Fr John Wataru Uekuri (JPN) shares about his work: “I am fully involved in retreat guidance, and I do this job mainly using the method of Sadhana retreats composed by the late Fr Anthony de Mello.” Read more. . .
The interreligious dialogue apostolate recently suffered the loss of two of its dedicated advocates, Fr Albert Poulet-Mathis (CHN) and Fr Bill Johnson (JPN).
Last September 24, while he was visiting Japan, Fr Koichi Matsumoto (JPN) was hospitalized. He apparently suffered a hemorrhage in the brain and was operated upon the following day. Fr Matsu is the Director of the Arrupe International Residence in Manila, Philippines. Please keep him in your prayers.
The Education Colloquium of the Jesuit Education Commission for Asia Pacific was finally held in Fukuoka, Japan, from August 1 to 5. Originally scheduled last year, the colloquium was postponed due to the AH1-N1 virus scare.
Mr Murayama Hyōe took his first vows at Mass celebrated by Fr Provincial Shogo Sumita at Kamishakujii, Japan on March 21. The night's rainstorm gave way to a fine day as a sign to the new scholastic of the many blessings from God and from the 40 Jesuit joining him in the Mass.
Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia reports that the International Convention on Cluster Munitions has now been ratified by 30 countries, which means that it will become binding international law on 1 September 2010. The director of JRS Cambodia, Sister Denise Coghlan, had been lobbying tirelessly governments as part of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC). (Source: Headlines 2010/02 News from the Jesuit Social Apostolate)
Former Jesuit Refugee Services International Director Fr Mark Raper has argued that all states share a responsibility to vulnerable people who cannot live decently in their homelands – whether due to climate change, natural disaster or war.
During the Wednesday, 23 September Papal Audience, the New Japanese Catholic Encyclopedia was presented to the Pope. It consists of four volumes each 1,500 pages in length. The editorial work began in 1981 and has taken almost 30 years to complete. Fr Shunichi Takayanagi (JPN), editor writes, “Between 1940 and 1960 the Jesuits published a five volume Catholic Encyclopedia.
From Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Centre, here is a short excerpt of a speech by Fr Jesuit Aloysius Mowe (MAS) on “Muslims and Christians: Where do we stand?”. He discusses the view that there are fundamental similarities in both faiths, but “the fact is that, there are many issues that do divide us Christians and Muslims, there are causes for concern”.
During the time I was working with displaced persons in Japan we would come up against a number of unforeseen legal obstacles and long trials. Our success, such as it was, in drawing the attention of the National Diet and the mass media seemed inadequate. Supporters would get tired of confronting immigration violations “case by case” and would drop out. Why did I continue with this work despite my tiredness and frustration? Despondent, I prayed often to God, and miracles happened. One such miracle was obtaining refugee status for five Vietnamese brothers.