First Spiritual Exercises – Threatened Humanity

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The Lord fashioned human beings from the earth, to cosign them back to it. He clothed them in strength, like himself, and made them in his own image. He made them a tongue, eyes and ears, and gave them a heart to think with.

He filled them with knowledge and intelligence, and showed them what was good and what was evil. He put his own light in their hearts to show them the magnificence of his works. He set knowledge before them, he endowed them with the law of life. He said to them, 'Beware of all wrong-doing'; he gave each a commandment concerning his neighbour.

• Sir 17:1,3,6-8,11,14.

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1. Desire...I ask the Spirit for Greater Humanity.

I place my index and middle finger on the inside of my wrist, below my thumb, to feel

my heartbeat, a living symbol of my humanity. God gave humans a heart to love with,

to discern between good and evil, to understand and grow in our humanity.

As I feel my pulse, I consider my blood, how every human shares the same blood,

irrespective of colour, race, status, wealth or religion. In this, we are one.

I ask the Spirit for Greater Humanity.

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2. Relish...I live in the Trinity of the Incarnation.

I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity of the Incarnation, in which Jesus to

sent become fully human, to reveal the loving way of common humanity. Father,

Jesus and Spirit, address me by name, saying, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself'.

So I sit with this invitation, awhile, in the mystery of the Trinity of Incarnate Love.

I relish destroying the caricatures of those seeking refuge.

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3. Human... I breathe the Spirit of Humanity.

I imagine the Spirit of Humanity breathing God’s own light into me to re-humanize

and break the stereotypes of those who seek refuge and flee persecution. I breathe it

in deep, wait, then breathe it out into institutions, policies, and conversations with the

marginalized. I repeat as desired – breathing, enlightened, humanizing.

I conclude giving thanks, moving forward in solidarity with every human.

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PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

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Click here to download the Prayer of Threatened Humanity.

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For almost eight months, the Jesuits in Europe, with the support of Jesuit Mission through Xavier Network, have been providing emergency assistance, shelter and opportunity to refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

At times like these, we are called upon as a community of faith to stand in solidarity with those whose lives have been turned upside down by war.  

By supporting Jesuit Mission’s Gifts for Change Program, vulnerable women, men and children fleeing Ukraine can be given a second chance, including finding pathways out of poverty and injustice.    

Instead of a traditional gift this Christmas, you could give a gift that helps restore dignity to Ukrainian refugees by supplying essential hygiene kits, or help provide a family with a temporary home for one month.

When you purchase a Gift for Change you can choose to send your loved one an instant e-card, or select a printed postal card.

Our full range of Gifts for Change can be viewed online here.

"The Jesuits in Europe are not only providing emergency food, shelter and support for refugees, they are providing platforms for refugees to rebuild their lives. Remarkably, some refugees have since become hired teachers, therapists, or volunteers willing to serve their fellow Ukrainian sisters and brothers,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

Thanks to a partnership between Jesuit Mission, the Xavier Network and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe, 42,000 refugees from Ukraine have received support, including emergency shelter, food and essential items, psychosocial support, medical escorts, translation and accompaniment.

JRS Europe is coordinating the emergency response by mobilising support from offices across Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia, south east Europe as well as within Ukraine.

The project supporting Ukrainian refugees is called the One Proposal, a coordinated unified response from the Society of Jesus to the Ukraine Crisis.

"We will remain committed to this mission, especially for the reconstruction of the country (Ukraine), we have a long journey ahead of us," Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. 

A donation to our Gifts for Change Program this Christmas can provide emergency food, shelter and accompaniment to those in Ukraine and around the world.  

Click here to purchase Gifts for Change online or call 02 8918 4109. 

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The Jesuits in Hazaribag hope to uplift the self-esteem of indigenous groups, and to build careers that will allow for them and their families to live with dignity - ultimately contributing to the alleviation of poverty in their communities. 

Chiropath community is situated over one kilometre high on the hills overlooking the Chechari valley. The hills are occupied by a very small tribe, the Nagesias, who are one of the most marginalised tribes in Jharkhand state. They depend solely on farming and with uncertain rain, their income is unreliable.  

Run by a congregation of sisters, the new girls hostel supports children from vulnerable families, bringing them opportunity and hope for a brighter future.  

"Before we used to study on the ground, but now we have everything we need, the hostel is so clean and cosy. Our lives have transformed" said Aditi.

"I feel so happy and grateful that all this was made possible by our benefactors. May God bless them abundantly," said Aditi.

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It was great to see so many of our friends attend our Water the Gift of Life Webinar! For those who missed out we are very pleased to be able to share it here with you all.

