Formation

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.

On June 21, Fr Irsan Rimawal (IDO) made his final vows at the Maria Della Strada Novitiate Chapel. He then took over Fr Wardi Saputra (IDO) as Novice Director for the Myanmar Mision.  Fr Wardi is now on sabbatical - two semesters of the New Directions program at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, USA.

To promote a Jesuit's capacity to enter into dialogue with Muslims, the Conference has set up a new program, the Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Program on Islam.

The next batch to join the Asia-Pacific Tertianship will meet the new Assistant to the Tertian Instructor, Fr Priyono Marwan (IDO). Fr Pri teaches psychology at Sanata Dharma University. In 2000-2002, he was the Socius to the President of the Conference, which was then held by Fr Ismael Zuloaga (CHN).

More than 100 Jesuits attended the Province Villa in Baguio City, April 5-11. Fr Manuel Perez, Minister of Ateneo de Manila University’s Jesuit Residence, was in charge. Fr Manny added a special attraction to the festivities when he pronounced final vows there on April 7.

With the increase in the number of scholastics, the Vietnam Province started construction at St Joseph's.  Everyone looks forward to 24 new private rooms, a laboratory and a small chapel, and two more big classrooms when the work is finished.

Two Vietnamese scholastics will be going to Rome to work at the Radio Vatican. A third one will be sent to Cambodia.

Fresh faces are filling up the novitiates across Asia Pacific.  Last February, Korea accepted five novices. In March, Indonesia welcomed 12 and Australia has three. Philippines has added five. And by the end of April, three more will be in the Myamar Novitiate.  Thank you God for these abundant gifts!

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)

Effective mid-June 2010, Fr Maurus Irsan Rimawal (IDO) becomes the Novice Director of Santa Maria della Strada Novitiate in Taunggyi. It is expected that four new novices will be coming in by April 30. Fr Irsan has been called to final vows in the Society, with the date to be announced soon. Fr Wardi Saputra (IDO), the current director, will take a deserved break. Thanks so much, Fr Wardi, for the 11 years you have dedicated to our Jesuit Myanmar and Thai novices.

During the last two weeks of December 2009, JESCOMEAO, JesCom Philippines and the JCEAO Scholastics and Brothers-in-Formation Circle jointly conducted a communications workshop for 24 Jesuit scholastics.