Pope Francis is at the centre of a new national television series that began airing in Taiwan on April 16. Entitled “Oh My God – Hello Pope!”, it was developed by Jesuit-run Kuangchi Program Service (KPS) which believes this is the first weekly TV series in Asia about the pope.
The National Palace Museum in Taiwan has opened a major exhibition to celebrate its 90th anniversary and the extraordinary work of a Jesuit in China. The exhibition, which opened on October 6 and will last until January next year, is dedicated to Giuseppe Castiglione (郎世寧), a Jesuit brother from Milan who lived for 51 years in the Forbidden City after his arrival in China 300 years ago.
Trung is a man in pain. A 35-year old Vietnamese contract worker, married with two young children under the age of five, he lives in a government shelter in Taiwan recovering from severe burns he received at his workplace two years ago.
Korean Jesuit Mincheol Kim was ordained deacon on September 5. Before his ordination, he went to Taiwan for his Arrupe Month, a period of reflection and discussion that prepares Jesuit scholastics for ordination. He shares three fruits of his Arrupe Month experience from July 16 to August 8.
To foster collaboration at various levels between the Chinese, Japanese and Korean Jesuit Provinces, the three provincials have decided to set up an annual conjoint summer Arrupe Month. The first conjoint Arrupe Month was held from July 16 to August 8, 2015 at the newly built Franciscan spirituality centre in the small and quiet historical township of Daxi in Taiwan, 30 km south of Taipei.
On September 12, Filipino scholastics Cristopher Fajardo, Joseph Haw Jr., Gilbert Emmanuel Levosada, Marlito Ocon, Alberto Paurom, Roy Cenon Ragas, and Karel San Juan were ordained deacons at the Church of the Gesu, Ateneo de Manila. The ordaining Prelate was Most Reverend Francisco Claver, S.J., D.D., Emeritus Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.
On September 8, Schs Matthew Hsu Shen-yi (CHN), Jerome Guevara (PHI) and Boniface Pak Yong-chol (KOR) were ordained deacons in Fu Jen, Taiwan by Cardinal Paul Shan. On the same date, Schs Emmanuel Alfonso (PHI) and Xavier Olin (PHI) were ordained deacons by Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi in Naga City, Philippines.