Community Retreat
Thirteen mission members plus three novices made their annual retreat at the Carmelite Retreat House in Maubara on July 14 – 22. Fr Danny Huang (PHI), incoming Assistant for EAO for Father Nicolas, gave points each morning on GC 35. His excellent input made the retreat a good experience for all.
Casa Manresa
Bishop Alberto Ricardo blessed the provisional novitiate on the Feast of St. Ignatius. The ceremony began with the Eucharist at 8:00 a.m., and the blessing followed. And then merienda. Jesuit parents and other friends and religious were also invited. The construction on the new building is nearly completed.
Casa Gonzaga
Twelve new candidates will join the second-year candidates in early September. In addition to the current house, the house immediately next to Casa Gonzaga in the same compound will be rented. The owner will complete needed repairs by late August or early September.
Provincial Visitations. Fr Jojo Magadia (Philippines, July 12-16), Fr Larry Tan (Malaysia-Singapore, July 24-28) and Fr Thomas Trung (Vietnam, August 3-9) have recently been guests during their visitations to the Jesuits from their provinces and regions.
Newcomers. Bro Nguyen Ngoc Lam and Sch Bui Van Ngu, both from Vietnam, arrived with Fr Trung on August 3. With hardly a chance to catch their breath, they began language study on August 4. Ngu will teach at Colegio de Sao Jose (CSJ) later on. Lam’s assignment will be determined later. We are very grateful for their presence.
Fr Dibya (IDO) returned from his sabbatical in the US on August 6. He will work both with novices and candidates. Bro EJ Gerilla (PHI) began teaching English to the first-year students at CSJ on August 4.
Travel. Fr Mace left for Manila for his visitation on August 5. While there he will go to Cagayan de Oro to visit Bro Tha. On the way back, he will stop in Singapore for three days to visit the four second-year novices before arriving back in Dili on September 2.