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Rome - Conference Coordinators meet
(May-20-2013)  From 22 to 26 April, the social coordinators of the 6 conferences gathered in Rome for their annual meeting at the secretariat. This year, they relooked at the commitments made last year on ecology, reflected on networking that is being developed within the conferences and at the global level. This networking is offering some answers to the common apostolic challenges that go beyond provincial borders, establishing collaborations that lead to initiatives in the field of research or advocacy in defense of the poor, while maintaining a commitment to the local, from which springs the energy and credibility. The sharing on the situation of the GIAN networks at various conferences helped in recognizing the positive growth and also the genuine difficulties encountered in realizing the goal. With the help of Luis Arancibia from Entreculturas and Jorge Cela, Pre
USA - Fordham gets Special NGO Association with United Nations
(May-20-2013)
 Fordham University has been approved to work with the United Nations as a non-governmental organization (NGO) helping to raise public awareness about UN-sanctioned activities and global issues. This association brings a wealth of programming opportunities and special access for Fordham faculty and students, including attending weekly UNDPI-NGO briefings at the UN, providing students special access to NGOs associated with the UN that could result in internships and other UN-related experiences and access to NGO databases. Graduate School of Social Service (GSS) student Anjanae Wilson has already been a designated UN youth representative for the Belgium-based NGO, Close the Gap, whose mission is to provide information and communication technology to developing countries. "Working at the UN gives me a chance to learn international social d
DRC - Time for US to change its Congo policy
(May-20-2013)
 Ferdinand Muhigirwa, SJ., the Managing Director of the Arrupe Research and Training Center and former director of CEPAS, appeared before the US Senate Foreign Relations sub-committee on African Affairs last week to urge America to take advantage of the current window of opportunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo - and help to foster sustainable peace as well as genuine democratic and economic progress. "This hearing {click to listen} is timely and critical for the DRC due to three recent events: the adoption of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework; the appointment of Mary Robinson as UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes; and the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 2098," testified Muhigirwa. "The US can use this op
Africa - Call for Ecological Awareness
(May-20-2013)
 Jesuits of Africa and Madagascar or JESAM and collaborators met in Nairobi, Kenya from 12 to 14 April 2013 to review the environmental and ecological dimensions of the mission of the Society of Jesus in Africa and Madagascar and to chart a way forward in incorporating ecological and environmental sensitivity and action into the ministries for the next three years. "Generative themes" were identified from the experiences of the participants and from the work of other Jesuits across the world and can be considered Africa and Madagascar's contribution to the action of the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) on Ecology. The themes include: ecological spirituality, eco-theology and eco-philosophy, environmental conscientisation, biodiversity, climate change, sustainable agriculture, deforestation and bush
USA - Earth Day 2013 webisode on Jesuit initiatives and eco-justice
(May-20-2013)
 Ignatian News Network or IN Network has released their Earth Day webisode and shared some Jesuit initiatives on eco-justice. The webisode Earth Day 2013: A Look at Eco-Justice, features Catholic organizations taking up the cause of eco-justice, as a blend of sustainability and human justice and as a response to the 2011 call by Father General to increase efforts amongst Jesuits and Jesuit institutions for more sustainable practices. The four-minute webisode included efforts by American Jesuit universities, through the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, such as Boston College and its sustainability fair where students get to learn about sustainable prac
Africa - Jesuit Theologate inaugurates Pope Francis' Park and launches Trees week
(May-20-2013)  On Saturday, May 4 the Jesuit Institute of Theology (ITCJ) at Abidjan dedicated a park to the first Jesuit Pope Francis and launched this year's Trees Week. In the early days of the Institute, eucalyptus globulus were planted which are found to be less useful environmentally. Hence, it was decided to replace the eucalyptus with new brand of trees terminalia mantaly, a tropical species that grows high and its generated branches are spread in a fan-like shape, which is why in some countries it is called an umbrella tree or a floor tree. After the holy Eucharist on Saturday morning, everyone stormed Pope Francis' park! Leaving for a time their theological discourses, they found the earth, fresh, rich and generous! The gardener made a demonstration so that everyone can correctly plant a tree. Within an hour, nearly a hundred of term
USA - Jesuit Conference Welcomes, Seeks to Improve, Immigration Bill
(May-20-2013)
 "On April 17, the U.S. Senate released a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will increase security measures at the U.S.-Mexico Border and provide citizenship for many undocumented immigrants currently in the United States. The U.S. Jesuit Conference welcomes this bill, but has been engaging in advocacy to ensure that migrants' rights are respected, that border community voices are heard in Washington and that citizenship is accessible to as many people as possible. Read more...
