Living with our neighbours
25 Jul 2011

Living with our neighbours

by | posted in: Migration | 0

An annual sports festival for the Thai and Filipino communities in Gimpo began on June 5 with the opening festival day at Gimpo YIUTSARI.  YIUTSARI, which translates to “living with the neighbours”, is the Jesuit Centre for Migrant Workers.

The two communities have enjoyed the Gimpo Migrant Workers’ Sports Festival every year since the first event in 2006.  This year, after the opening festival day, the Thai community will play soccer for eight weeks while the Filipinos will play basketball for 12 weeks.

Learning beyond the classroom in Mindanao
24 Jun 2011

Learning beyond the classroom in Mindanao

by | posted in: Indigenous Ministry, Reconciliation with Creation | 0

The third Hulas (the Pulangiyen term for training and formation) batch graduated in Bendum on May 28.  

Led by Fr Pedro Walpole SJ, the Hulas initiative reaches out to address the skills and education needs of a growing number of indigenous youth in upland communities in central Mindanao, Philippines.  The youth are encouraged to bring their knowledge and learnings into their personal vision and to use these to help sustain their families as well as the broader community in Upper Pulangi.

Jesuit centres collaborate on migration
24 Jun 2011

Jesuit centres collaborate on migration

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

Jesuit centres serving migrants came together round the table for the first time in a JCAP workshop held in Seoul from May 15 to 17, 2011. The 14 participants from Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and Korea included a representative from the Good Shepherd Sisters’ network.

During the workshop, the group heard from experts about best practices and learned from each other’s experiences. They also heard from migrants themselves.  Joint action was initiated to better accompany and prepare migrants as they move across borders.

JRS marks World Refugee Day
24 Jun 2011

JRS marks World Refugee Day

by | posted in: Migration | 0

June 20 was World Refugee Day, a day that puts the spotlight on the plight of refugees and highlights how they can be treated with dignity and humanity.  This year, World Refugee Day coincides with the 60th anniversary  of the United Nations Refugee Convention, which outlines the rights of refugees and the responsibilities of people hosting them.

Caritas leads ‘tsunami of solidarity’ in Japan
25 May 2011

Caritas leads ‘tsunami of solidarity’ in Japan

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

The earthquake and resulting tsunami that killed some 14,000 last March in Japan has caused another tsunami, this time of solidarity and outreach, said the president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.

“Caritas Internationalis has done a great job coordinating all these resources.  This effort has enabled Caritas Japan in recent weeks to provide food, blankets and basic necessities to more than 10,000 people affected,” said Cardinal Robert Sarah in an interview with XENIT upon his return from a mission trip to Japan in May during which he visited the most affected places.

Connections between Social Justice and Environmentalism
24 May 2011

Connections between Social Justice and Environmentalism

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

Fr Patxi Álvarez de los Mozos SJ, secretary of Social Justice & Ecology for the Society of Jesus, explains the intertwined nature of working for social justice with a connection to ecological issues during this video interview he conducted with National Jesuit News during his visit from his headquarters in Rome to the United States. Fr de los Mozos encourages Jesuits and their partners to work toward justice, peace and environmental care worldwide.

The Sound of Hope
20 Apr 2011

The Sound of Hope

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

When the rector of the Jesuit scholasticate in Tokyo, Fr Juan Haidar, asked me whether I was interested in volunteering for relief efforts of Caritas Japan, I initially hesitated since my command of the Japanese language is not good. Yet I felt moved to respond despite this disability and despite the risks.

Camboren group from Japan visit Jesuit Service Cambodia projects
20 Apr 2011

Camboren group from Japan visit Jesuit Service Cambodia projects

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

Fr Vicente Bonet (JPN) from Sophia University, Japan visited Cambodia with ten members of a group called Camboren (Friends of Cambodia) from February 5 to 13.   The group was there to visit projects they supported last year in cooperation with Jesuit Service Cambodia in Sisophon.  The projects include a small school for a village that did not have one and a house for a very poor HIV-infected widow.

Second report from the Provincial of Japan
24 Mar 2011

Second report from the Provincial of Japan

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

Ten days have passed since my first report on the situation in Japan immediately after the earthquake and tsunami of March 11. The number of victims has increased daily, to over 24,000, as more bodies are discovered and more people are reported missing. Meanwhile, the critical situation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is causing concern not only in Japan but around the world as well. Local farm and dairy products have shown higher levels of radiation, and only yesterday warnings were issued concerning contamination of the Tokyo metropolitan water supply.