Typhoon Yagi and Lebanon emergency response

Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest storms to hit Southeast Asia in decades, brought severe flooding and landslides, especially to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.

Tragically, hundreds of lives were lost, thousands of people displaced and countless homes, schools and businesses were destroyed. Many people across the region were left struggling to access food and clean water.

Assisted by our Emergency Action Fund, our local Jesuit partners in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos worked with people of all faiths to deliver essential relief to those in urgent need.

"I witnessed how the Catholic and Buddhist faiths met, as persons of goodwill to love and serve the neediest flood-affected displaced persons. I was truly touched by how faith moves mountains to serve all without any discrimination, with compassion," said Fr Girish Santiago SJ, Regional Superior of Myanmar.

Lebanon Emergency - Sheltering Hope

Generous contributions to the Emergency Action Fund have also helped our local partner, Jesuit Refugee Service Lebanon, with the support of Middle East & North Africa (JRS MENA), provide urgent relief to over 12,000 displaced people in southern Lebanon.

As the crisis in the Middle East continues, airstrikes have forced many families in southern Lebanon to flee their homes. Alongside these locals, already vulnerable migrant workers and Syrian refugees have also been displaced.

With a harsh winter fast approaching, JRS Lebanon has provided much needed food, hygiene kits and winter essentials to over 6,000 families by December, reaching an additional 1,000 per week.

At the Jesuit Church of St Joseph, the Arrupe Migrant Centre has been fitted out with beds and mattresses, in order to provide a safe haven for migrants and refugees who have been turned away from other shelters.

Additionally, JRS MENA is offering protection and psychological support for vulnerable people and families – especially children – dealing with the trauma of conflict and displacement.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.

"I would like to thank the Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO) for supporting me and the members of my community. Thank you for instructing us to become farmers that are connected with nature and helping us to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers, which is better for the health of my family and community."

These are the words of Mrs Houv Narin, a 34-year-old mother of two, who lives in a small village in a rural area of Battambang province, Cambodia.

Before attending the Community Development Program run by our local partner KBO, Mrs Narin and her husband could not make a sustainable living from their small subsistence farm. Instead, they had to travel great distances to make a livelihood from fishing.

The work was hard, after paying for travel and living expenses, the couple had little left over to support their two children. Both parents also felt very unhappy about being away from their children for extended periods of time and worried about their education.

Thanks to the support of people like you, Mrs Narin had the opportunity to change the future of her family.

She joined the Community Development Program, where farmers are empowered to form self-help cooperatives that receive training in eco-friendly farming methods. These include the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a technique that requires fewer seeds, less water, and no chemicals.

Mrs Narin is one of the 600 rural farmers who has participated in the program and now utilises the SRI method to grow more food with reduced exposure to harmful chemicals and fertilisers. Farmers receive some income to kick-start other sustainable farming activities and establish a savings plan which in turn supports a circular economy within their villages.

These days Mrs Narin and her family are thriving, with both children attending school and being cared for by their loving parents who no longer need to travel to make a living.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.

125 years ago, the first Jesuits arrived in Timor-Leste. Now, the Jesuits continue to serve the most vulnerable there, bringing hope and opportunity.

Michael Musgrave, St Canice's parishioner and champion fundraiser for our neighbours in Timor-Leste, reflects on his latest visit to the Jesuit projects, including the Food Security project.

"While in Dili, I spent a fascinating day in the field with Timorese Jesuit Fr Júlio Sousa SJ, Director of Jesuit Social Services. We are accompanied by Elsa Pinto, a Timorese university graduate from Melbourne, who oversees their Food Security Program initiated only three years ago.  Before this was introduced, farmers would simply scatter seed over the earth and wait. Now, the size of cabbages and cauliflower growing in raised beds in fenced-off plots is testament to the success of this program. The challenge ahead is how to scale up a very successful pilot program and help more farmers to earn a living...

I’ve always enjoyed my interaction with the Jesuits at the Mission. They share their highs and lows freely and that openness inspires me to get on board to better understand what’s moving them. I aim to align my talents and passions with theirs and lend a hand in any way I can...

I must be very careful not to give the impression that we are the givers, and they are the takers. We are simply good neighbours, doing as good neighbours do," says Michael. 