We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to hear from our Jesuit partner Fr Júlio Sousa SJ, Director of Jesuit Social Service (JSS) Timor-Leste and his colleague Jose da Costa Pereira, Program Manager Assistant of the Water Project.

Over the last four years, clean, safe drinking water has been piped to many remote and mountainous communities which has provided direct and daily benefits to over 5,000 people. 

Communities learn to take ownership of the management of water in their villages and they learn how to protect and conserve an ecosystem that supports the sustainability of water.  

The burden of collecting water often falls to children, who have to walk up to five hours each day, carrying heavy containers of water. For many children, this means they miss out on receiving an education. 

Thanks to your generosity, Jesuit Mission’s partnership with JSS has brought clean water to more than 15 rural villages, transforming the lives of thousands of people. 

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“I’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative impact that can be achieved for vulnerable communities. Including a gift in our Will to Jesuit Mission felt like the natural extension of our support.” Debbie

A life of compassion

The couple’s early life took them on many adventures, and at every turn they strived to put their faith into action.

Their connection to Jesuit Mission began in 1999 when the couple moved to Melbourne and Debbie began volunteering at the Maytime Fair, our biggest fundraising event in Victoria. She loved the role and became an active member of the team, serving on the Maytime Fair Committee for many years.

The couple also put their faith into action through ongoing gifts and have recently taken the next step, including a gift in their Will to Jesuit Mission. This has given both Debbie and David real comfort, knowing that as well as taking care of the future needs of their son, they’ll be continuing to use their faith to transform the lives of vulnerable people for generations to come.

A Jesuit education

“My first introduction to a Jesuit involvement was when I attended my first Jesuit school in India called St Stanislaus, in Bombay – now known as Mumbai. At that time of course, I didn’t realise it, but it moulded me into the person that I am today. What they taught me and the things they equipped me with became important tools that I used later on in life.

Our school motto was: “Born for greater things.” The important thing we learned was not to confuse greater with richer – so no matter who you were or how much you earned or what you did, you’re always meant to strive to improve yourself. The Jesuits in my school challenged us to do better, extend ourselves every day.

So once we had a son, Keith, the only thing I could think of was that he was meant to go to the same place that I have come from. And therein lies my debt. So, the way I have repaid that debt that I felt I owed the Jesuits, was by sending my son to a Jesuit school in Melbourne and bringing him up in those Jesuit traditions.” – David

Early days

“I grew up and lived in India until I was 25, when I came to Australia with David. David and I met in our first year of university in Bombay, so we’ve been together since we were 16 and we’ll both be 65 this year. We went out for nearly nine years before we got married, and then came out here to Australia. We started off in Perth and then I got involved with the Jesuits when we moved to Melbourne in ‘99. That’s when I started helping with the Maytime Fair.” – Debbie

Creating Change

“When I was working on the Maytime Fair Committee in 2013 I had the opportunity to go to Hazaribag with a friend, and we spent a week there. Then in 2016, our son Keith asked if I could accompany him and go. So I’ve made two trips to Hazaribag which was so special. It was just wonderful to see all the fundraising we do here being put into fantastic use over there.

It’s just unbelievable the work they do in the missions over there. I think you need to see it to believe it.” – Debbie

“For Keith, like us, social service is important. He’s grown up with that culture in the house.” – David

The next step

If you would like to leave a lasting impact just like Debbie and David, we’d love to chat to you and provide more information. A gift in your Will can help us create real, transformational change for our sisters living in the global margins.

Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to Jesuit Mission >

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The preservation of life on our planet is a human responsibility of immense ethical and spiritual importance. 

The first day of this month coincided with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the beginning of the Season of Creation.

During this time we were all invited to pray for the protection of creation and the promotion of sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyles.

Thanks to your support, our Ecology program in Cambodia focuses on forest conservation efforts to enhance capacities of local communities, including students in Ecological Restoration, Education, Advocacy and Sustainability. 

The Ecology program is carried out by our local partner Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC), in the rural Kambal District of Phnom Penh and in the rural Prey Thom community of Battambang Province, Cambodia.

Our partner works closely with school communities as a way to teach and empower children to become caretakers of their surrounding environment. Young students, teachers and families can get involved with activities such as managing plant nurseries and the production of seedlings.

Funding from Jesuit Mission and our generous supporters provides the ongoing supply of seedlings to local schools along with tools and training to support a thriving ecology system.  

Many families living in rural villages in Cambodia rely on a healthy, diverse natural world to farm for the food and income they need to survive.

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Every year on 25 September is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, a day where we are reminded to envision and action a more just and inclusive society.

