We would like to thank all our supporters for their valued and ongoing support this year. As our office will be closed from 24 December and reopening on 10 January, we leave you with a video Christmas message from our CEO Helen Forde.
[break height=7]Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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As a boy growing up in the heart of Hazaribag India, Fr Santosh Minj SJ had an inkling he might one day be a priest. He couldn’t have imagined he would not only achieve that dream, but would in fact become the Provincial Superior of the Province initiated as Hazaribag mission by six Australian Jesuits in 1951.
“I grew up in a small village called Karamtoli-Bardauni with my parents and four siblings. My hamlet is 15 kilometres away from Mahuadanr parish – the oldest mission station in Hazaribag Province in Latehar district of Jharkhand state,” he says.
The late Australian Jesuit Fr Barry O'Loughlin SJ was the Parish Priest at Fr Santosh's parish when he was a child.
"Fr Barry used to be very close to the people, and I think probably this led me to the Jesuits and to Hazaribag."
Fr Santosh says his desire to join the priesthood was further nurtured and nourished while attending St Joseph’s School in Mahuadanr, where he met Australian Fr Thomas Keogh SJ. Later, as a candidate residing at St Xavier’s School in Hazaribag, he met Fr John Moore SJ and Fr Lou Lachal SJ, two of the first Australian missionaries to arrive in Hazaribag in 1951.
The die was thus cast: Fr Santosh joined the Jesuits in June 1991, was ordained a priest in 2005 and was appointed Provincial in December 2016.
His trajectory personifies the vocational legacy left by those early Australian Jesuits, whose religious order was every bit as successful as their mission. The first Indian Jesuit joined the order in 1954, and today Indian Jesuits outnumber their counterparts in Australia.
These men and their co-missionaries have shepherded the early Jesuits’ legacy admirably, building on the early foundations by maintaining the mission’s strong educational focus.
Consequently, says Fr Santosh, “There has been a huge change in the lifestyle of the people in and around Hazaribag. People used to walk miles and miles, now they have motorcycles and some of them own four wheelers.
People are educated and are in good government as well as private jobs. People have very much woken up for the need of good education, health and saving money. People are moving from the mud house to the cement house.”
And though Indian Jesuits now oversee the mission, their connection with Australia remains as strong as ever. Jesuit Mission currently supports the construction of the auditorium of St Xavier’s College, Mahuadanr and St Mary’s Girls’ Hostel at Chiropath; it also assists with a training program for Dalit leaders in Chatra and Hazaribag districts.
“Hazaribag Province is very grateful to Jesuit Mission and all the benefactors who keep Hazaribag Province in their hearts and think about its progress,” Fr Santosh says.
And as Hazaribag heads into its 71st year, Fr Santosh perceives a future every bit as inspired as its past.
“I see a bright future for [the] Hazaribag Province as there are committed, creative, promising and talented young priests who will assume roles as superiors and directors of work in the future. They will make vibrant communities hopefully.”
As Jesuit Mission’s 70th Anniversary comes to a close, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our dedicated supporters. We hope you have enjoyed the insight provided by our partners on the many projects you have supported over seven decades.
Today, your generosity enables our partners to provide life-giving support to vulnerable communities across 12 countries in South East Asia and Africa.
With your support, we will continue to empower women, men and children on the margins to live full and free lives, to enable them to inspire opportunity and hope for future generations.
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Let us join together in the Prayer for Good Dreams written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.
It was great to see so many of you attend our Xavier Learning Community Webinar!
For those who missed out, we are very pleased to be able to share the webinar here with you all.
The webinar welcomed special guests Fr Augustinus Pitoyo SJ, Vice Director for Institutional Development at Xavier Learning Community (XLC) and Chalermsri Tahong, one of the first graduates from the 2016 cohort.
“I was given the special task to open a new education apostolic for ethnic minorities, the vulnerable people in the Northern part of Thailand. I felt that this great plan to help the young people is the mission of God,” said Fr Pitoyo.
Run by the Jesuit Education Foundation 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 above all, a lack of opportunity.
“I am currently the only person in my family to have obtained a bachelor’s degree, not only just in my family, but (I’m) also the only person from my village,” said Chalermsri.
“Recently I got an opportunity to work for an NGO in Chiang Mai and this enables me to support my family, especially my parents who are now at home together. Before they had to work in different places to support me while I was still studying,” she said.
Now with over 100 students from ethnic minorities e.g. Akha, Karen, Hmong, Lanna and more, XLC is packed full of inspiring stories like Chalermsri.
