Madrid Summit

Twelve new Provincials were among those who gathered with John Dardis just outside Madrid for the annual meeting of the European Provincials. Ireland makes a big contribution through Dermot O’Connor as Assistant to the President of the Conference, through Brendan McPartlin who is European Social delegate and through Joe Dargan and Jan van de Poll who run the Tertianship based in Dublin. Jan isn’t of course a member of the Irish Province – we have adopted him! John Dardis reports below.

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Roman retreat

Finbarr Lynch (of Manresa House) and Gerry Whelan (of the Gregorian) were part of a team who gave a retreat to about thirty seminarians and priests of the English College in Rome, September 27-October 5. The directed Ignatian retreat, a relatively new departure for the English College, was given in a holiday house at Lake Albano outside Rome that is located near to Castel Gandolfo, the Summer residence of the Pope. Our picture shows Pope Benedict looking across the lake towards the holiday house. Read more »

Short notices

• President Mary McAleese, who will be conferred with a HDCL (Canon Law) in Milltown next month, has invited her former lecturer, Michael O’Sullivan (pictured right), to join the Forum she is hosting on October 1st to highlight the issue of “Domestic and Sexual Abuse against women and men, including older people in Ireland.” Unfortunately on that day Michael willl be in the University of Malta to support the launch of a new MA in Spirituality.
• On 24 September Lusaka, Zambia, will see the launch of an important book by Fr Michael J. Kelly. Education: for An Africa Without AIDS is part of his service of the poor through critical research and advocacy. Professor Kelly is widely known at both national and international level for addressing the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS in Zambia and other developing countries.
• Pope Benedict has appointed two Jesuits (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye and Fr General Nicolas) to the Synod of Bishops which meets in Rome next month. Six other Jesuits will serve the Synod as experts.
• On Tuesday 30th September at 7.30pm Fr Tom Sweetser SJ, who has written important books on parish development, will address the parish of Ayrfield and interested parties from the Dublin Diocese on ‘Bringing Parish to the Next Level.’ Venue: Catholic Church, Ayrfield, off Blunden Drive. Ard na Greine, Dublin 13.
• On 13 September Manresa House hosted a retreat for Gardiner Street helpers. The day’s focus was on the work and mission of a parish, against the backdrop of the 35th Jesuit General Congregation (with insights from our Delegate there, Jim Corkery SJ); and on the huge needs of the developing world, conveyed by Sr Cyril IBVM who has worked in India for over 50 years.

Mitres and croziers

For the first time since St Robert Bellarmine a Jesuit has been coopted as secretary of a Roman Congregation. The Pope has named Father Luis Ladaria, a 64-year-old Spaniard, as secretary of the Congregation of the Faith. Though it is not normal for Jesuits to be ordained bishops, Luis becomes, as is customary in such posts, a titular archbishop. He joins an important body headed by the Californian who took over the job from Joseph Ratzinger. Although we feel the grievous loss to the Gregorian University, where Luis lectured on the Trinity and was seen as the outstanding theologian on the staff, the appointment is a sign of Pope Benedict’s confidence in him. Fr General, in communicating this news, nudged all Provinces to maintain their generous sharing of good theologians with the Gregorian University. Read more »

Discernment in community course

The Secretariat of Ignatian Spirituality (CIS) will hold a workshop on Communal Apostolic Discernment in the light of GC35, in Rome from January 19 to February 3, 2009. The course objectives are to develop the skills necessary to implement the Congregation’s recommendations concerning communal apostolic discernment and to apply this form of discernment to apostolic needs. The course is aimed at those involved in Ignatian group work, including Jesuits, lay collaborators, religious, and priests. For further information: Secretariat for Ignatian Spirituality, Borgo S. Spirito 4, C.P. 6139, 00195 Roma-Prati (Italia). Email: cisdir@sjcuria.org. Website: ciscourse.

Reflections on Zambia

A group of fifth year students from Gonzaga College SJ travelled to Zambia with Habitat For Humanity over Easter 2008, the third year that the college students have being involved in building houses together with families in need. This year sixteen students travelled along with four teachers for a three week period during their holidays. One of the students, Karl Aherne, has written a reflection on the experience. Read more »

New program for AIDS orphans

Global Friends in Action, a small NGO founded by Michael T. Kelly SJ, has launched a new program called 37&More, which provides care for children orphaned by AIDS in a large slum on the edge of Kabwe, Zambia. The program will protect and provide support for orphans and vulnerable children, who, in the shanty town of about 60,000 inhabitants, are among those worst affected by HIV/Aids. Read more »

Jesuit news from Yangon

Paul Pollock SJ, the regional superior of Burma, has just returned from visiting the Jesuit houses in Yangon, where, despite minor damage due to the cyclone, they are thankful for no casualties. There are three Jesuit houses in Yangon, the country’s largest city and most important commercial centre. Paul reports “The storm hit on Friday night and by Saturday morning, Yangon was a devastation.” Most roads were inaccessible, especially due to falling trees. The 21 candidates at Canisius House joined local people in clearing roads and fixing properties. Read more »

Irish contribution to AIDS report

The African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) has published its first report about Jesuit initiatives to fight the AIDS across the continent and includes a contribution from Michael J. Kelly SJ. Spanning AJAN’s first five years, the 76 page report covers the full spectrum of initiatives including pastoral ministry, HIV care and support, value-based education, communications, and publishing. The report includes information on the contribution of Irish Jesuits, and features a report from Irishman, Michael Kelly SJ, plus a tribute to his brother, the late Robert Kelly. To get a copy, please send an e-mail with your postal address to books@jesuitaids.net.

Taste of the Near East

The Jesuit Provincial of the Near East, Fadel Sidarouss (pictured here with John Dardis SJ), was in Dublin this week to visit Ronney el Gemayel SJ, who is currently studying at the Irish School of Ecumenics. Fadel is Provincial for Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, countries from three continents which keeps him travelling a lot. Ecumenical dialogue and interaction with the Arab world was centre to his concerns. He reports that Peter Hans Kolvenbach SJ is delighted to be back in Lebanon and to be released from the role of General. He will be directing the Near East province retreat in July for the 30 students in formation.

Michael Paul to retire as dean

Fr. Michael Paul Gallagher SJ will retire as dean of the theology faculty in the Gregorian University in Rome this summer. Last Friday it was announced that Fr. Donath Hercsik of the German Province will succeed Michael Paul as dean from September 2008. See below for Michael Paul’s reflection on his time as dean. [Photo shows Michael Paul Gallagher in the dean’s office in the Gregorian reading an Irish doctoral thesis].
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Murphy in Mexican mission

The Irish Province financial officer, Peter Murphy and his wife, Breda, took time out from their recent holiday in Mexico to visited the Station Mission Pedro Fabro in Mexico. After a request from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), the Irish Province send funds to a Jesuit mission led by Fr. Pedro Arriaga Alarcon SJ, which works with displaced indigenous people in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Click on ‘read more‘ to read Peter’s account of his visit while he was on holidays in the area.

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Cristóbal Jiménez ordained deacon

Cristóbal Jiménez SJ was ordained deacon on March 27 by auxiliary bishop Most Rev. Karmelo Etxenagusia in the Church of the Jesuit Residence of Bilbao. Cristóbal is currently doing a Licence (STL) in Spirituality in Dublin’s Milltown Institute and lives in the Leinster Road student community. From the Loyola Province in Spain, Cristóbal was a journalist for over 10 years in a radio station in Madrid before joining the Jesuits at the age of 33. He will be ordained to the priesthood in July.