To build a more inclusive future, we must stand in solidarity with migrants and refugees and recognise their unique gifts and skills.

As the war in Ukraine continues, our partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe, with your support, is providing emergency assistance and opportunity to Ukrainian refugees as they cross the border.

This year JRS Europe has supported over 50,000 Ukrainian refugees in the first six months by mobilising support from offices across Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia, south east Europe as well as within Ukraine.  

Ukrainian refugee sisters Svetlana and Irina fled their homes near Odessa when war broke out in Ukraine and crossed into Romania with their children.

“At first (in Ukraine) the sirens were used for training…we really didn’t pay much attention. Then they told us that the situation was becoming serious…Then the tanks arrived and took position.” – Irina

Now they are hired by JRS Romania to keep Ukrainian children engaged with learning and recreational activities.

“It is as if we are at home, we get up in the morning and we have to go to work. It is as if we have stability,” said Irina.

Prior to the war, Svetlana had never been outside of Ukraine before, making it even more difficult to leave her homeland.

“We started hearing in the news that children were dying and we made the decision to leave to save our children,” said Svetlana.

The Jesuits in Europe are ensuring that refugees are treated with dignity and they are going above and beyond in delivering both immediate and long term support for those in desperate need.  

Thanks to a partnership between Jesuit Mission Australia, the Xavier Network and JRS Europe, thousands of refugees fleeing Ukraine have received emergency shelter, food and essential items, psychosocial support, medical escorts, translation and accompaniment.  

“Everyone is welcoming us. Not once during this time have I felt or seen anything negative…even in the supermarket strangers want to help,” said Irina.

Click here to watch their story.

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Recently Kath, Willy and Zach from the Jesuit Mission team visited our Jesuit partners in Timor-Leste. This is the first time Jesuit Mission has been able to conduct a project-monitoring trip since the pandemic.

Here’s a picture summary of the project-monitoring trip.    

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It was a great opportunity to witness the progress of the programs and see the impact on the rural communities we serve.  

We met with community leaders and Jesuit partners to discuss the future of these projects and how we can continue to best support their needs.   

The Jesuit Mission team received a very warm welcome from the people of Timor-Leste and it was amazing to see the wonderful work the Jesuits are doing for rural communities there.  

Thanks to your generosity, these projects provide hope and opportunity to marginalised people in Timor-Leste. 

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Run by the Jesuits in Thailand, XLC offers a bachelor’s degree in English with profession-based training, including eco-tourism and hospitality for students from vulnerable ‘Hill Tribes’ that often face stigma, discrimination and a lack of opportunity.  

XLC is transforming the lives of individuals, families and communities from disadvantaged backgrounds, as indigenous students in Thailand often lack access to a quality education.  

“To be able to provide a good formation, we accept students from different tribes and provinces … about 30–40 students per year. We also provide a qualitative space and time for students to develop themselves more holistically,” writes Fr Bee.

“Each day, the students share different activities together, such as, morning meditation, cooking, house-cleaning, sports, farming, social volunteering works, reflective sharing, and so on,” writes Fr Bee.

A single educational opportunity for these eager students has the power to change everything. Thanks to your generosity, you are a part of this transformation.

Click here if you would like to read Fr Bee’s recently published article on XLC titled ‘A 'Learning Community' as a Social Justice Model for Catholic Education in Thailand.'

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Thank you to the incredible generosity from the Sydney based Jesuit parish, St Canice, who has been a phenomenal supporter and companion to its sister Parish in Railaco, Timor-Leste since 2004.

During their recent St Ignatius Feast Day appeal, St Canice’s was able to reach a significant milestone of raising over $1 million for Railaco – thanks to 18 years of commitment and steadfast support from the St Canice’s community.

“St Canice community, thank you! You found us at our rock bottom and you lifted us by feeding our hungry, providing service for our sick, and providing education to our youth! Thank you and God bless you for following Him in the mission,” said Fr Bong Abad Santos SJ, who runs the mobile medical clinic in Railaco.

In 2004, then St Canice Parish priest Fr Steve Sinn SJ took a couple of parishioners to Railaco to see how they may support the Timorese people soon after they’d won their hard fought Independence, following 30 years of oppressive occupation by Indonesia. 

Michael along with many other parishioners of St Canice’s have been fortunate enough to visit the projects in Railaco, each time receiving an incredibly warm welcome and eye-opening experience from the community there.

“I feel so warmed by witnessing such sense of community and love for one another. I have seen how the funds are being put into good use and with my heart I have felt what it means to the community. Every little bit goes a long way,” said Dan Elias, a St Canice’s parishioner who recently visited Railaco.

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