“Carry your cross!” This was the challenge of Bishop Honesto Ongtioco to the 13 Jesuit deacons he ordained on September 14, 2013. The Jesuit ordinands included nine from the Philippine Province – Manases L Amanence SJ, Guillrey Anthony M Andal, SJ, Antonio M Basilio SJ, Eric Anthony S Escandor, SJ, Erik John J Gerilla SJ, Jose Emmanuel A Liwanag SJ, Ruben B Orbeta Jr SJ, Neupito J Saicon SJ, and Irmo Fracis A Valeza SJ.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific recently held its first Formation for Jesuit Formators seminar. Held from August 5 to 16 in the Philippines, the seminar is the first of three modules that will be conducted in three consecutive years. The 22 formators who participated are current and future formation directors and staff of novitiates, scholasticates and seminaries in the Conference. They hail from nine provinces and regions – Indonesia, Korea, China, Australia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Malaysia-Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Communicators from across the Asia Pacific region had a first-hand look earlier this month at the vital role the Jesuit film production studio, Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA), is playing in telling the story of one of the world’s newest nations within the country. Twice a week, CPA produces Tetum language programs that appear on prime time television in the country, each reflecting on East Timorese culture and history.
In late June, Singapore suffered from the worst ever haze in its history. The haze came from forest fires in Sumatra, across the Malacca Strait. A row broke out between some government officials in Singapore and Indonesia.
There was much delight at the recent JCAP Education meeting in two significant developments.
Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ, JCAP Education Secretary and meeting chairman, shared that the group learnt a good deal from inaugural Principal, Fr Plinio, about the beginning in January of the new school in Timor-Leste, Colégio de Santo Inácio de Loiola.
A new resource book is available for those interested in learning more about the ecological dimension of the Jesuit mission. Produced by the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific and Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) in the Philippines, Reconciling with Creation contains documents that will help people reflect on and engage in Reconciliation with Creation.
Soon we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, the end of Easter time. “Go, make disciples of all nations”, Jesus instructed after his resurrection, giving his followers a universal mission.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific has published its 2013 annual report, Jesuits in Asia Pacific 2013.
The document offers Jesuits, collaborators and friends a report by Conference President Fr Mark Raper SJ on 2012, articles on four key areas for the Conference that year – education, formation, spirituality and international works, and a brief look forward to 2013.
Development officers across the Asia Pacific Conference recently gathered in Seoul, Korea to share experiences and discuss plans for the coming year.
In conjunction with World Water Day on March 22, the Reconciliation with Creation taskforce in Asia Pacific conference has called for Jesuits and collaborators to be more aware of our responsibility to the world that God created. The need to focus on water is clear as 2013 has also been declared by the United Nations as the Year of Water Cooperation.