Indonesian Province happily welcomed six Myanmarese and four Thai scholastics at Robert Bellarmine College Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta. They arrived in Jakarta on May 16 and spent their morning visiting some Jesuit formation houses there. They left for Yogyakarta in the afternoon of the same day. On May 18, they began their Indonesian language courses at Sanata Dharma Language Center.
Wedabhakti School of Theology (WST) at Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta held a study day on Contextual Christology in April 24 – 25 on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. Fr JB Heru Prakosa (IDO) and Fr Bismoko Mahamboro, LTh, presented their papers in the seminar on Local Ecclesiologies in Dialogue at Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (JSTB) on May 28 – 31. The seminar was also attended by Fr Mario Francisco (PHI), President of Loyola School of Theology, Manila.
On May 20, the last group of the East Timorese novices in Singapore took their vows at the Loyola Jesuit Novitiate. This date marks the end of seven years of East Timorese participation in that novitiate. Of note is the fact that the Singapore Jesuits never charged at all for this service to East Timor and the Jesuit Conference. For this, we remain ever grateful to the Malaysia-Singapore region.
Fr Lester Maramara (PHI) joins the staff at Arrupe International Residence replacing Fr Manuel (PHI). Fr Pham Van Ai (ASL) turns over his responsibilities as Director of Juniorate to Fr Jeff Chang (MAR), who arrived last June 2. Fr Ai will leave on June 14, visiting Malaysia and Singapore before going teach theology in Vietnam. Also leaving Arrupe Residence is Fr Jim Meehan (PHI), but he continues to generously serve the Conference with his new assignment at the East Asian Pastoral Institute.
In January 2009 the major superiors decided that a working group be set up that will develop better cooperation among the nine Asian schools for philosophy and theology.
The Maryland Province continues to make Fr Jeffrey Chang Gar-lok available under the Chinese Province. Benefiting from the generosity of both Provinces is the Arrupe International Residence (AIR). Fr Jeff will be the new Director of its Juniorate Program beginning mid-2009. At the moment, he is finishing his tertianship in California. He replaces Fr Pham Van Ai (ASL), who will continue his teaching ministry in Vietnam and Australia.
On April 4, the Church of Gesu, Ateneo de Manila University, was overflowing as many came to witness the ordination to the priesthood of Xavier Alpasa, Francis Alvarez, Jason Dy, Oliver Dy, Frank Dennis Savadera,
Sch Wilbert Mireh (MYN) has been approved for theology, and will be continuing his theological studies at Loyola School of Theology, Manila, Philippines. He will be a member of the Arrupe International Residence. Congratulations to Wilbert for his two years of teaching at Xavier School, Truk, Micronesia. Wilbert will begin theology at the beginning of June, 2009. Sch Francis Htjaru (MYN) is assigned to Jesuit Refugee Service, Mae Hong Sohn, Thailand.
Fr Roger Champoux (PHI), Tertian Director, wrote on February 25, "The Common Tertianship is moving very fast toward its end on March 7. The Tertians just came back from their last experiment.
The tertians in Kandy had their Triduum before the program finished on February 27 evening. Prior to that, they had an evaluation and came up with some suggestions for the next programme. In general they are very happy with their tertianship at Kandy. The community, house, facilities, climate, food, programme are excellent.