“Carry your cross!” This was the challenge of Bishop Honesto Ongtioco to the 13 Jesuit deacons he ordained on September 14, 2013. The Jesuit ordinands included nine from the Philippine Province – Manases L Amanence SJ, Guillrey Anthony M Andal, SJ, Antonio M Basilio SJ, Eric Anthony S Escandor, SJ, Erik John J Gerilla SJ, Jose Emmanuel A Liwanag SJ, Ruben B Orbeta Jr SJ, Neupito J Saicon SJ, and Irmo Fracis A Valeza SJ.
Three Filipino Jesuits came up with an interactive version of the Spiritual Exercises for Ateneo de Manila University’s Ignatian Festival in July. Using installation art, Br Eric Esteba SJ, Sch Alvin Laput SJ and Sch Eric S Escandor SJ developed CONTEMPLATIO, a 45-minute prayer exercise designed mainly for young people who want to deepen their faith and enrich their Ignatian identity.
This is Fr John J (Jack) Carroll’s 70th year as a Jesuit. At 89, he has spent most of his priesthood in the Philippines, where he was assigned just three years after entering the New York Province in 1943. The Philippines was then a mission of the New York Province. Fr Jack says, “I saw my life’s work here.” When he took his final vows in 1960, it was as a member of the Philippine Province.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific recently held its first Formation for Jesuit Formators seminar. Held from August 5 to 16 in the Philippines, the seminar is the first of three modules that will be conducted in three consecutive years. The 22 formators who participated are current and future formation directors and staff of novitiates, scholasticates and seminaries in the Conference. They hail from nine provinces and regions – Indonesia, Korea, China, Australia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Malaysia-Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ was inaugurated as President of Loyola School of Theology (LST) in the Philippines on July 5. He takes over from Fr Jose Mario C Francisco SJ who was LST president for seven years.
Communicators from across the Asia Pacific region had a first-hand look earlier this month at the vital role the Jesuit film production studio, Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA), is playing in telling the story of one of the world’s newest nations within the country. Twice a week, CPA produces Tetum language programs that appear on prime time television in the country, each reflecting on East Timorese culture and history.
In late June, Singapore suffered from the worst ever haze in its history. The haze came from forest fires in Sumatra, across the Malacca Strait. A row broke out between some government officials in Singapore and Indonesia.
There was much delight at the recent JCAP Education meeting in two significant developments.
Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ, JCAP Education Secretary and meeting chairman, shared that the group learnt a good deal from inaugural Principal, Fr Plinio, about the beginning in January of the new school in Timor-Leste, Colégio de Santo Inácio de Loiola.
A new resource book is available for those interested in learning more about the ecological dimension of the Jesuit mission. Produced by the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific and Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) in the Philippines, Reconciling with Creation contains documents that will help people reflect on and engage in Reconciliation with Creation.
Father Antonio Moreno has been appointed Provincial of the Philippine Province (PHI). Fr Antonio is at present Superior and President of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, Philippines.
Fr Antonio takes over from Fr Jose (Jojo) Cecilio Magadia, who has been appointed General Counsellor for Formation. Fr Jojo will take assume oversight for the formation of Jesuits and vocation promotion in October 2013.