The mid-year meeting of provincials held in Seoul this July 19-23 chose migration, the environment and the development of Colégio São José, Timor Leste as three apostolic projects for immediate Conference-wide cooperation.  Three ‘internal’ or Jesuit governance projects were also chosen:  continued comprehensive planning for a Jesuit formation that offers a heart for the poor and respect for cultures; the development of governance arrangements for Myanmar; and a decision to build a new fund to support our common activities.

Many Australians are going out of their way to volunteer in East Timor, writes Jock Cheetham.

School's out and night has fallen, but 10 students are back in class to hear Domingos Ati explain his work in one of the poorest parts of the world. Ati was briefing the year 11 boys from Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, on what to expect when they visited East Timor in the school holidays.

Last July 30, Fr João Felgueiras (POR) celebrated his 60th year as a priest. The East Timor Mission celebrated this event with a Eucharist at 5:30 p.m. in the ground-floor Salao in the Residencia Jesuitas in Taibesi, followed by a dinner.

Plínio Martins retraced steps in his own and East Timor's history when he was ordained in Dili on St Ignatius Day, July 31.

Over a thousand people took part in the celebration of the ordination of Plínio Rosário Gusmão dos Reis Martins in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Dili . Bishop Alberto da Silva of Dili was the presiding Bishop, assisted by Bishop Greg O'Kelly (ASL). Plínio's mother, accompanied by her brother, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, joined the procession.

Last July 28 at 9 am, was the ordination of Indonesian Jesuit scholastics Bagus Aris Rudiyanto, Seno Hari Prakoso, Kristiono Puspo, Buddy Haryadi, Bambang Irawan and Sigit Prasadja by the most reverend Ignatius Suharyo, Archbishop of Jakarta, at St Anthony Church, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Ad maiorem dei gloriam!

Monsignor Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzales recently celebrated his 10th anniversary as head of the Battambang apostolic prefecture.

However, even before his installation, he had been working with Cambodians, particularly those with disabilities, as early as 1985 through the Jesuit Refugee Service in Thailand.

A new experiment on vocation promotion came into play in Korea. From August 6 – 8, the Office of Vocation Promotion of the Korea Province, under the directorship of Fr. Song-yong Joseph Choe (KOR) ran the Jesuit school of religious life as an educational and experimental venue for high school students who consider religious life as their calling.

Five Korean Jesuits were ordained as priests at Myung-dong Cathedral of Seoul Archdiocese on June 30. Frs Shin-jae Youh, Jin-hyon Lee and Jin-hyuk Park studied theology at Jesuit Theology Center (JTC) in Melbourne, Australia.

Fr Saichon Khanyulai (TAI) is returning to Bangkok on August 24 from tertianship. While waiting for is next assignment, he will be residing at Xavier Hall. Fr John Shea (NYK) will be moving to his new assignment at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, on August 23. In his email to the Region, John wrote, “Thanks for all the support and companionship these last five years.