A year after its maiden full-length film, SOEGIJA, premiered to widespread acclaim in Indonesia. Puskat Pictures is busy with its second film, “Di Tepian Sungai Elo” (At the edge of the River Elo). The new film is about the boarding school run by Franciscan nuns in Mendut, Magelang, Indonesia from 1908 to 1943, and the impact of its alumnae, many of who become prominent figures and played important roles in the Church and nation.
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.
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.
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.
Myanmar is at a crossroads; an exciting point in its history as a nation. One of the poorest, most ethnically diverse and conflict-prone societies in Southeast Asia, Myanmar is now emerging from decades of isolation. Changes are afoot, as the release, election to parliament and recent travel abroad of Aung San Suu Kyi demonstrate. A parliament is in place; interim elections passed without major offences. Many political prisoners have been released. The demands to halt construction of the Irrawaddy Dam project appear to have been heeded.
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.
This year’s Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Programme (APTEP) had a cohort of Jesuit scholastics from the Loyola School of Theology in Manila, diocesan seminarians from the Philippines and Indonesian sisters from the Congregation of Divine Providence.
The Metta Karuna Reflection Centre in Siem Riep, Cambodia hosted an open discussion on faith and its impact and influence on public policy on May 10. The discussion flowed from a lecture delivered by Fr Frank Brennan SJ on “Faith, Social Justice and Public Policy”. Fr Brennan is Professor of Law with the Public Policy Institute,
The Metta Karuna Reflection Centre provided a sacred space for reflection for Hindu, Muslim and Christian peace seekers from Pakistan and Indian Kashmir in March.
“Many said the time of reflection they spent in our inter-faith sacred space helped them crystallise their desires and arouse their imagination for a peaceful way forward,” said centre founder and director of Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia Sr Denise Coghlan RSM. “It was a special moment as Hindus, Muslims and Christians gathered around a very concrete and specific peace challenge in Kashmir.”
Jesuit Service Cambodia continues its Storybook Effect with its two latest books written by its authors Seap and Ponkhaka.