British Jesuit scholastic Stefan Garcia was in the Philippines when Tropical Storm Washi struck, and witnessed the destruction it caused. Stefan is half-Filipino – his mother is English and his father is Filipino – and he grew up in Cebu.
He reflects on his recent visit home.
A group of young Jesuits in the United States has launched a new website called The Jesuit Post. The content will range widely, with hopes of covering “Jesus, politics, and pop-culture … the Catholic Church, sports, and Socrates”.
The first set of articles include pieces on Dr Who, the New Translation of the Roman Missal, Tim Tebow, yoga, Paula Deen, and health care reform.
During the penitential season of Lent, Thinking Faith will be reflecting upon the ‘seven deadly sins’ by relating each of them to a film. It begins with a look at the powerful thriller Seven, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, and examines the history of the seven deadly sins, asking what accounts for their perennial attraction.
Fr Nicholas Austin SJ
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) published in January its strategic framework for the next four years, upon receiving approval of the document from Father General Adolfo Nicolás SJ. The product of extensive consultation throughout 2011, the Jesuit Refugee Service Strategic Framework 2012-2015 provides an inspirational and challenging set of strategies for all 10 JRS regions.
Xavier University has started to help resettle survivors of Tropical Storm Washi. Thousands were rendered homeless by the flash floods that wiped out parts of Cagayan de Oro City in Southern Philippines on December 16 and 17, 2011.
Xavier University is appealing for funds to help the victims of Typhoon Sendong (International Name: Tropical Storm Washi), which struck the southern Philippines on December 17, causing flash floods and landslides.
Typhoon Washi slammed ashore on Mindanao island in the dead of night, sending torrents of water and mud through riverside villages, drowning scores of people as they slept, and sweeping houses out to sea. Tens of thousands of people have been rendered homeless and many are now in evacuation centres. As of December 20, the official death toll was close to 1,000.
Much wisdom can be taught and learnt from stories, and a Jesuit scholastic hopes that his story, “A Fading Dream of an Orphan”, will make people reflect on and act against the destructive nature of war.
The East Asia Theological Encounter Programme (EATEP) in 2012 will be held from April 16 to May 14. The programme, which is in its seventh year, will be held at Seven Fountains, the Jesuit spirituality centre in Chiangmai, Thailand.
At the age of 70, when most people are retired or taking it easy, Australian Jesuit Celso Romanin SJ responded to an urgent call from Jesuit Refugee Service Australia for a priest to provide pastoral care to the detainees on Christmas Island. He had eight years of experience with refugees in Australia, Asia and Africa, yet the prospect of going to Christmas Island at his age was daunting. But he put his reservations before the Lord and ended up spending October with the detainees on Christmas Island.
Ignite café, Jesuit Social Services’ new hospitality training space, officially opened on November 19 with a full house gathered for this and the formal launch of the Mount Druitt Hub community space. The guests included Tony Burke, the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Water, Population and Communities; the Member of Parliament for Chifley, Ed Husic; and Blacktown Mayor Alan Pendleton.