The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) Development Officers meeting in Cebu, held from 10 to 14 April, was a joyful gathering for all representatives united by a common mission to serve and accompany the marginalised. We came together from … Continued
I visited Cebu in the hot, humid month of April. It was my first time back in the Philippines after many years, and this time, I returned as a lay collaborator of the Jesuits in the mission of Christ. My … Continued
Development Officers across the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) held an online meeting on 12 April to discuss the performance of their fundraising programmes, the lights and shadows of the previous year, as well as their learnings, priorities, and … Continued
“You can’t have a long face and be a development officer.” These words from Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) President Fr Tony Moreno SJ certainly proved accurate for the development officers of our provinces, regions, and missions, who spent … Continued
Ten Jesuits in Jakarta, Nabire, Yogyakarta, and Manila participated in the London Virtual Marathon on 3 October to help the Indonesian Province Development Office raise funds for Jesuits in formation. In the lead up to the marathon, four other Jesuits, … Continued
Development officers in our Conference left their meeting in Cambodia with renewed spirits and a fresh understanding of their work. Meeting together and sharing both successes and challenges had helped them realize that they are engaged in a common effort to support the mission not only of their own Province, but that of the Society in Asia Pacific and the world. Fr Jorge Serrano SJ, Assistant Treasurer for Development Resources in Rome, had challenged them not to focus only on raising money, but rather on winning committed partners for the common mission.
In the mathematics of synergy, 1 plus 1 does not equal 2, but 3 or more. The sum total of the experience and practical know-how of the group is greater than just the added up experience and contributions of the individuals. This was the case at the recent Development Officers meeting, which brought together representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Timor Leste, and Australia with Karen Goh from JCAP and Fr Jorge Serrano SJ from the Curia in Rome joining as resource persons.
The Jesuits in Timor-Leste have established a new organisation called Jesuit Social Services to coordinate and expand its work in a country still struggling to establish itself following decades of occupation by Indonesia and centuries of colonisation by the Portuguese. The organisation is a natural successor of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which was established in Timor-Leste in 2006 following a period of intense internal conflict and displacement.
Development officers across the Asia Pacific Conference recently gathered in Seoul, Korea to share experiences and discuss plans for the coming year.
Jesuit missionary Fr Gabriel Je SJ witnessed first-hand the extraordinary power of love and commitment when he attended the 60th annual Maytime Fair in Melbourne at the weekend.