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Vol. XX, No. 07 April 5, 2016

FROM THE CURIA

Christian Life Community: Caring for Creation

The Christian Life Community (CLC) recently published a document titled Caring for Creation. Developed by the CLC Ecology Commission, it stands as the community's contribution to the ongoing action in the Ecology Frontier, one of the priorities set for the community at the last CLC World Assembly in Lebanon. The publication contains stories and invitations for apostolic action by CLC members and others across the world. Special treatment is given to the Amazon project. The publication also includes a set of 12 community-meeting plans for use by groups, focusing on growing in communion with creation, as well as deepening mission and response! The full PDF version can be downloaded here: Download

APPOINTMENTS

Pope Francis has appointed

- Fr. Nuno da Silva Gonçalves (POR) as Rector of the Gregorian University in Rome. Father Gonçalves was born in 1958, entered the Society in 1975, and was ordained in 1986. He has served as Provincial of the Portuguese Province. Since 2011, he has been teaching at the Faculty of History and Cultural Heritage of the Church, where since 2012 he is serving as dean of the Faculty. He will take over as Rector at the Gregorian on 1 September, 2016. 

FROM THE PROVINCES

AUSTRALIA: JRS helps provide eye care to asylum seekers

Recently more than 80 people attended a free eye care clinic in Sydney's North Parramatta. Organised by OneSight in partnership with Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), the clinic was free for asylum seekers. The clinic was much needed for many asylum seekers living in the community, said Maeve Brown, coordinator of the JRS Shelter Project, which includes drop-in services in Parramatta. 'Asylum seekers living in the community on bridging visas have limited and often sporadic access to healthcare', she said. 'Things like getting your eyes checked, updating the prescription for your glasses, or even purchasing glasses are not the top priority when you have to pay your rent and feed your family.'

INDIA: Dialogue with Buddhists on ecology and faith

Jesuits and Buddhist monks and nuns came together in early March to share and dialogue on ecology and religions in a workshop organised by the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific. Organised locally by Fr Lawrence Soosai SJ of the Patna Jesuit Province, the three-day workshop was held in India, in the city of Bodhgaya where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment, and which is one of the holiest of Buddhist cities.

PARAGUAY: Jesuits promote a new educational paradigm

The Society of Jesus in Paraguay has embarked on a program of revising the education curriculum offered in both the regular school system as well as the Fe y Alegría school system. The revision project,Horizonte 2020 (Horizon 2020), is a brainchild of Jesuits in Spain and arises out of the need for an in-depth transformation of the education system. As a starting point, Horizonte 2020 is steeped in the Ignatian maxim of Magis (be more to serve better).

ROME: Missionaries of Mercy

In the electronic bulletin Vol. XX, No. 5, of 7 March 2016, we published names of four Jesuit priests who were missioned along with several other priests as Missionaries of Mercy by Pope Francis. It has come to the editor's attention that we inadvertently left out two Jesuit Missionaries of Mercy from the list. Father Manuel Morujão SJ (Portugal Province) and Father Michael Vinai Boonlue SJ (Thailand Region) are also among the Missionaries of Mercy missioned by the Holy Father on Ash Wednesday, 2016. The others, previously mentioned, are Fr. Wendelin Köster SJ (German Province), Fr. Lluís Victori SJ (Spain Province), Fr. Anthony O'Riordan SJ (Ireland Province), and Fr. Richard Shortall SJ (Australia Province).

UNITED STATES: Collaboration for Sustainability on Jesuit Campuses

Loyola University Chicago hosted its third annual Climate Change Conference, entitled "Global Climate Change: Economic Challenges and Solutions" (March 17-19, 2016). The gathering focused on new economics, policies and activism taking place around the world to address climate change. Key highlights included the student sustainability summit, where students were invited to share from their own perspective about the sustainability initiatives occurring on their campuses and learn what is working at other schools. The keynote address was presented by award-winning author and climate activist, Naomi Klein. A large part of the conference was dedicated to how Jesuit colleges and universities can make a difference concerning climate change and sustainability, and members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) were able to exchange ideas and best practices regarding campus sustainability initiatives.