The year 2021 was a season of blessings with a lot of pressing challenges. The Ignatian Year, commemorating the 500th anniversary of Ignatius’ conversion, commenced on 20 May. Fr General invited all of us, Jesuits and companions in mission, to take stock of our life-mission so we may “see all things new in Christ” – the motto of the Ignatian Year. We were also invited to follow the poor and humble Christ as we reflected and prayed over our vow of poverty. In the last quarter of the year, these initiatives to conversion were contextualized when the Synod on Synodality was convened. The Synod called for greater listening, discernment, communion, conversion, participation, and renewed mission in the Church. We are immensely grateful for all the blessings received: the governance restructuring that made Myanmar a dependent Region of the Philippine Province, the launching of the JCAP Plan (2021 – 2025), our hosting of the second Jesuit Education Global Colloquium, and of the 109 Brothers’ gathering, the approval of the China mission proposals, the successful rollout of the two consultors’ workshops, the revision and approval of the JCAP statutes, the Local Superiors’ workshop, the inaugural lecture series of the theologates in South Asia and Asia Pacific on Asian theologies and cultures, the assembly of novices and those in formation, all these and many more were done virtually and creatively. We are immensely grateful to the Lord for all these blessings.
On the other side of the story, we witness the pain and suffering that people endured during the second year of the pandemic. Although everyone is affected, it is the poor and the vulnerable, who have less access to health care and livelihood, that suffer the most. There is also a lingering fatigue and mental stress that people go through amid the uncertainties. The persistent misery of people due to flooding, forest fires, drought, and other natural calamities brought about by global warming and environmental destruction continues at an unprecedented intensity. The breakdown of democratic institutions in Myanmar and the escalating conflict that ensued have caused untold pain and anguish. The protest movements in Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines are signs of growing unrest and political instability. These are a few of the many pressing challenges that we face.
Still, we soldier on with faith, hope, and courage. We press on without quick and clear solutions. We move on as a synodal body eager to listen and learn from each other, willing to encounter surprises in our life-mission, desirous to find the will of God, and committed to allowing the Spirit to accompany us in our journey toward fullness of life and freedom.
Tony Moreno SJ
President, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific
Related story: JCAP 2022 Annual Report now available online