Resistance to the construction of a naval base at Gangjeong on Jeju Island, South Korea continues although the base is already under construction. The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The most recent significant effort was the Gangjeong Peace Conference and Peace Festival organized by the Jesuit Research Centre for Advocacy and Solidarity (JAS) at the Seoguipo Catholic Parish and Gangjeong Villag
What is the role of Jesuit universities in social justice? This was a question that participants at the recent meeting of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) were asked to consider.
Fr John Che-chon Chong SJ assumes office as Provincial of the Korea Province of the Society of Jesus on September 1, 2014. He was appointed in May by Fr Adolfo Nicolás, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, to succeed Fr John Won-sik Sin SJ, who has served as Korean Provincial for six years from September 2008.
On August 23, 2014, family, relatives, friends, and Jesuits gathered at the Ateneo de Manila University’s Church of the Gesu to celebrate the diaconal ordination of nine Jesuits, one from the Vietnamese Province (Joseph Pham Din Cu), five from the Korean Province (Seokbae Andrew An, Hyungsik Francis Jo, Do-hyun Paul Kim, Min Kim, Jaesang Jason Bonaventura Lee), and five from the Philippine Province (Ambrosio Faustino Flores, Alvin Dagooc Laput, Mark Peter Ledesma Lopez, Arnel Te Ong, Henry Cogal Ponce).
Solid formation of Jesuits is critical for the Society of Jesus to effectively carry out of its mission. It was with this uppermost in mind that 20 Jesuits came together in the annual JCAP Formators’ Circle meeting held in Singapore from June 27 to 30. The Jesuits were mainly Formation Delegates of the provinces, regions and missions within the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific as well as rectors of colleges and other key personnel in the area of formation.
Being able to adapt to new technologies and seize opportunities when they arise are the keys to a successful media organisation, delegates at the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) Social Communications meeting in Taiwan heard last month.
“Media comes from grabbing opportunities,” said Director of Kuangchi Program Service (KPS) Fr Jerry Martinson SJ, in his presentation to delegates on the first day of the meeting, which was hosted by KPS, the Jesuit production centre in Taiwan.
The Society of Jesus in Korea celebrates five new Jesuit priests. Fathers Andrew Sung-gyoon Lee, Simon Mon-hoi Kim, Benedict On-dohk Kang, Thomas Min Han and Igwan Su-yun Park were ordained to the priesthood on July 2 at Myeong-dong Cathedral in Seoul, South Korea. More than 1,500 people participated in the ordination mass concelebrated by Most Rev Peter Chung Soon-taek OCD, Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul, and 80 priests.
A network on migration has been formed within the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, comprising Jesuit institutions working on the issue – Tokyo Migrant Desk in Japan, Yiutsari in Korea, Rerum Novarum Centre in Taiwan, UGAT Foundation in the Philippines, Sahabat Insan in Indonesia, JRS Asia Pacific, and Jesuit Social Services Australia.
In the mathematics of synergy, 1 plus 1 does not equal 2, but 3 or more. The sum total of the experience and practical know-how of the group is greater than just the added up experience and contributions of the individuals. This was the case at the recent Development Officers meeting, which brought together representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Timor Leste, and Australia with Karen Goh from JCAP and Fr Jorge Serrano SJ from the Curia in Rome joining as resource persons.
The Jesuit education project will be located in Sisophon, Banteay Meanchey Province. In a letter to members of the Cambodia mission and collaborators, Fr Francisco Oh In-don SJ, Delegate of the Korean Provincial to the Cambodia Mission, said “it was very clear that we Jesuits should serve poor children first”.