“These graduates completed their studies in only three and a half years from a four-year program. Now some of them are English teachers, or are working in hotels. Many have started their own businesses in eco-tourism in their villages and some are providing English tutorials in their houses,” said Fr Pitoyo.
[break height=10]Let us join together in the Prayer for Good Dreams written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.
Thanks to your generosity and the support of St Canice’s Parish Kings Cross and last year South Australian group, Pilgrims 100, the Railaco Feeding Program in Timor-Leste provides weekly meals to almost 300 children.
As Railaco has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, the program provides nutritious meals for children and educates parents on the importance of diet to ensure the healthy development of their children.
Many vulnerable families in Railaco come from remote villages and simply cannot afford to provide nutritious meals for their families.
Miralda a 27 year old mother with two daughters from Caitarehei village, is grateful that her children are beneficiaries of the Feeding Program.
“This program started when I was still a teenager. I am really glad that this program has been ongoing and that my children are now a part of it,” she said.
Run by our partner the Jesuit Region of Timor-Leste, the Railaco Feeding Program has been ensuring the healthy nutritional development of remote communities since 2004.
The program provides weekly meals of chicken, eggs, tofu, tempeh, vegetables and rice to children who would otherwise go without.
“Our usual diet for the family was cassava leaves, corns, and sweet potatoes. We rarely had meat in our diet. Now through the Feeding Program, my children eat chicken, tofu and tempeh, which is hard to obtain in my village. My daughters are growing and look healthier than before,” she said.
The program’s food is prepared in the Railaco parish kitchen and the children bring their own plates to be filled with food they would not usually get at home.
In addition, when the children are gathered together, the team seizes the opportunity to impart learning through the sharing of children’s stories and dance performances. This helps develop the cognitive, emotional and physical skills of the children.
Thanks to your support, Miralda’s children can now enjoy a variety of food and get the nutritional and educational development they need. The family’s diet is no longer limited by their financial situation or their remote location.
“I hope it can continue and I hope those who support this program are in good health so that they can continue to help our children grow,” said Miralda.
[break height=10]Let us join together in the Prayer for Good Dreams 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 Xavier Learning Community Webinar! For those who missed out we are very pleased to be able to share it here with you all and hope you enjoy it.
We are very grateful to have had Fr Augustinus Pitoyo SJ, Vice Director for Institutional Development at Xavier Learning Community, share his insights on the power of education to uplift marginalised communities in Chiang Rai.
It was great to also speak with recent graduate of Xavier Learning Community, Chalermsri Tahong who shared the life-changing impact of the program on her own life.
Once again, we'd like to thank you for your ongoing support. Your generosity allows people like Chalermsri to receive an education and have a brighter future.
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Malnourished children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam need your support and through our Gifts for Change Program, you can save a child’s life.
For three months, Ho Chi Minh City was in complete lockdown, where residents were forbidden from leaving their homes – even to shop for food, or exercise. Soldiers enforced stay at home orders and helped with limited food deliveries.
These restrictions to control the spread of COVID 19, since lifted, have forced millions of migrant workers out of employment and into emergency levels of poverty and hunger. Mothers are struggling to feed their babies because of poor diet, leaving thousands of children malnourished.
By supporting our Gifts for Change Program - no matter how big or small your contribution is – you can bring hope to these families and their young children.
A Gift for Change allows you to replace a traditional present with the gift of nourishment, independence, education and empowerment.
Your donation can support projects like the Emergency appeal in Vietnam, and other projects that best support the needs of the communities we serve. And, you can choose from an instant e-card or a postal card to share with your loved ones this Christmas.
Give a gift with the power to transform lives.
$60 can provide enough formula to feed 3 under-nourished babies in Vietnam for 3 months.
Click below to browse our Gifts for Change shop.
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We invite you to join our Webinar about Xavier Learning Community on 3 November at 6:00pm AEDT.
Click here to register.
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Online wine orders are now closed. Thank you to those who supported us and purchased wine from our MTF wine sale.
Pick-up your orders on Saturday 13 November from Province Office 130 Power Street between 10am-12pm or 1pm-3pm
or contact Anna O'Halloran - loanna@iinet.net.au OR Katrina Varis - kvaris@bigpond.net.au
Only those over the age of 18 years may purchase alcohol.
Purchase Wine [break height=10]We invite you to join our Webinar about Xavier Learning Community on 3 November at 6:00pm AEDT.
Click here to register.
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Seventy years after its inception in 1951, Jesuit Mission’s legacy is sowing healing and hope in Cambodia, a region once decimated by the protracted Vietnam War and the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge.
Witness to this evolution is Mercy Sister Denise Coghlan, who moved from her hometown, Brisbane, to the Thai-Cambodia border in 1988 to work with Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees. Two years later, she relocated to Cambodia.
