Challenge yourself to walk with One Foot Raised

You can help Jesuit Mission to walk beside our most marginalised brothers and sisters by signing up for our new supporter event, One Foot Raised.

One Foot Raised challenges you to walk and raise funds for our projects overseas using a peer-to-peer online platform.

Sign up as a school, parish, with a group of friends or you can set your own pace as an individual, with the option to walk for one day, one week or spread it out over the month of July, coinciding with St Ignatius Day on 31 July. 

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St Ignatius himself described the ideal leader as living with "one foot raised" - moving always into new lands and new cultures, ready to step forward and respond to human need and suffering in the world. 

Your participation in One Foot Raised can provide hope and opportunity to communities in desperate need. You’ll be walking in solidarity with the vulnerable communities we serve, who walk great distances to access education, water and healthcare.

All proceeds from One Foot Raised go directly towards supporting at-risk communities in over 10 countries in Asia and Africa, including Cambodia, Timor-Leste, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malawi and more.  

Every dollar you raise can make an enormous difference:

- $100 can provide a week’s supply of food and water for a refugee family.

- $250 can fund a child’s school fees in a village for one year.

Set your goal for a walking distance that works for you, get ready to blaze your own trail and help change lives by walking with the marginalised!

It’s easy to sign up, take on the One Foot Raised challenge now.

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Greater Hope

Let us join together in the Prayer of Greater Hope written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

This month’s eNews coincides with World Refugee Day on 20 June. Together let's acknowledge the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.

Thanks to your support, the Jesuits have supported 50,000 refugees since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

Alla, a mother of two from Central Ukraine, came to Romania at the beginning of March to escape the conflict in her home country.

“In my city we had bombs, shootings, nothing was normal. Now my husband is in Ukraine, he’s a volunteer helping people,” she said.

Forced to leave her husband behind, Alla and her children fled to Romania and arrived at the doorstep of our partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Romania.

“My husband and I talk online every day, but it’s very difficult because my children haven’t seen him for a long time. They are tired of this,” she said.

Thanks to your compassion, JRS Romania was able to offer her family food, shelter, and the opportunity to take control of their lives once again.

Remarkably, soon after receiving immediate support, Alla signed up as a volunteer at JRS so that she could support her fellow Ukrainian citizens in need.

“I talk with women like me, who are in a new country alone, with children, and I try to help them. With the JRS volunteer team I feel like I’m part of a big family,” she said.

It is moving to see that the Jesuit family continues to welcome and empower resilient people like Alla. 

JRS Romania is already preparing the next phase to help facilitate the integration of Ukrainian refugees in the country.

A network of 60 Ukraine teachers will soon be employed to provide educational activities in eight schools, spanning from kindergarten to secondary education.

If you would like to support refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine, you can donate here.

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Greater Hope

Let us join together in the Prayer of Greater Hope written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

Located in Southern Shan State in central Myanmar, St Aloysius Gonzaga Institute of Higher Studies (SAG) welcomes students from all religions and ethnic groups, especially from marginal communities, fostering opportunities through education.

For 21-year-old Kyal, now studying English as a scholarship student at SAG in Taunggyi, your compassion and generosity is transforming her future and the future of her community.

“This program helps me to have a better life, one where I know I can achieve my goals and dreams. In the future, I want to get a good job, I want to teach English to children. I want to support my family, especially my mum,” she said.

For over twenty years SAG has been providing young people from vulnerable backgrounds with the training they need to become teachers, social workers and compassionate leaders.

With these skills, graduates can go out into their home regions as teachers to improve access to education, rebuild communities and bring opportunity to the entire country of Myanmar.

“Receiving the scholarship and joining SAG has inspired me to do something helpful for our society,” said Kyal.

Your support of young students such as Kyal provides a beacon of hope in one of Myanmar’s most challenging periods.

Since the violent military coup in early 2021, Kyal and many of her family members have been displaced from their home. It has been a difficult journey for Kyal and her six siblings, who lost their father in 2009 and have since been cared for by their mother.

The legacy of ongoing conflict in Myanmar has left the country’s youth adrift with many lacking employable skills.

However, SAG offers a life changing opportunity for students like Kyal, developing her confidence, enabling her to develop new skills and giving her the capacity to help lift her community out of the cycle of inter-generational poverty. 

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Greater Hope

Let us join together in the Prayer of Greater Hope written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

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Sadly, Fr Tony Ryan passed away on 5 June 2022 at Nazareth House, Camberwell in Melbourne, aged 82 years.

He was missioned to Hazaribag, India, in 1963 and spent most of his life serving as a missionary there. Many of his roles were in finance and treasury, providing invaluable support to Jesuit and other Catholic institutions. 

His funeral Mass was celebrated at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hawthorn on 15 June. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Click here to read the eulogy from Fr Tony Ryan SJ's funeral given by Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

Click here to read the Homily from Fr Tony Ryan SJ's funeral given by Fr Brendan Byrne SJ.

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Click here to watch a video update from the ground from our Jesuit partner Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. 