Click here to read Michael's account of his recent trip to Timor-Leste. [External link to Australian Jesuits website]

Pictured above is Michael with Bartolomeu and his family, whose lives have been transformed by participating in the Food Security Project, run by our partner Jesuit Social Service Timor-Leste. To learn more and support other families learn sustainable agricultural techniques to overcome malnutrition and extreme poverty in Timor-Leste, read our Christmas appeal.

With great sadness, we share the news of the passing of Fr William (Bill) Dwyer SJ (1930–2024).

Fr Bill entered the Society of Jesus on 2 February 1948, at Loyola College in Watsonia, Victoria.

After completing his novitiate and juniorate at the same college, he embarked on a lifelong mission to India in 1952, joining the second group of Australian Jesuits to serve there.

Fr Bill left a profound legacy, uplifting tribal communities through education and spiritual direction.

Jesuit Mission companions Fr Paul Horan SJ and Fr Tony Herbert SJ fondly remember their time with Fr Bill during language school in Allahabad.

"He was a good friend of mine. He was very warm and welcoming, sharing his experience and advice. Tony and I felt very supported. We all lived together in Allahabad for six months, and it was a very happy house,” says Fr Paul.

"Later he became the Principal of St Xavier’s College. He spoke very high-class Hindi that often left native speakers raising their eyebrows in shock when speaking with him."

Fr Bill’s dedication to serving the people extended to learning the tribal language Oraon. Fr Paul witnessed Fr Bill’s first homily in Oraon during a Christmas Mass in Jharkhand, a moment of deep connection with the community.

Fr Bill went on to study for a PhD in Hindi, focusing on Kabir, a mystic and saint of Hinduism, who was also regarded as a Sufi by Muslims.

"Bill’s work and studies were very ecumenical, to bring Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity together. As an educator, he valued and recognised the importance of interfaith dialogue to better understand and connect with the local people," says Fr Paul.

In addition to his interfaith contributions, Fr Bill was a key spiritual director for many religious congregations, frequently visiting them even after retiring at 60.

Ancita D'Cunh, a supporter of Jesuit Mission, recalls visiting Fr Bill in Hazaribag.

"How gracious, considerate, and kind a man Bill was. I was humbled to see how he and the other Jesuits treat their staff at every level and each other," said Ancita.

"One of the nuns, Sr Valsa Mathews, was in a horrific accident but recovered amazingly thanks to the loving care of people like him. Bill helped her by supplying books in large print so that she didn’t have to hold them up, and he visited her often, encouraging her to get better,” said Ancita.

Fr Bill was near and dear to many of our supporters, serving as a Hazaribag missionary for many decades and as the Assistant Director of Jesuit Mission in Melbourne from 2007 to 2008, before returning to Hazaribag in 2009.

We keep him, his friends, and his family in our thoughts and prayers. Rest in peace.

Click here to watch a video of Fr Bill reflecting on his experiences living in India, from the ABC Documentary 'Into India' made in 2016.

Click here to watch Fr Bill's funeral.

In the small village of Patra Kalan in India’s Hazaribag district, literacy rates among females are just 41%. For women from Dalit and tribal families, opportunities are even more limited. Without education, many girls are confined to domestic work, and societal norms discourage their schooling, leaving them vulnerable to early marriage and exploitation.

The Grihini Centre, supported by Jesuit Mission, is changing that narrative. This nine-month program offers education, life skills, and vocational training to empower young women with confidence, independence, and opportunities for a brighter future.

The program includes classes in Hindi, basic English, mathematics, tailoring, and household management. Participants engage in personal development workshops, play sports, and join cultural activities to build self-esteem. They also plant trees in their villages, embodying Care for Our Common Home.

Thanks to your support, 21 girls participated in the program this year:

Among these students is Meena, whose story highlights the program’s life-changing impact. Born into a low-caste family, Meena faced early marriage at 17 but defied expectations.

She fled her arranged marriage, worked briefly in a call centre under harsh conditions, and returned home determined to change her future.

An outreach educator introduced her to the Grihini Centre, where she embraced the opportunity to learn and grow. Meena excelled, passing her government school exams with 75% while tutoring others in her community. Today, she dreams of becoming a nurse.

"I’ve witnessed the struggle for nursing care in my locality. I want to help make a difference,” says Meena.

Meena’s story is a testament to your generosity. Thank you for transforming lives and empowering young women to uplift their communities.