2016 at a glance
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4 FEBRUARY Opening of Instituto São João de Brito, the Jesuit teacher education institute in Timor-Leste 
Embracing diversity in spiritualityIt was a celebration of spiritual and cultural diversity as representatives of different faith traditions came together for the launching of Sacred Springs, a dialogue institute of spirituality and sustainability located in the Loyola School of Theology (LST) in Manila. 
Charting a new course for the migration networkThe word “discernment” has become all the rage within Jesuit circles following the 36th General Congregation. Fr General Arturo Sosa has even appointed a special counsellor to oversee the process of discernment and apostolic planning in the Society. So it was fitting that the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific’s (JCAP) migration network examined the journey so far and charted a new course at its fourth annual meeting held in Tokyo from March 23 to 26. A new plan for the future was called for. 
Standing up for lifeRebuilding lives and rekindling hope. This is the motto of the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service Foundation Inc (PJPS) based in the New Bilibid Prisons Reservation, the national penitentiary. Like other Philippine prisons, the inmates are crammed in hot, dark and poorly ventilated cells. The prison compound has a capacity of about 10,000 inmates, but it is housing more than 24,000. The overcrowding means the inmates have to sleep in shifts. 
Promotio Iustitiae shines spotlight on the prison ministryThe prison ministry is the focus of the latest issue of Promotio Iustitiae painting, as Social Justice and Ecology Secretary Fr Patxi Álvarez SJ said, a picture of the quiet work Jesuits and lay collaborators have been doing to serve people in prison. “The Jesuits, and the laypeople that they collaborate with, have a longstanding tradition of serving people in prison, dating back to the first companions of Jesus,” said Fr Álvarez. 
Building the Philippines’ first eco-friendly schoolAteneo de Davao University is building a new campus for its senior high school that is being touted as the first environmentally responsible school in the Philippines. The campus has been designed to create a contemporary, sustainable and transformative learning environment following Pope Francis’ environmental directives in his encyclical, Laudato si’. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 15 and the school is expected to be completed in May 2019. 
A gift of joy from GodGratitude and joy for the love of God recently inspired two young Jesuits to write a song. Deacon Soo Young Theodore Park SJ from Korea and Scholastic Jun-G Bargayo SJ from the Philippines say the song Kutafuta Mungu (“Finding God” in Swahili) was a gift for them as 2017 began. The inspiration to compose the song came the night after Soo Young’s diaconate ordination. 
Ignacio de Loyola now available on DVDThose not able to watch “Ignacio de Loyola: Soldier, Sinner, Saint” in theatres will soon be able to watch it in their homes with the commercial release of the DVD on February 18 in the Philippines and in spring in North America. Produced by Jesuit Communications Foundation (JesCom) Philippines, the feature film is a modern look at the story of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, often called “The Saint of Second Chances.” 
Philippine Jesuits join bishops in opposing efforts to revive the death penaltyThe Philippine Jesuits have joined the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in condemning efforts to revive the death penalty. 
Of giving much and receiving moreThe Asia Pacific Tertianship programme includes a two-week Christmas exposure programme during which the tertians spend two weeks with various communities. They offer this joint reflection on the experience. |