An abridged version of a documentary on 17th century Jesuit Missionary Adam Schall von Bell, produced by Taipei’s Kuangchi Program Service and Nanjing’s Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation was broadcast three times by Central China TV (CCTV) on March 22 and 23. CCTV plans to broadcast the documentary again on its worldwide channel.
In Taipei, the Kuangchi Program Service and the Guanachi Cultural Group, the radio-TV production center and the publishing house of the Jesuits of Taiwan, celebrated 50 years of its service to evangelization. In half a century they have made a noteworthy contribution to social, cultural and religious education following the principles of truth, goodness and beauty.
In August 2008, JESCOMEAO conducted a radio production workshop for Church media personnel in Micronesia organized by Fr Ken Hezel, Superior of the Jesuits in Micronesia. Fr Jerry Martinson (CHN), JESCOMEAO Secretary, conducted the workshop.
From June 30 to July 11, Kuangchi Program Service (KPS) conducted a training course in social communications for 23 students of the Fu Jen University Theologate. Among the students were seven Jesuits – Joseph Bui (VIE), James Boey (MAS), Alberto David (MAS), Alexe Pak (KOR), Xavier Zhong (CHN), Barnabas Vu (VIE) and Elton Fernandes (CSU).
Jesuit Communications Foundation in Manila, in collaboration with the EAPI and JESCOMEAO, conducted an annual one-month Pastoral Communications Workshop for participants coming throughout Asia from May 14 to June 13. Mr. Augustine Loorthusamy (SIGNIS World President, JESCOMEAO Special Assistant) and Fr Jerry Martinson launched this year’s workshop which drew a record number of over 40 participants.
Fr. Richard Leonard (ASL), Director of the Australian Catholic Film Office and the Catholic Church Television, came to Hong Kong on November 12-18 and conducted a one-week program on Mass Media and Ignatian Spirituality.
On June 23, Fr Jerry Martinson (CHN) wrote: Many interesting projects here these days. Yesterday, I videotaped the first four episodes of a new TV series on some very moving stories of handicapped people in Taiwan. Next week, we test fly our communications course for Shenyang Major Seminary professors in China. Say a prayer for this one. The government authorities are being difficult lately. Our Adam Schall production is delayed a bit, but the script is getting better and better.
The KPS community in Taipei is graced with the presence of Bob Ronald. Bob, after having worked as rehabilitator for more than thirty years, and having founded in Taiwan the association Deshandicap, has converted himself into a prolific and inspired spiritual writer: He is not your typical apologist though… His experience with handicap, his love of fables, poems and short stories, his own literary inventiveness, and his down-to-earth, malicious wisdom, all of this has led to his “alternative” achievement in the field of spiritual writing.
Last March 24, Studio Audio Visual Puskat Yogyakarta launched a new film entitled Bethlehem Van Java. The file runs for 63 minutes and is about the history of Catholicism in Java, Indonesia (1896-1926). The writer and director of the film is a young Jesuit and staff at Puskat, Fr Murti Hadi.
“Be the first to think! Be the first to act!” This is the motto of the website developed by the Jesuit Chinese-language monthly Renlai (sponsored by the Taipei Ricci Institute) which is now on line: www.erenlai.com.