Australians today are living in a world where the choices they make have an enormous power to make a difference in the lives of people in developing countries, former Australian Democrats leader Cheryl Kernot told young business leaders at the Jesuit Social Services Just Leadership Breakfast last week. Read more. . .
Isabel Guterres, a former East Timorese refugee and later a Jesuit Refugee Service team member in Thailand, has paid tribute to the Jesuits while accepting the Australian Catholic University’s highest honour, Doctor of the University, at a ceremony in Bacau, East Timor. Read more. . .
Herewith a bit of a report on the last three months or so. In mid-October, Br Ian Cribb joins myself and a Josephite Sister on a five-day visit to homesteads in the Far North, going by four-seater plane to thirteen destinations, spending a half day in each and staying overnight with the families or in the Shearers’ Quarters. People come in from outlying Stations and we meet them and say Mass in some of the homesteads. The Josephite is roving Pastoral Associate, and Ian will reflect on what we might do in the way of the Exercises for such remote people
Though the cold season still embraced the land from Down-Under, the hosts for this year’s Annual Meeting gave their very warm welcome to the participants of the AJCU EAO. Hosted by Fr Frank Brennan and the Australian Province, the members of the AJCU EAO enjoyed Australian hospitality during their stay at Canisius College last 25 – 27 August.
Director for the past few months of Asian Catholic Agency Ucanews, Australian Jesuit Fr. Michael Kelly launched a week ago a new service: CathNews Asia. The service will offer daily news and articles on the Catholic Church of the Asian Continent. This is an enlargement of the services offered by Ucanews – Fr. Kelly said – and will take advantage of his network of more than 250 correspondents. "The major opportunities for the Church of the whole world are in Asia – Fr.
Fr Minh-Uoc (ASL), JCEAO Socius, has had a second stent put into one of his arteries and is recuperating at Norwood in Adelaide. His two procedures went well and he is making good progress. Prayers for his complete recovery.
Congratulations to Fr Chris Wilcock (ASL) on the world premiere of his a capella setting of Cardinal Newman’s text Peace at last, which was beautifully sung by the Newman College Choir from the dining room dome at the end of a College council dinner on March 26.
It was announced this week that Fr Frank Brennan (ASL) will lead a public consultation on Australia’s opinion on human rights. The consultation will ultimately decide if Australia will have its own bill of rights. The announcement, made by Attorney-General Robert McClelland, came with high praise from many circles, including the legal profession and all sections of the media. (Source: Social Apostolate Headlines, December 2008)
MAGiS has launched an extensive, worldwide review of the MAGiS08 programme, inviting participants of the World Youth Day Ignatian programme to take part in it. By gathering together comments, stories, and memories of MAGiS08, the ministry hopes to build an invaluable archive of the programme and to acquire guidance for the ministry’s direction.
With just over two months to go before the arrival of pilgrims in Sydney for World Youth Day, the Ignatian World Youth Day program, MAGiS08, has almost filled its registrations with young adults from 26 countries around the world. The MAGiS Provincial Delegate, Fr Edward Dooley, says he is thrilled that the East Asia and Oceania Assistancy will be well-represented during World Youth Day.