A similar dream

posted in: Interreligious Dialogue | 0

In June, a group of Jesuit scholastics and priests spent a week in a Islamic boarding school in East Java, as part of the Indonesian Province’s efforts against religious radicalism, one of three concerns the Province has made a priority. Scholastic Billy Aryo Nugroho SJ recounts his experience.

From June 17 to 23, 16 Jesuit scholastics and two priests lived in Islamic boarding school, pesantren in Indonesia. The pesantren was named “Tebu Ireng” and is located in Jombang, East Java.

Buddha and Ignatius

posted in: Interreligious Dialogue | 0

A group of 20 – 19 Jesuits and a Protestant pastor – gathered in Tokyo in August to explore the links between Ignatian Spirituality and Buddhism in the third Buddhist Christian Dialogue Workshop.  Held in Tokyo from August 14 to 16, the workshop was themed “Buddha and Ignatius”.

Dialogue with people of other faiths is particularly important for Jesuits working in Asia, which is home to several major religions such as Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism, and inter-religious dialogue is a major dimension of the Jesuit commitment to be companions of Jesus and servants of his mission.

Learning from our Buddhist brethren

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Filipino Scholastic Mark Lopez SJ shares on his experience of a five-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat he did in Chiang Mai last summer under the Venerable Abbot Piyatassi Bhikku. The retreat was part of the month-long East Asian Theological Encounter Programme, which provides Jesuits in formation with opportunities to deepen their dialogue with other faiths, particularly Buddhism, and to enrich their perspectives on theology in Asia.

The state of the Society

posted in: Beyond JCAP, JCAP News | 0

Representatives from each Jesuit Province converged on Nairobi, Kenya, for the Congregation of Procurators that was held from July 9 to 15, 2012.

The Congregation of Procurators is called into session by Father General every four years after the end of a General Congregation.   The 84 Procurators present were elected by their Provinces and 13 others participated ex officio. There were 7 Procurators from Africa, 14 from Latin America, 18 from South Asia, 7 from Asia Pacific, 29 from South, Central- Eastern and Western Europe, 9 from the United States.  

Korea ordinations

Two Korean Jesuits were ordained priests at the Myeong-Dong Cathedral in Seoul on July 4.  Fr Hyung-chul Simeon Kim SJ and Fr Du-hyun John Kim, SJ both entered the Society in 2002.  More than 800 people joined the Ordination Mass presided by Most Rev. Kyu-man Basil Cho, Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul. During his homily, Bishop Cho asked the newly ordained Jesuits to remember that it is not our capacity that makes the priesthood possible, but the prayers of our parents and the community of faithful. 

Exploring and experiencing Buddhism

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Sixteen Jesuits participated in the East Asian Theological Encounter Programme (EATEP) held at the Seven Fountains Spirituality Centre in Chiangmai, Thailand from April 16 to May 13, 2012.  A programme of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, EATEP provides transformational opportunities for Jesuits to deepen their dialogue with people of different faiths and to enrich their perspectives on theology in Asia.  

Education initiatives, opportunities and challenges

posted in: Education | 0

Education continues to be a priority for Jesuits in Asia Pacific, as the recent JCAP meeting of Province delegates for pre-secondary and secondary education revealed.  

Several new initiatives in education are underway or proposed within the Conference.