The power of a genuinely global response
Six months have passed since the “Palm Sunday Typhoon”, Maysak, hit Chuuk, Micronesia on March 29, 2015. Life is almost back to normal at Xavier High School.
Collaborating for peace and justice in Japan and Korea
The Japan and Korea Jesuit Provinces took collaboration a step further in September by holding their first plenary meeting of Jesuits and collaborators working in the social apostolate of the two provinces. The meeting took place on Jeju Island, in conjunction with the 2015 Gangjeong Peace Conference.
To be with, to think with, to act with, to pray with
What does it mean to serve the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised? For starters, it means more than providing them with services. It also means more than giving handouts – monetary or in kind. It means more than helping to give the poor a voice.
Jesuit universities boost green initiatives
Jesuit schools in Asia Pacific are committed to growing green campuses in response to the Society’s growing ecological concern. As a group, the members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) recognise the need to develop ways to reduce consumption of waste material and to find a means to recycle them. They deem it essential to lessen the consumption of energy, paper and water, and instead make use of clean energy to minimise the emission of greenhouse gases.
Experiencing justice and regaining hope
Trung is a man in pain. A 35-year old Vietnamese contract worker, married with two young children under the age of five, he lives in a government shelter in Taiwan recovering from severe burns he received at his workplace two years ago.
JRS urges Australia to increase humanitarian intake
The impact of the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe has jolted Australia into realising that it needs to respond more urgently and generously to the humanitarian disaster caused by the Syrian conflict. Jesuit Refugee Service Australia (JRS) welcomed on September 8 the Australian government’s determination to provide further assistance to those fleeing conflict in the Middle East.
JRS urged the government to increase immediately the current annual humanitarian intake from 13,750 to at least double that, given the scale of the current crisis.
Australian Jesuit Province launches new policy for safeguarding children
On September 8, Fr Brian McCoy, Provincial of the Australian Jesuit Province, flagged the release of the Province Policy for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults. The document is addressed to all Province members and personnel.
Aiding in flood relief efforts
The fury and ferocity of floods becomes more amplified when one sees the situation first hand. The data, descriptions and dashboards of information fail to project the face of people and their experience at the ground level. At the invitation of the Bishop of Kalay (Sagaing division – the place that took the brunt of floods), we visited Kalay. As the plane descends (roads are still to be repaired) an eerie scenario unfolds. A vast expanse of clay mud covers hundreds of acres where there were once villages and flourishing farming communities. Only water now.
The Asia Pacific face of the promotion of justice
A black and white photograph caught the eye on entering the meeting room for this year’s Social Apostolate meeting in Kuala Lumpur. It showed six men, all Jesuits and all Caucasian, deep in thought. The photograph was taken sometime in 1971 when the Committee for the Development of Socio-Economic Life in Asia (SELA), the predecessor of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific social apostolate office, had a meeting.
Solidarity and collaboration for peace
Solidarity in social apostolates is rapidly increasing between the Japan and Korea Jesuit Provinces. In another step towards increased collaboration, the two provinces will hold a bi-province meeting, timed to coincide with the 2015 Gangjeong Peace Conference to be held from September 7 to 9.