, to commence in 2013): Fr Robin Koning (ASL).  Fr Robin’s responsibilities will include promotion of the shared responsibility for Jesuit studies across the Conference and implementation of anticipated directives on Jesuit studies from Fr General.

• Secretary for Pre-Secondary and Secondary Education (from December 2012):  Fr Chris Gleeson (ASL).  Fr Chris is appointed for an initial two years in order to re-activate the secondary education secretariat, which is an important network of mutual support and inspiration, especially with new educational projects in planning in many units in the Conference.

• Coordinator for the Social Ministries and Coordinator for the Migration Network (from mid-2013):  Fr Benny Juliawan (IDO).  Fr Benny replaces Denis Kim who has served long in this role, doubling with his academic duties at Sogang University and teaching a course also at Loyola School of Theology.  Benny is expected to assume a full time role as Social Ministries Coordinator once he is freed from his duties at Sanata Dharma University.  Benny also takes up a new role for coordination of the services offered to people on the move.

• JCAP team for planning and office systems (January to mid-2013): Fr Hari Suparwito (IDO).  Fr Hari has an interlude between teaching and taking up doctoral studies.  In this time he is asked to help streamline and modernize the JCAP information technology systems.

The search for a Formation Delegate to replace the late Fr Matthias Chae continues.

The Conference also continues to make men available to the Curia, and Fr General recently announced the appointment of Philippine Provincial Fr Jose Cecilio Magadia (PHI) as General Counselor for Formation.  Fr Magadia will take assume oversight for the formation of Jesuits and vocation promotion in October 2013.