March 19th, 2010. Sounding resolute and appearing in good spirits, Kyaw Zaw Lwin walked through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday a free man, after spending 6 months in detention in Burma.
A more substantial and organised quest for ways to spread joy by sharing blessings with the world in need, particularly with the poor countries in Asia Pacific, began to bear fruit in Korea. On March 2 , Joy of Sharing Foundation became a registered NGO with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Republic of Korea.
More than 100 Jesuits attended the Province Villa in Baguio City, April 5-11. Fr Manuel Perez, Minister of Ateneo de Manila University’s Jesuit Residence, was in charge. Fr Manny added a special attraction to the festivities when he pronounced final vows there on April 7.
With the increase in the number of scholastics, the Vietnam Province started construction at St Joseph's. Everyone looks forward to 24 new private rooms, a laboratory and a small chapel, and two more big classrooms when the work is finished.
Two Vietnamese scholastics will be going to Rome to work at the Radio Vatican. A third one will be sent to Cambodia.
“The Malatesta Program is envisioned as a person-to-person exchange based on Fr. Ricci's model of establishing friendships among Chinese and American scholars, and providing opportunities for intellectual and cultural exchange through lectures, academic conferences, and joint research and publications. The objective of the program is to promote academic collaboration through an exchange between faculty and graduate students at the three California Jesuit universities and those at selected Chinese universities.” wrote John P. McGarry, Provincial of California.
Fresh faces are filling up the novitiates across Asia Pacific. Last February, Korea accepted five novices. In March, Indonesia welcomed 12 and Australia has three. Philippines has added five. And by the end of April, three more will be in the Myamar Novitiate. Thank you God for these abundant gifts!
16th February 2010 was another mile-stone to celebrate achievement. It is indeed good news of great joy! Sr Denise, Country Director of JRS Cambodia excitedly exclaimed, “Today (16th February 2010) we got the 30 ratifications on the cluster munitions treaty!” This means the treaty will enter into force on 1st August 2010 as a binding international law. “Today we are letting off 104 balloons at Siem Reap, Battambang, Banteay Prieb, and Phnom Penh. 104 is the number of signatories,” continued Sr Denise.
Lian, recently replaced lawyer Taya Hunt as JRS Australia’s representative in Phnom Penh, where she will work with the increasing numbers of asylum seekers arriving in Cambodia.
Paul Knitter is one of the world's leading theologians of inter-religious dialogue and religious pluralism. While remaining Christian and Catholic, he found himself increasingly drawn to the insights and truths of other religions, particularly Buddhism.
eRenlai's March Focus explores the state of inter-religious dialogue within various countries, cultures and grassroots communities in Asia. It starts with an interview of Fr Jerry Martinson (CHN) who talks about meditating with Buddhist monks and the dynamics of interfaith dialogue in Asia through his experiences during and after filming the documentary Pilgrims in Dialogue in 1991.