Social Communications

The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) has developed a communications action plan aimed at pooling its resources, strengthening communications skills and articulating its vision and purpose in a unified way.

At a recent creative communications workshop held in Manila, professionals from the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, East Timor, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Australia showcased their products and discussed ways in which they could work together to improve their communications function.

An introduction to a four-part documentary by Kuangchi Program Service on Paul Xu Guangqi (1562 -1633), a rural Shanghai man who rose to the office of Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty Emperor and is known as the forerunner of modern science in China.

His friendship and collaboration with European Jesuit missionaries, especially the renowned Matteo Ricci, is the first instance of real cultural dialogue between China and the West. This video was uploaded to YouTube by user mhikejso.

On June 9, Fr Emmanuel “Nono” Alfonso (PHI), Executive Director of Jesuit Communications, Philippines, was appointed as the Social Communications Coordinator for the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.

UNESCO celebrated the 400th anniversary of Matteo Ricci's death with a symposium and the opening of an exhibition. More than 700 people convened for the celebration on February 16 at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris. 

An abridged version of the Philippine Jesuit magazine The Windhover is now available online. By subscribing to the magazine, you will help support the mission and ministries of the Jesuits in the Philippines. For inquiries, you may write to: editor.magazine@gmail.com

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.

The Kuangchi Program Service in Taipei has produced a documentary on Paul Xu Guangqi - China's Man for all Seasons which also describes the work of Matteo Ricci. You can watch the trailer of the video on the right hand side of the page on this URL: http://www.catholictv.tv/english.html. It's the box just below the red highlighted subtitle  “Discoveries from...Taiwan and Indonesia.” This is available for sale in DVD. For queries, contact Mhike J.

The World Assembly of SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communication) met in Chiang Mai, Thailand in October to discuss the theme Media for a Culture of Peace: Children’s Rights, Tomorrow’s Promise. The Assembly was conducted by SIGNIS President Mr.

Fr Jerry Martinson (CHN) reflects on the subtleties of learning and integrating into a different culture as a Catholic television program producer. Read more. . .

UCAN is now offering short video reports on aspects of the Church's mission and ministry in Asia. It started with half a dozen in Thailand as pilots and two of the six are on Jesuit projects. The first is on the Jesuit Refugee Service. The second, Santiwana, is about a retreat centre developed by Fr Vichai Phoktavi (TAI).