Democracy as a collective responsibility

On 14 February, Indonesians will exercise their right to elect a new President and Vice President. As Christians—comprising 3.06 percent Catholics (about 8.5 million) and 10.48 percent Protestants (about 20.7 million)—we may wonder about the impact of our collective voice. … Continued

Encountering resilience: JRS Indonesia’s refugee programme

Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, has a long history of being a temporary stop and place of refuge for many refugees and asylum seekers. The country has inadvertently become their extended home, where local communities and organisations such … Continued

The heart of the boy who offered five loaves and two fishes: Cultivating a relationship of trust for peace, migrants, and refugees

In the latter half of September, I accompanied 11 young people from Japan to a peace camp called “Youth Peace Festival”, where they interacted with Korean youth. Throughout the pandemic, our group in Japan had been communicating online with Fr … Continued

River, mountain, people: Reflections from the 12th Service Learning Program

Service Learning Program (SLP) is one of several programmes under the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific. It is attended by students of Jesuit universities around our Jesuit conference. This year, SLP was hosted by Xavier Learning … Continued

An authentic learning experience beyond the classroom

I had just returned to Japan after participating in the Service Learning Program (SLP) in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Every moment of the experience was one of encountering the unknown: the red soil covering a significant portion of the scenery, the … Continued

Companions in social and ecological justice

The annual meeting of leaders in the social and ecological justice sector was held in Rome between 25 and 30 June. The meeting was an opportunity for the six social delegates from each of the six conferences across the world … Continued