Recalibrating our response to the call of the Eternal King
5 Oct 2015

Recalibrating our response to the call of the Eternal King

by | posted in: JCAP News | 0

Recently I was called to Rome for two meetings, the first was a two-week meeting of the Coetus Praevius (Preparatory Committee) for General Congregation 36, and immediately following that, the six Conference Presidents stayed on for our annual meeting with Fr General. The backdrop to our time in Rome could not have been more apt – Syrian refugees were arriving in Europe by the tens of thousands. What I heard from JRS Syria director, Fr Nawras Sammour, about the conditions in Aleppo, Homs and Damascus remains with me still today.

Jesuit universities boost green initiatives
22 Sep 2015

Jesuit universities boost green initiatives

by | posted in: Education, JCAP News, Reconciliation with Creation, Social Justice | 0

Jesuit schools in Asia Pacific are committed to growing green campuses in response to the Society’s growing ecological concern.  As a group, the members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) recognise the need to develop ways to reduce consumption of waste material and to find a means to recycle them. They deem it essential to lessen the consumption of energy, paper and water, and instead make use of clean energy to minimise the emission of greenhouse gases.

GC 36 – Responding to new calls and urgent needs
21 Sep 2015

GC 36 – Responding to new calls and urgent needs

by | posted in: General Congregation 36 | 0

The Preparatory Commission (Coetus Praevius) for GC 36 met in Rome from Monday, August 31 to Saturday, September 12. The task of the group, which included Fr General Adolfo Nicolás SJ and the Conference Presidents, was to draw up an agenda for the upcoming General Congregation.

Postulates

The group examined the 146 postulates that had come in from all over the Society of Jesus. Topics included the renewal of our community and individual lives, our mission, and governance of the Society.

The Asia Pacific face of the promotion of justice
27 Aug 2015

The Asia Pacific face of the promotion of justice

by | posted in: Social Justice | 0

A black and white photograph caught the eye on entering the meeting room for this year’s Social Apostolate meeting in Kuala Lumpur. It showed six men, all Jesuits and all Caucasian, deep in thought. The photograph was taken sometime in 1971 when the Committee for the Development of Socio-Economic Life in Asia (SELA), the predecessor of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific social apostolate office, had a meeting.

My God becomes bigger and bigger
26 Aug 2015

My God becomes bigger and bigger

by | posted in: Interreligious Dialogue | 0

Taiwanese Scholastic Aloysius Hsu SJ shares his experience of Vipassana Meditation and the 2015 East Asia Theological Encounter Programme (EATEP) held from July 22 to August 17 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. EATEP is a programme of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific that provides Jesuits in formation with opportunities to deepen their dialogue with other faiths, particularly Buddhism, and to enrich their perspectives on theology in Asia. 

Prayers for GC 36
17 Aug 2015

Prayers for GC 36

by | posted in: General Congregation 36 | 0

All Jesuit communities and collaborators in the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific are asked to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the forthcoming General Congregation.  In Asia Pacific, our first meeting of General Congregation 36 begins on October 19, 2015 in Manila.

Reminded of who we are called to serve
24 Jul 2015

Reminded of who we are called to serve

by | posted in: JCAP News | 0

Dear friends,

At last week’s assembly of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific the major superiors reflected on Laudato si’ and issued a declaration that seeks to animate a lively response in Asia Pacific.  We urge all Jesuits in our Conference, our colleagues, and all those we seek to serve, to make a thoughtful and generous response to Pope Francis’ plea to reconcile with creation, which is one of our apostolic priorities.

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.