The 10 tertians in the Asia Pacific Tertianship completed their six-month tertianship in early March. One of them, Fr John Sullivan SJ, contributed this reflection on the experience.
Though centuries old, the Formula of the Institute (1550) still attracts, captivates and somewhat intimidates those who hear it. Saint Ignatius invited all who desire “to serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the cross . . . which we desire to be designated by the name of Jesus” (Formula of the Institute, no. 1). The experience of the 10 tertians in the Asia Pacific programme for 2011-12 has indeed been a time of attending Ignatius’ “school of the heart” (The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, no. 516). We came together in early September 2011 as men from varied backgrounds and interests but we leave the Philippines as brothers and “friends in the Lord” committed in our hearts to proclaim that we have faith in a God who has love for, and, thus, faith in us. We leave with the insatiable desire “to be designated by the name of Jesus.”
Five of the tertians come from this Conference. Fr Agus Setiyono SJ (Indonesia) will return to the Ateneo de Manila for further studies. Fr Bei Witono SJ (Indonesia) will continue his missionary work in Papua but will add school Principal to his many duties. Fr An Jeong-Ho SJ (Fr Isidore), from the Korean Province, will assume the task of founding and governing his Province’s new infirmary. Fr Quyen Vu SJ (Australia), having finished his graduate studies in education at Boston College, will be a vital member of the team establishing a new Jesuit teacher education institute in Timor Leste. And Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ (Philippines), having successfully received his doctorate in agriculture, will begin teaching at Xavier University.
The other tertians are from North America, Great Britain and Tanzania. Fr John Sullivan SJ (English Canada) will become the Pastor of the Jesuit parish in Toronto. Fr Anh Tran SJ (California, USA) recently completed his doctorate at Georgetown University and will teach at the Berkeley School of Theology. Fr Quan Tran SJ (Oregon, USA) will begin his doctorate in spirituality at Regis College in Toronto. Fr Tim Byron SJ (Great Britain) is awaiting his new assignment. Since his ordination he has worked at a Jesuit high school in London, England. Tanzanian Fr Emmanuel Mchopa SJ (Eastern Africa) will likely return to his work as a director at the retreat house in Nairobi, Kenya.
Our tertianship programme is centred on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius but becomes actual or incarnate in the various immersion and apostolic experiments. We spent eight days living with families from Navotas, three weeks among the indigenous people of the Mountain Province during the Novena before Christmas, one month studying the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and three weeks participating in the “Electives,” in which the tertian could choose a particular location and ministry according to the desires of his heart.
Some, like Fr Agus, returned to the Mountain Province. He admitted that while this work was personally challenging, it also opened his heart to be more loving. He said “serving the people from the heart” has made him a more loving Jesuit and priest.
Fr Isidore stayed with a family in “Smokey Mountain” for two weeks. He found his immersion into poverty both difficult and deeply rewarding, and said that “to be poor was not easy at all! The first challenge was how difficult it was to stay clean and the second was the ‘smoky’ air from charcoal fires.” However, the experience allowed him to profoundly grow in his “appreciation of the Incarnation of our Lord”.
In whichever ministry the tertian participated, the result was the same. Echoing Fr Quyen, the people with whom we worked and served helped us to discover “what real hospitality, generosity and humility mean. The true meaning when Jesus asks us to share ourselves and to love our brothers and sisters”.
Finally, it is Fr Isidore’s description of his immersion experience that expresses how we all feel towards God, Fr Roger Champoux SJ (our Tertian Director), Fr Priyono Marwan SJ (his assistant), Filipino Jesuits and the people of the Philippines: “Thank you, my Lord, my God!” To all of you, thank you so much for more clearly revealing God’s face to us and for allowing us to recognize his face within ourselves. Thank you and good-bye. Very gently and with love, we say “Salamat po”.
Tertianship is the final period of formal religious formation for Jesuit priests and brothers. The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific sponsors the Asia Pacific Tertianship annually in Manila. The 2011-12 programme was from September 10, 2011 to March 9, 2012.
For more information about the Asia Pacific Tertianship, contact Fr Roger Champoux at rogerchamp@gmail.com.
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