CPAL - Social sector reflects on the reality of Colombia and Venezuela
(May-20-2013)
 Between 2 and 4 of May, approximately 40 representatives from different social centres of the Society of Jesus in Venezuela met at Virgin of Quebrada, a retreat house located at Teques, to reflect on the role of these institutions in the present reality of Venezuela. Fr. Francisco de Roux, Provincial of Colombia also took part virtually in the meeting through internet, and shared his personal experience of working for peace in Magdalena Medio. His reflections on human dignity, and on the dramatic cases of murders in the context of war in Colombia, made the sharing more inspiring and instructive, in order to look for ways to bring lasting peace. Fr. Roux also reflected and made a series of observations on the delicate situation of Venezuela - an outcome of the present political conflict - and analysed the context of polarization taking place and presented a list
Spain - Pueblos Unidos launched a report on Detention Centres (CIE)
(May-20-2013)
 The Jesuit NGO Pueblos Unidos, located in Madrid, Spain, has published the report Atrapados tras las rejas - Trapped behind bars - on the situation of the Detention Centers in Spain. Throughout the year 2012, Pueblos Unidos has visited 328 people in near 1277 visits in Aluche CIE (Madrid). This represents over 10% of total people in Aluche CIE, from a total of about 3060 people per year. For the first time, the report contains data from Barcelona CIE, also based on stable visits to 55 people. This experience leads them to note the strong human and psychological impact of detention, generating deep anguish, suffering, despair, confusion, stress in migrant people, their families and their friends and neighbors. The second part of the report, under the title De la A a la Z - From A to Z - shows the human drama of the CIE, through
Latin America - First issue of Migrar, a bulletin from RJM (Jesuit Network with Migrants)
(May-20-2013)
 The Jesuit Network with Migrants (RJM - Red Jesuita con Migrantes) comprises Jesuit institutions working with migrants and refugees in all Latin America and has recently initiated its joint activities. The partaking Jesuit institutions belong to different apostolic sectors, such as pastoral, social, education or higher education, where there exists service to migrants. JRS is also a member of the network. The network understands that we can offer a better and more integral service to migrants if we connect the Jesuit responses coming from the different sectors. The network is also divided into different sub-regions: South, Colombia and its borders, Central and North America, and the Caribbean. Each one of these sub-regions shows different characteristics of the migration phenomenon. The network has just released the first issue of an online magazine, Migra
Democratic Republic of Congo - Initiative against weapons fuelling crisis in Great Lakes Region
(Apr-18-2013)  From 24 to 28 March 2013, the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN), the Jesuit African Social Centers Network (JASCNET), the Jesuit Refugee Service Great Lakes, the Jesuit Refugee Service Eastern Africa, the African Jesuit Aids Network (AJAN), and the Hekima Institute of Peace and International Relations (HIPSIR), met in Nairobi to explore joint advocacy actions to address the conflict in the Great Lakes Region. The initiative is part of the GIAN Peace and Human Rights Network.
Since almost twenty years, conflicts and wars affected millions of women, children and men in the Great Lakes. Only in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) two million people are continuing to suffer from massive displacement and daily human rights violations in the Great Lakes, such as sexual and gender-based violence and recruitment of child
Asia Pacific - Reconciliation with Creation task force
(Apr-18-2013)  In conjunction with World Water Day on March 22, the Reconciliation with Creation task force in Asia Pacific conference has called for Jesuits and collaborators to be more aware of our responsibility to the world that God created. The need to focus on water is clear as 2013 has also been declared by the United Nations as the Year of Water Cooperation. "Through Healing a Broken World, Fr General Adolfo Nicolás SJ asked Jesuits and our institutions to understand our relationship with our environment as both ecological and sacred, calling for greater responsibility and reconciliation," said Fr Pedro Walpole SJ, Coordinator for Reconciliation with Creation. This initiative is linked to the GIAN Ecology network.Read more...
Situation analysis of Latin America - An evaluation of democracy in the region
(Apr-18-2013)  Centro Gumilla (Caracas - Venezuela) has recently published the last analysis of the situation of Latin America, focusing in this occasion on the democratic health of the region. These analyses are a joint effort of the social centers in Latin America that appear every three months. This last analysis condenses two chapters of an investigation by José Virtuoso SJ and Ángel Álvarez. Download here...