“To promote reconciliation, peace and justice, we felt we needed to be on both sides of the border, and making friends with Cambodians from all the warring factions. I was part of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), recruited by Mercy Refugee Service,” she explains.
From the outset, this Cambodian ministry had strong links with the Australian Jesuits; the one-time provincial Fr Mark Raper SJ had been instrumental in establishing JRS in Cambodia.
The team of Sr Ath Long, Br Noel Oliver SJ, Fr Jub Phokthavi SJ and Sr Denise initially focused on reconciliation and the creation of an integrated rural development project and a vocational training school, Banteay Prieb, for people physically and psychologically wounded by war.
“It was a place where people learnt a skill and also had a community which helped heal hearts. Many, many poor people now have a wheelchair or a better quality of life because of the Australian Jesuit Mission.”
The ministry swiftly spread to the towns of Siem Reap, Sisophon, Battambang and the areas surrounding Phnom Penh, where, with the help of Jesuit Mission, JRS built more than 40 schools and assisted communities with infrastructure, agriculture and income-generation projects.
In 1997 a special moment of joy occurred when one of the team members, Tun “Reth” Channareth, who had lost his legs to a landmine in 1982, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Today, he inspires visitors to the Jesuit ministry’s Metta Karuna Reflection Centre in Siem Reap with his passionate advocacy for people living with disabilities.
Here, visitors can also learn about “the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth” by engaging with refugees and other displaced people, and assisting in construction and income-generation projects in remote villages.
“What began with Australians helping Jesuits in Hazaribag has flourished anew in Cambodia, a place that had been ravaged by war and genocide, a place where wounded hearts and bodies needed healing and hope,” Sr Denise says.
“We invite you dear friends to come and visit and share the joy you have given to so many others.”
We invite you to join our Webinar about Xavier Learning Community on 3 November at 6:00pm AEDT.
Click here to register.
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Thanks to your generosity, thirteen students of the first cohort at Xavier Learning Community in Chiang Rai, Thailand have graduated and received their BA in English.
After three and a half years of studying, these students have developed confidence in speaking English, high-level critical thinking, as well as IT and agricultural skills.
Out of the 13 graduates, one graduate now works as an accountant at Xavier Learning Community, four work as English teachers, two work with NGOs serving ethnic minorities, one works at an animal shelter and five graduates have returned home to develop their communities in the areas of agriculture and ecotourism.
Most of these young students come from marginalised ethnic minorities in northern Thailand, ‘Hill tribes’, such as Karen, Akha, Lahu, Hmong and Lanna groups, with limited education and employment opportunities.
Due to location, tight financial situations and documentation issues, for many, Xavier Learning Community is the only path to pursue further studies beyond High School.
Located near the Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai, Xavier Learning Community is a Jesuit-founded and run tertiary education institution in Thailand that operates as a residential campus.
As a residential campus where students and teachers live onsite together, the institution has fortunately been able to run its education and extracurricular programs largely according to plan despite COVID.
Today, a total of 102 students are enrolled at Xavier Learning Community and currently 78% of the students are female.
Some activities have allowed students to build relationships and networks with people from other countries. This year, students were provided with practical one-on-one English classes in the evening through the support of volunteers and Jesuit universities and organisations from the USA, Singapore and Australia.
To hear more about how your generosity is helping young people from ethnic minorities, we invite you to join our Webinar with Xavier Learning Community on Wednesday 3 November at 6.00 pm AEDT.
During the webinar you'll meet Fr Agustinus Sugiyo Pitoyo SJ, Vice Director for Institutional Development and recent graduate of Xavier Learning Community, Ms Chalermsri Tahong.
Click here to register for the Webinar.
Register Now
Gratitude Webinar - Xavier Learning Community (XLC), Thailand
Wednesday 3 November at 6.00pm AEDT.
REGISTER NOWPlease join us to hear how your generosity is empowering young people from ethnic minorities through tertiary education at Xavier Learning Community in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Xavier Learning Community offers a Bachelor degree in English with profession-based training, including eco-tourism and hospitality.
During the webinar, you'll meet Fr Agustinus Sugiyo Pitoyo SJ, and recent graduate of Xavier Learning Community, Chalermsri Tahong.
This webinar is a rare opportunity to hear directly from a young program participant like Chalermsri, and we're grateful for her willingness to share her personal story with Jesuit Mission supporters.
This webinar will be held via Zoom. Simply click on the link below to register and you will receive a confirmation email with the link to start the Zoom Webinar at the assigned date and time.
REGISTER NOW