A Symposium was hosted in Macau last November on Fr Tomás Pereira who died 300 years ago. Hosted by the Macau Ricci Institute, it was entitled In the Light and Shadow of an Emperor: Tomás Pereira, the Kangxi Emperor and the Jesuit Mission in China.
Last October 16, a special celebration was held at University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) to mark the 10th anniversary of The Beijing Center (TBC) which is located on the campus of the university. Fr Ron Anton, the founder and director, described how the Center has evolved from the original nine students to the present 125 students.
From June 30 to July 11, Kuangchi Program Service (KPS) conducted a training course in social communications for 23 students of the Fu Jen University Theologate. Among the students were seven Jesuits – Joseph Bui (VIE), James Boey (MAS), Alberto David (MAS), Alexe Pak (KOR), Xavier Zhong (CHN), Barnabas Vu (VIE) and Elton Fernandes (CSU).
On May 1, Fr Dan Ross (CHN) wrote: “For several years I have been working with my present and former students on various cross cultural projects in Southeast and East Asia. Some of these have been in the Philippines and China, but more have been in Cambodia. The efforts have been under the overall idea of finding ways to improve undergraduate university education.
Fr. Richard Leonard (ASL), Director of the Australian Catholic Film Office and the Catholic Church Television, came to Hong Kong on November 12-18 and conducted a one-week program on Mass Media and Ignatian Spirituality.
TAIPEI (UCAN) — French Jesuit scholar Fr Benoit Vermander, who researches religion and culture, has been appointed a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Father Vermander, 47, director of the Jesuit-run Taipei Ricci Institute, told UCA News via e-mail Nov. 21 that the appointment, made by Pope Benedict XVI, “came as a total surprise.”
TAIPEI (UCAN) — Priests and laypeople who attended a memorial Mass for an Italian Jesuit who worked in Taiwan and Hong Kong lauded his concern for the Church in China and his service to children and students.
About 100 laypeople joined the Jesuits in Taiwan to commemorate Italian Father Francesco Belfiori at a special Nov. 23 Mass held at Sacred Heart Church, part of Jesuit-run Tien Educational Center in Taipei.
Fr Louis Gendron (CHN), in his Letter to the Province last December 3, wrote, “You may remember that last year I was looking for a good concise history of the Society in China. Fr. Freddie Deignan introduced me to a booklet of 100 pages written by Fr. Thomas Ryan and published in Hong Kong in 1964. Fr. Ryan was not a sinologist, but he was a great communicator.
Fr Louis Gendron, in his province letter dated October 24, wrote, “Today I was in Beijing for a meeting of the Board of Directors of The Beijing Center, and I am transiting in Macau on my way to Taipei, where we have a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Fu Jen University. I bring with me two new books published by Fr Ron Anton and his collaborators at the Historical Archives of Beijing.
Schol Richard Anthony (MAS) will be ordained a deacon on October 20, 2007 (Saturday), 10:00 a.m., at St. Augustine’s Church, Oakland, by Archbishop John R. Quinn.