Rest in peace
21 Mar 2016

Rest in peace

by | posted in: Migration, Province News, Social Justice | 0

Fr Andrew Lee Sung-gyoon SJ, the new director of Yiutsari, the Jesuit migrant centre in Korea, reflects on the death of a young Thai migrant worker in Korea and what it says about Korean society.

On February 8, sad news of the death of a young Thai worker came to me. I rushed to the hospital to meet his relatives and friends. According to them, this young man had been too weak to work and had gone to a small local hospital. Several days ago before his death, he decided to go to the general hospital and was hospitalised but he died one day later.

A temporary respite
27 Feb 2016

A temporary respite

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

As usual it began with a phone call.  In the first week of February, a call came through from the staff at the halfway house run by the Ministry of Social Welfare in East Jakarta. A group of people needed some spiritual counsel. The people were Indonesian migrant workers who had been deported from Malaysia. The next day, a group of volunteers who call themselves Care for Migrants Network of the Jakarta Archdiocese visited the shelter and organised a common counseling session and a mass because most of the deportees were Catholic.

Advocating for migrants in the US as Pope visits Mexico-US border
26 Feb 2016

Advocating for migrants in the US as Pope visits Mexico-US border

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Migration, Social Justice | 0

During Pope Francis’ visit to Ciudad Juarez, a Mexican city on the border with the United States, thousands affiliated with Jesuit institutions across the United States echoed his call for a compassionate response toward migrants by holding masses, erecting “mock border walls”, and signing a letter to members of Congress.

Boston College, Creighton University, and Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, California were among a number of schools, parishes, and other ministries that held masses in a display of solidarity with Pope Francis’ mass at Benito Juarez Stadium on February 17.

To hear, understand, and accept refugees
26 Feb 2016

To hear, understand, and accept refugees

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

On January 21, more than 170 Montagnards (Degar Christians) were granted the chance to a fair asylum process by the Cambodian government. They had fled to Cambodia from religious persecution in Vietnam in late 2014 and 2015. Many had endured imprisonment, torture, harassment and violations of their land rights.

This government decision was welcomed by the Jesuit Refugee Service, which has been accompanying the Montagnards since they arrived in Cambodia.

Loyola University Chicago approves Magis fund for undocumented students
24 Jan 2016

Loyola University Chicago approves Magis fund for undocumented students

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Education, Migration, Social Justice | 0

Loyola University Chicago and its Board of Trustees have approved the implementation of the Magis Scholarship Fund, a student-led initiative to support undocumented undergraduate students in the United States. The Board of Trustees finance committee voted unanimously earlier this month to approve the initiative, which will raise approximately USD 50,000 each academic year.

Putting mercy in motion
16 Dec 2015

Putting mercy in motion

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Migration, Social Justice | 0

On December 8, as a concrete sign of commitment to the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) launched the “Mercy in Motion” advocacy and fundraising campaign to expand and strengthen their education programmes. JRS’ goal is to provide educational services to 100,000 more refugees than they currently serve by the year 2020.

Mercy in Motion reflects the words of Pope Francis: “mercy is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality… We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart to see how much generosity everyone is capable of.”

Pope Francis supports global education initiative for refugee children and youth
23 Nov 2015

Pope Francis supports global education initiative for refugee children and youth

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Education, Migration, Social Justice | 0

In a private audience with 15 refugees and friends and staff of Jesuit Refugee Service to commemorate the 35th anniversary of JRS on November 14, Pope Francis emphasised the importance of education for refugee children and youth as a means to build peace and foster the development of more resilient and cohesive societies.