AJAN - Moving towards regional advocacy
(Apr-18-2013)  Seventeen Jesuits and colleagues involved in AIDS ministry came together from 10 sub-Saharan African countries for the AJAN advocacy meeting that was held from 2 to 5 March at the Emmaus Spiritual Centre in Bujumbura, Burundi. Although individual Jesuits and projects are already advocating at local and national level, AJAN now wants to implement regionally coordinated campaigns. "Through its different projects, AJAN is better placed to be in it for the long haul, to do this work that calls for courage and competence," said one participant, Fr Jean-Simon Ratsimbazafy SJ, who runs an AIDS project in an isolated rural district of Madagascar. The meeting aimed and managed to develop shared advocacy plans for three focus areas: access to treatment, orphans and vulnerable children and sexual and gender-based violence. GIAN Ecology - Water for all
(Apr-18-2013)  The world is again recognizing water as the basis of all life. Water for all is an integrated worldview of human development and care for the environment, rather than a fragmented use of resources. The big challenge is in securing the basic water needs for the many who do not have access and for business to grow in responsibility as it increasingly realizes the value of water in sustaining production. The GIAN Ecology Network is collecting experiences from the different regions. The challenge is for all to network and cooperate to form a worldview of human development and care for creation. With this, Jesuit people are encouraged to: a) collaborate with others on water clean up, b) support students' efforts and youth involvement in responsible water use, c) share with EcoJesuit (www.ecojesuit.com) initiatives and materials developed on water cooperation.
US - Immigration Reform Hearing on April 10
(Apr-18-2013)  Jesuit Father Sean Carroll, Executive Director of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a bi-national humanitarian ministry of the Society of Jesus, testified at a public hearing of Congress about immigration reform on April 10, 2013. Fr. Carroll spoke about the human cost of the current immigration system witnessed by staff and volunteers who serve at Kino Border Initiative's Aid Center for Deported Migrants. According to Jesuit Conference policy director, this is a big opportunity for members of Congress to make their voices heard, especially those with large numbers of immigrant constituents, those serving districts located directly on the border, and those with strong feelings surrounding the issue. Read more...
GIAN Education - Global Campaign for education
(Apr-18-2013)  Since 2000, the world has made good progress in getting tens of millions of children into school - but in 2008, that progress stopped. Today, 132 million children remain out of primary and lower secondary school, with little or no hope of ever learning how to read or write, with little or no hope of breaking the cycle of poverty. There is a need to make sure each and every one of these children has access to a trained teacher. However, there is an acute shortage of teachers. To get every child into primary school, we need 1.7 million more teachers, 1 million more in Africa alone. In addition, each new teacher, and each existing teacher, needs to be ensured that has quality initial and ongoing training. The GIAN education network is promoting the global campaign for education during the Global Action Week, 21 - 27 April 2013. South Asia - Orientation Statement of Jesuits in Social Action
(Apr-18-2013)  Thirty Jesuits of India with some of their collaborators, invited by the JESA Secretariat, met from 15th to 17th March 2013 at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, to deliberate on the future of their mission in the changed environment of the Indian state and to identify areas and methodologies for effective interventions and collaboration with institutions, movements, citizens and civil society. After the meeting they have issued an orientation statement of Jesuits in Social Action where they speak about the challenging context, the disturbing concerns that arise, they share some realities that they find as signs of hope and they propose some strategies for action. Read more.
South Asia - Deliberation for Social Action
(Mar-18-2013)  This March Jesuits involved in Social Action in the South Asian Conference are deliberating to find a framework for Social Action. The objectives of the deliberation are: i. To analyze the present state of affairs of social action and identify the causes for the same, ii. To recognize the challenges and the opportunities facing the SA ministry in the present socio-political and economic context, iii. To come out with e a framework for our response (Action Plan). This framework could then provide a guideline for zonal / province level deliberation in order to develop concrete plan of action for the next five years. Read more...
Australia - Mission among Indigenous people
(Mar-18-2013)  Forty years after the Jesuits re-established their mission among Indigenous people at Balgo, Australian Provincial Fr Steve Curtin SJ has sent a letter to the Province saying that the Jesuits' commitment to Indigenous ministry remains strong. The letter marks the anniversary of the mission's founding, and encourages people to continue to deepen their engagement with Indigenous people. Around this time, forty years ago, Fr Peter Kelly, as Provincial, decided to mission Pat Mullins and Brian McCoy to Balgo Mission as part of their regency. This was a new and challenging decision for the Australian Province. The letter can be read here...
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