From September 2007 until March 2008, Fr Roger Champoux (PHI), with the help of Fr William McGarry (MIC), will take charge of ten of our brothers as they go through Tertianship. The new batch of tertians are Frs Raymond P. Guiao (DET), Benedicto M.
Over the past six months seven newcomers from East Timor, Korea and Vietnam have been welcomed into the community at Jesuit Theological College in Melbourne where they will study theology at the United Faculty of Theology.
Eleven second-year novices pronounced their first vows at St. Stanislaus Novitiate, Girisonta, Central Java, on June 24. Together with three former juniors from Arrupe International Residence, Manila, they will start their philosophy formation at Driyarkara School of Philosophy, Jakarta, beginning in the new academic year in September 2007.
The Indonesian Province happily sends 15 new regents this year to various apostolates. Five of them are missioned to Cambodia, Micronesia, Pakistan and Thailand. The others will spend their regency in university (Yogyakarta), student ministry (Jakarta), technical training center (Jakarta), high schools (Jakarta, Mertoyudan/Central Java and Nabire/West Papua), vocational school (Semarang), minor seminaries (Jakarta and Mertoyudan), and parishes (Tarutung/North Sumatra and Yogyakarta).
The celebration last May 27 for Fr Sugiyo Pitoyo’s final vows went very well, and gave much consolation and happiness to all present. Almost all of the Jesuits residing in Thailand were able to attend; several priests from the Major Seminary came; and the church at Xavier Hall was full. There was an enjoyable dinner for the Jesuit community & close friends afterwards.
Fr Christopher Spalatin (KOR) joined the staff of Arrupe International Residence last May 28. He will be one of the spiritual fathers of the scholastics. We are very grateful to the Korean Province for their generosity in allowing Fr Spalatin to help in the formation of our brothers.
The residents of Arrupe House prepared a warm reception for Fr Koichi Matsumoto as he arrived May 1, with a simple turnover ceremony lead by Fr Momose. We thank Fr Momose for his willingness to run the house at the time when the Assistancy was looking for its Rector. And we pray for Fr Matsumoto, and the staff of Arrupe, who will need all the help in taking care of about sixty scholastics.
Fr Pham Minh-Uoc (ASL), JCEAO Socius and Vice Superior of Theologians in Arrupe International Residence, and Fr Pham Van Ai (ASL), Vice Superior of Juniors in Arrupe, will take their final vows on April 21, to be received by Fr Mark Raper, at the 4:30pm Eucharist in the Chapel of the Holy Name, St Ignatius’ College, Athelstone, Australia.
It seems we just started a few days ago, and it is already time to think of departure. After the Christmas Ministries spent in the Mountain Province and in the coastal towns of Isabela Province, the Tertians spent the whole month of January for the Study of the Institute—difficult and challenging but rewarding work that confronts us both with the ideals set forth for us by Ignatius and with the realities of today’s world.
On January 06-07, the staff of the Arrupe International Residence met with Fr. Adolfo Nicolas (JPN), JCEAO President, at the Jansens Spirituality Center on the planning for the future of Arrupe International Residence.