In just over a hundred days, close to 7 million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine.

Thanks to your support, our partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe remains on the ground 24/7 delivering vital services to people in need.

The Jesuit response to the Ukraine emergency continues to develop across Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia with the coordination of both Jesuit Refugee Service Europe and the Xavier Network.

According to the UN over 5.2 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. 

The Jesuits have introduced a holistic global program which encompasses four dimensions of the emergency response:  

(a) Reception (“welcome”): providing temporary shelter, food and other essentials, transportation, and operation of call centres;

(b) Protection: providing safe shelter, legal assistance, psychosocial support, education, and health;

(c) Advocacy: addressing education and livelihood needs of refugees;

(d) Integration: helping reconciliation and awareness-raising through education, communication, advocacy, and accompaniment activities.

Many Ukrainian women who have fled to neighbouring countries with their children, have chosen to join the local JRS teams to support other Ukrainian families in desperate need.

Educational and recreational activities, such as art therapy and dance classes are supporting the mental and physical well-being of children.

[quotes]“For years we have been suffering from social distancing, finally, with this crisis, we are all witnessing and experiencing the importance of social proximity."[/quotes] [break height=20] [quotes_author color="#000"] Fr Marius Talos SJ, Director of JRS Romania. [/quotes_author]

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Click here to watch a video update from the ground from our Jesuit partner Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. 

If you'd like to donate to our Emergency Action Fund you can donate online now. Since 2020, our Emergency Action Fund has helped deliver immediate help and ongoing support to over 600,000 people around the world. We are so grateful for your ongoing support - with your help, we can continue to ensure urgent support is delivered where it’s needed most.

Thank you to those who attended our Ukraine Emergency Response Webinar last week!

For those who missed out we are excited to be able to share the video here with you all.

The webinar outlined the swift international effort of the Jesuit network in supporting thousands of vulnerable refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine.

We spoke with special guests and project partners of Jesuit Mission, Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe and Fr Marius Talos SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Romania, who are both managing the situation on the ground.

“The Society of Jesus activated the emergency response in less than a week. We opened houses from the very beginning to welcome arriving refugees and provided critical support for vulnerable people, including children with cancer and other serious health concerns." - Fr Alberto

Thanks to a partnership between Jesuit Mission through Xavier Network and JRS (JRS) Europe, at-risk communities fleeing the Ukraine are being provided with emergency shelter, food, psychosocial support, medical escorts, translation and accompaniment.

“JRS Romania has already attended to more than 10,000 refugees, supporting different aspects of their needs, from welcoming to integrating them." - Fr Marius

Among these refugees, more than half are children, who have walked for two days to arrive at the border exhausted and traumatised. 

“Meeting an 11-year-old boy (refugee) carrying his trolley without any adult accompanying him, is the most shattering image I have ever witnessed." - Fr Marius

“So, in front of destruction and shattering dreams, we have to propose and to promote the building up of opportunity and provide long term solutions including schooling, housing and services of integration." - Fr Marius

The current crisis in Ukraine has prompted dialogue on the plight of refugees around the world, especially with the European Union agreeing in record time to activate protection and legal status to help people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

“Unfortunately, I think refugees and migrants, especially from other continents are treated as scape goats and do not receive the same treatment in Europe. Migration is often instrumentalised to generate fear and polarisation." - Fr Alberto

However, 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. Dance classes and playrooms for children have additionally been set up to allow people to temporarily disconnect from the reality of the world and to laugh.

“For years we have been suffering from social distancing, finally, with this crisis, we are all witnessing and experiencing the importance of social proximity." - Fr Marius

Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters, Jesuit Mission has extraordinarily raised nearly half a million dollars to support JRS Europe’s emergency response to welcome refugees in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.

We are so incredibly grateful for every single donation – these gifts are already making a tangible difference supporting Ukrainian people when they are at their most vulnerable.

If you would like to support refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine, you can donate here.

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Welcome

Let us join together in the Prayer of Welcome written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

This month marks the 20^th anniversary since the opening of the Jesuit-run secondary school NOSSEF (Escola Secundaria Católica Nossa Senhora de Fátima) in Railaco, Timor-Leste.

Congratulations NOSSEF for 20 years of bringing hope and opportunity to rural students in Railaco and thank you to our friends at St Canice's Kings Cross Parish, who have been supporting the school since the beginning and Pilgrims 100 in South Australia for its support last year.

NOSSEF plays a vital role in educating the youth of Railaco and building them up to be future leaders of Timor-Leste. Today the school educates over 380 students from Year 10 to Year 12.

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“I had the privilege of visiting NOSSEF many times over the years. On each visit I’ve been overwhelmed by the generous and warm welcome of students, teachers and the Jesuit communities." - Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission

Thanks to your generosity, the school receives support for a bed and breakfast dormitory that provides food and shelter for 30% of the students that live out of area, teacher salary support and canteen subsidy support to provide nutritious meals.

All of this ensures that both students and teachers build an environment of high-quality education and a community with less financial stress.  

