Filipino Scholastic Mark Lopez SJ shares on his experience of a five-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat he did in Chiang Mai last summer under the Venerable Abbot Piyatassi Bhikku. The retreat was part of the month-long East Asian Theological Encounter Programme, which provides Jesuits in formation with opportunities to deepen their dialogue with other faiths, particularly Buddhism, and to enrich their perspectives on theology in Asia.
Myanmar is at a crossroads; an exciting point in its history as a nation. One of the poorest, most ethnically diverse and conflict-prone societies in Southeast Asia, Myanmar is now emerging from decades of isolation. Changes are afoot, as the release, election to parliament and recent travel abroad of Aung San Suu Kyi demonstrate. A parliament is in place; interim elections passed without major offences. Many political prisoners have been released. The demands to halt construction of the Irrawaddy Dam project appear to have been heeded.
Sixteen Jesuits participated in the East Asian Theological Encounter Programme (EATEP) held at the Seven Fountains Spirituality Centre in Chiangmai, Thailand from April 16 to May 13, 2012. A programme of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, EATEP provides transformational opportunities for Jesuits to deepen their dialogue with people of different faiths and to enrich their perspectives on theology in Asia.
This year’s Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Programme (APTEP) had a cohort of Jesuit scholastics from the Loyola School of Theology in Manila, diocesan seminarians from the Philippines and Indonesian sisters from the Congregation of Divine Providence.
The Metta Karuna Reflection Centre in Siem Riep, Cambodia hosted an open discussion on faith and its impact and influence on public policy on May 10. The discussion flowed from a lecture delivered by Fr Frank Brennan SJ on “Faith, Social Justice and Public Policy”. Fr Brennan is Professor of Law with the Public Policy Institute,
The Metta Karuna Reflection Centre provided a sacred space for reflection for Hindu, Muslim and Christian peace seekers from Pakistan and Indian Kashmir in March.
“Many said the time of reflection they spent in our inter-faith sacred space helped them crystallise their desires and arouse their imagination for a peaceful way forward,” said centre founder and director of Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia Sr Denise Coghlan RSM. “It was a special moment as Hindus, Muslims and Christians gathered around a very concrete and specific peace challenge in Kashmir.”
Jesuit Service Cambodia continues its Storybook Effect with its two latest books written by its authors Seap and Ponkhaka.
Father AMA Samy SJ discusses his concept of Asian Christology in a recent paper titled Asian Christology will be Mahayana Christology. In it, Fr Samy says that what is sorely needed is a creative Asian Christology and a life of discipleship inspired by such a vision. He argues for a Mahayana vision of Christ and God, and concludes:
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.
The second Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Programme (APTEP) will be held from April 10 to May 8, 2012. Conducted by the Indonesian Jesuits, the one-month programme on “Dialogue with Muslims” was first held in 2011. It was born from the positive successful immersion programme conducted in 2009 with 18 Indonesian Jesuit scholastics living in an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) for two weeks.