The recent Formation for Formators programme module turned out to be a time of grace for the participants. Fittingly the theme for this second module was “Spirituality and Formation”.
Module II of the JCAP Formation for Formators programme began with an overview of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific to give context to the significance and importance of ensuring that the quality of Jesuit formation remains high.
Have you ever seen or walked into a fancy handbag boutique selling the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dolce and Gabbana? Even if we have never walked into one, we all know that these bags are pricey, high class, and beyond the reach of most people. What about bags branded “Rag2Riches”? You can find them in major shopping malls in the Philippines and in Anthropologie shops in Singapore, Malaysia and many countries in Europe.
On August 23, 2014, family, relatives, friends, and Jesuits gathered at the Ateneo de Manila University’s Church of the Gesu to celebrate the diaconal ordination of nine Jesuits, one from the Vietnamese Province (Joseph Pham Din Cu), five from the Korean Province (Seokbae Andrew An, Hyungsik Francis Jo, Do-hyun Paul Kim, Min Kim, Jaesang Jason Bonaventura Lee), and five from the Philippine Province (Ambrosio Faustino Flores, Alvin Dagooc Laput, Mark Peter Ledesma Lopez, Arnel Te Ong, Henry Cogal Ponce).
There is no institution so old that it has nothing left to learn – and the Catholic Church must commit to learning about and changing its practices in relation to ecological issues. This was the message from Colombian Jesuit Fr José Mesa, Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education at the Jesuit Curia in Rome and one of the keynote speakers at the JCAP Education Colloquium in Sydney.
Solid formation of Jesuits is critical for the Society of Jesus to effectively carry out of its mission. It was with this uppermost in mind that 20 Jesuits came together in the annual JCAP Formators’ Circle meeting held in Singapore from June 27 to 30. The Jesuits were mainly Formation Delegates of the provinces, regions and missions within the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific as well as rectors of colleges and other key personnel in the area of formation.
Fr Thomas B Steinbugler SJ died at about 9:30 am on June 10 in the Jesuit Residence in the Ateneo de Manila University. He had been suffering from severe pulmonary weakness for some time. Fr Tom was born on Dec 27, 1929, entered the Society on July 30, 1948, and was ordained a priest on June 17, 1961.
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.
How can young Jesuits prepare themselves for future mission? How can they develop leadership and management skills? To begin to address this concern, the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific organized, in collaboration with the Ateneo Centre for Organization Research and Development (CORD), an Essential Management workshop for scholastics.
Annie Abuca, currently the Grade School Assistant Principal for Administration and Supervision at Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu, Philippines, reflects on her experience of the recent Workshop on Ignatian School Leadership for leaders and administrators in Jesuit schools across the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.
Jesuits across Asia Pacific have planned various activities to commemorate the bicentennial of the Restoration of the Society of Jesus. In 1814, Pope Pius VII ordered the restoration of the Society, which had been suppressed in 1773 by Pope Clement XIV.
Globally the year-long celebration of the bicentennial began on January 3, at the mass for the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, which Pope Francis celebrated with fellow Jesuits at the Church of the Gesù in Rome.