October 2009

Flooding in Manila is not a surprise and the extent of it should not be surprising either if we pay any attention to what we are hearing about climate change every day. The problem is we don't know where it will hit exactly and how and when. Though there is much local adaptation, many people still get caught unfortunately in deadly circumstances. We do not adequately know our landscape and susceptibility to flooding and we are not adequately relocating peoples' lives and livelihoods. People in Manila might be led to believe this is the worst, but we are far from it.

Twenty nine people, Jesuits and partners, from 17 countries in our region involved in the social apostolate met in Manila, the Philippines, from 17 – 21 August. Participants came from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, East Timor, Micronesia, Australia, Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam (only Laos and Thailand were not represented). Fernando Franco SJ, Director of the Social Justice Secretariat in Rome, was also a participant.

Though the cold season still embraced the land from Down-Under, the hosts for this year's Annual Meeting gave their very warm welcome to the participants of the AJCU EAO. Hosted by Fr Frank Brennan and the Australian Province, the members of the AJCU EAO enjoyed Australian hospitality during their stay at Canisius College last 25 – 27 August.

On September 12, Filipino scholastics Cristopher Fajardo, Joseph Haw Jr., Gilbert Emmanuel Levosada, Marlito Ocon, Alberto Paurom, Roy Cenon Ragas, and Karel San Juan were ordained deacons at the Church of the Gesu, Ateneo de Manila. The ordaining Prelate was Most Reverend Francisco Claver, S.J., D.D., Emeritus Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.  

SEOUL (UCAN) -- Two cardinals, one from Seoul and the other from Manila, who saw their countries through transitions to democracy, epitomized two different aspects of pastoral leadership, says an Asian theology lecturer.

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.

Brother Daniel Ornelas died on 4th September in Oporto (Portugal). He devoted himself to nursing in East Timor for almost 50 years. After four years in Portugal and six at Vatican Radio, he left for East Timor in 1962. There, he served until 1975 through maintenance, in diverse tasks, especially nursing. Since the conflict with Indonesia, he looked after the people in the mountains during those difficult 24 years. He attended to a large public and taught his skills to many people who were with him.

On Friday, 25 September, British Provincial Fr Michael Holman hosted Mass and dinner at the Provincial Curia on Farm Street to welcome the Jesuits who have recently arrived in London for studies (around 30 Jesuits from all over the world!).    Those who belong to the (soon to be) renamed Asia Pacific Conference (plus one!), residing in different communities in London but more or less previously acquainted because of Conference activities, celebrated their friendship with this photograph.