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.
Ten Jesuits recently spent 10 days learning about liturgical music, actually composing pieces as an assignment. They learnt about about the principles of liturgical music and musical composition, teaching music and conducting choirs. They were asked to write songs for liturgical use, which were performed in a recital and used at the Mass at the conclusion of the workshop.
Dong Jun Kim sees his pursuit of a vocation in the Society of Jesus as a miracle, and his disability acquired in childhood as a gift from God.
The 32-year-old has been deaf since childhood, but he has not allowed that obstacle to stop him from a life of service and devotion, nor to dampen his desire to become the first deaf Jesuit priest in Korea and only the second in Asia. But his path has not been easy.
The Chinese Province is offering a 10-day introduction to China for Jesuits interested in learning about the country and the Society’s mission there.
China is one of the apostolic preferences of the Society of Jesus, and the Jesuit Chinese Provincial Fr John Lee SJ said that the aim of China Contact Programme is to provide young Jesuit priests and scholastics with “a better knowledge and first-hand experience of China” as well as “form better and solid young Jesuits for foreign mission in our Society today, especially for the China mission”.
William Paul knows well the challenges that come with preparing Myanmar men for the priesthood: the young man from Western Bago Division was just 21 when joined the Jesuits in 2005, and saw first hand the impact of the country’s authoritarian military dictatorship on his fellow novices.
“Here we have a fear, because of living under the military, a kind of fear to open up oneself to the other person, especially those who have authority,” he says.
Jesuit journals around the world have published an exclusive interview with Pope Francis. The interview was conducted by Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ, editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit journal, over the course of three meetings held in August 2013 in Rome. His questions were consolidated from those sent by several major Jesuit journals including La Civiltà Cattolica, Thinking Faith and America.
The Vietnamese Province of the Society of Jesus has three new priests. Thomas Aquinas Tạ Trung Hải SJ, Joseph Chu Thái Hiệp SJ, and Anthony Nguyễn Thành Nguyên SJ were ordained to the priesthood on August 22, 2013. His Eminence Michael Hoàng Đức Oanh, Bishop of Kon Tum Diocese, presided at the celebration in Thuduc during which five Jesuit scholastics were also ordained deacon. The new deacons are Dominic Vũ Duy Cường SJ, Joseph Bùi Quang Minh SJ, Mathiah Nguyễn Kim Đoàn SJ, Michael Bùi Hà Ngân SJ, Thomas Vũ Ngọc Tín SJ.
“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.
Ignatian News Network provides a behind-the-scenes look at Hearts on Fire, an Ignatian retreat programme for young adults, which is offered by the Apostleship of Prayer in the United States. The day and a half retreat, for single or married people aged 18 to 39, is led by young Jesuit priests and scholastics. In this experience, the retreatants are led through the Spiritual Exercises and are given one-hour guided meditations.
Three Filipino Jesuits came up with an interactive version of the Spiritual Exercises for Ateneo de Manila University’s Ignatian Festival in July. Using installation art, Br Eric Esteba SJ, Sch Alvin Laput SJ and Sch Eric S Escandor SJ developed CONTEMPLATIO, a 45-minute prayer exercise designed mainly for young people who want to deepen their faith and enrich their Ignatian identity.