“The students’ commitment to their education, their commitment to the Jesuit and Ignatian ethos, as well as their passion and desire to contribute to change in their country has been so humbling to watch.” - Helen Forde

NOSSEF has an outstanding track record of a 100% pass rate in the national examinations, a testament to the quality of education delivered by the teachers and the learning capacity of the students.

It’s incredible to see what has been achieved in 20 years.

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Welcome

Let us join together in the Prayer of Welcome written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers and supporters who made the Maytime Fair so special this year. It was great to be back as one Jesuit Mission family at Xavier College after a two-year fair hiatus.

Together, schools, parishes, teachers, students, parents and long-time supporters came together for a fantastic day of community spirit, to uplift vulnerable communities overseas.

“I was in awe of the committee and the volunteers. In spite of the many challenges this year, a two-year gap, COVID-19 and unpredictable weather, you created a new fair, which took a huge amount of courage and commitment." - Fr Paul Horan SJ, Hazaribag Missionary of 40 years and Companion of Jesuit Mission.

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This commitment from both the Maytime Fair Committee and the wider Jesuit community revived the enthusiasm and energy of a 70-year tradition, and the result was a joyful day full of games and entertainment for children of all ages, their parents, grandparents and friends.

The Fair included a variety of music, a huge array of food outlets and stalls, plant stalls, a second hand book stall, cakes and confectionery, raffles, theatre sports and many reunions between family and friends.

The success of the Maytime Fair in supporting vulnerable communities overseas is hinged upon the hard work and effort of hundreds of generous volunteers, who work tirelessly all day and devote hours of their time in preparation for the Fair.  

Thanks to your generosity, the Maytime Fair has been held at Xavier College on the first Saturday in May since 1952, raising funds to support at-risk communities in over 10 countries in Asia and Africa.

“On behalf of the Jesuits, I would like to thank you all for your courage and dedication in supporting our mission." - Fr Paul

First Spiritual Exercises - Prayer of Welcome

Let us join together in the Prayer of Welcome written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.

It was great to see so many of our friends attend our Ukraine Emergency Response 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 Jesuit partners Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Regional Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe - JRS and Fr Marius Talos SJ, Director of JRS Romania, who are managing the Jesuits' emergency response on the ground.

Once again, we'd like to thank you for your ongoing support. Your generosity empowers vulnerable refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine.

If you'd like to contribute to the Jesuit Mission Emergency Action Fund to help deliver ongoing support to Ukrainian people in desperate need, click here.

On Saturday 7 May, thousands of people in Melbourne will spill through the gates of Xavier College for the return of Jesuit Mission’s annual fundraising event, the Maytime Fair.

The Maytime Fair has been held at Xavier College on the first Saturday in May since 1952, raising funds to support the many educational and social outreach programs of Jesuit Mission overseas.

“After an absence of two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, I am delighted to be able to welcome everyone again to this year’s Maytime Fair. It's wonderful to be able to renew our long tradition of coming together in May as a Jesuit community to support vulnerable communities overseas," - Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

All proceeds from the day go directly towards supporting at-risk communities across over 10 countries in Asia and Africa, including Cambodia, Timor-Leste, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malawi and more.

Since the year 2000, the Maytime Fair has raised over $3 million to help provide a range of targeted support and training that empowers women, men and children to develop the skills and capacity to lift themselves out of poverty and injustice. 

The success of the Maytime Fair in supporting vulnerable communities overseas, is hinged upon the hard work and effort of hundreds of generous volunteers, who plan and prep year-round; baking, cooking, creating, gathering and preparing goods to be sold.

“Parents, students and friends of Jesuit Mission generously work together tirelessly to raise funds for people they will never meet, but whose lives are dramatically changed by their efforts,” - Katrina Varis, Maytime Fair Committee Chair.

Many of the Fair’s offerings, including fresh produce, preserves, baked goods, crafts, wine auctions, competitions and entertainment, are also donated at little to no cost by vendors.  

The Fair will include amusements and games for children of all ages as well as a variety of music, a huge array of food outlets and stalls, plant stalls, a second hand book store, cakes and confectionery, raffles and lots more. 

Your attendance at the Maytime Fair will help fund life-changing teaching and education programs; provide food and essential services to refugees displaced by conflict; provide healthcare and livelihood training to vulnerable communities and provide emergency relief to those most affected by disasters.

You are invited to join the Xavier College community in supporting Jesuit Mission at the Maytime Fair on Saturday 7 May. 

When: 9:00am – 5:00pm Saturday 7 May 2022 
Where: Xavier College Senior Campus, 135 Barkers Road, Kew 

For more details visit the Maytime Fair Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/388398716490005.

Those people unable to attend the Maytime Fair can support vulnerable communities by purchasing a ticket in Jesuit Mission’s annual raffle below.

Gifts for Change Mother's Day

Looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Give a gift with the power to transform lives by supporting our Gifts for Change program.

First Spiritual Exercises - Renewing Inspiration

Let us join together in the Prayer of Renewed Inspiration written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.