A temporary respite
27 Feb 2016

A temporary respite

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

As usual it began with a phone call.  In the first week of February, a call came through from the staff at the halfway house run by the Ministry of Social Welfare in East Jakarta. A group of people needed some spiritual counsel. The people were Indonesian migrant workers who had been deported from Malaysia. The next day, a group of volunteers who call themselves Care for Migrants Network of the Jakarta Archdiocese visited the shelter and organised a common counseling session and a mass because most of the deportees were Catholic.

Set aflame by Magis
26 Jan 2016

Set aflame by Magis

by | posted in: JCAP News | 0

Go, set the world on fire! On January 3, 70 young people, set out to do just that in their home countries – Cambodia, Korea, Myanmar, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Indonesia – after nine days spent in the first Magis JCAP, held at Omah Petroek in Kaliurang Yogyakarta. 

Gearing up for Magis Asia Pacific
25 Nov 2015

Gearing up for Magis Asia Pacific

by | posted in: JCAP News, Spirituality | 0

The first Magis event for the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific begins in a month. On Boxing Day, youth from seven provinces and regions in the Conference will converge in Yogyakarta for the nine-day workshop. Organised by the newly formed JCAP Youth Ministry team, Magis JCAP will help encourage Ignatian Magis formation in Asia Pacific.  It is patterned on the Magis formation programme that the Jesuits in Indonesia have been running for youth since 2008.

Statement on Laudato si’
19 Jul 2015

Statement on Laudato si’

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

We, the major superiors of the Jesuit Conference Asia Pacific, sincerely and enthusiastically welcome Pope Francis’ new encyclical Laudato si’ (On the Care of Our Common Home). He draws attention to the urgent need for reconciliation with creation, already one of our apostolic priorities in Asia Pacific. We urge all the members of our Conference, our colleagues, and all those we seek to serve to make a thoughtful and generous response to the Holy Father’s plea.

It all began with SELA
28 May 2015

It all began with SELA

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

On March 19 around 100 people congregated in Wisma Hijau, Depok, Indonesia to celebrate my 50 years of service with Bina Swadaya (self-reliance development). This is a charitable organisation based in Jakarta which runs 17 companies whose profits go to various social projects. It owes its foundation to a Jesuit priest, Fr John Dijkstra.

Hospitality and solidarity needed in addressing Rohingya
27 May 2015

Hospitality and solidarity needed in addressing Rohingya

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

On May 19, Jesuit Refugee Service Asia Pacific issued a statement calling for Southeast Asian nations and the global community to respond to the suffering of the Rohingya people who have been fleeing Myanmar in unprecedented numbers in recent weeks. Thousands did so by boat and were stranded at sea after being turned away by Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Building a better migration network
27 May 2015

Building a better migration network

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

Visitors to Taiwan are greeted at the Taipei airport by signs welcoming migrant workers to the island country. The authorities provide a lot of information to migrant workers, on their rights as well as precaution measures in place, upon their arrival to the country, even before they meet their agencies or employers. In a country with 23 million people, the presence of more than half a million migrant workers is no small figure.

It was in this setting and context that this year’s Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific Migration Network meeting was held from April 21 to 23.

Winning with a focus on inter-religious dialogue
16 Dec 2014

Winning with a focus on inter-religious dialogue

by | posted in: Interreligious Dialogue, Social Communications | 0

A short film produced by Indonesian Jesuit production house SAV Puskat has won first prize in the 5-minute video category of the SIGNIS Asia Media Awards.  “Dancing of Life” is about inter-religious dialogue in daily life as lived by the villagers of Demangan, Wedomartani and Sleman in Yogyakarta Province.  The film’s central message is “Many faiths, but one mission: love each other”.  

An opportunity for scholastics to learn about Islam
25 Nov 2014

An opportunity for scholastics to learn about Islam

by | | 0

Young Jesuits are being invited to participate in a one-month programme designed to help them understand the lived reality of Islam in our world.  The Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Programme (APTEP) was developed by the Jesuits in Indonesia to help the Society of Jesus respond to the challenges of the Church in the area of interreligious dialogue, especially in Asia.  It will be held from April 20 to May 20, 2015 in Indonesia, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population.