One year supporting earthquake-affected communities in Syria
6 February marks one year since the devastating earthquakes shook Syria and Turkey, claiming the lives of thousands, and causing more destruction and trauma to millions more Syrians who were already surviving 12 long years of conflict.
Thanks to your generosity, our Syrian Earthquake Response Appeal provided immediate assistance to those people most affected living in Aleppo, where the Jesuits were already actively supporting refugees.
In one year over 44,000 women, men and children received emergency assistance, including food, warm clothing, shelter, healthcare and vital psychosocial support. This life-giving response is being delivered by our project partners Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Syria, in partnership with the Xavier Network.
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"A crisis will shake the foundations of any communities, but compassion and solidarity have the power to rebuild them," said Helen Forde.
"We are so grateful for the heartfelt generosity of our Jesuit Mission family as Syria’s vulnerable population face more trauma and terror."
Amidst the somber reflection on the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, with your support, we remain steadfast in our commitment to rebuilding shattered lives.
Using the funding already raised, the Jesuits are committed to continue the program of emergency support activities into 2024 that will help the long-term recovery of women, children and men affected by the earthquake and conflict.
"Thank you to those who supported our Earthquake appeal, your generosity continues to restore hope and empower resilience," said Helen Forde.
As the journey towards recovery extends into 2024, we urge you all to continue to keep the people of Syria in your thoughts and prayers.
One month after the earthquake a family builds a make-shift home on the street. Photographer: Mikhail Demian – JRS MENAThe earthquake collapsed thousands of buildings in Aleppo. Photographer: Mikhail Demian – JRS MENA
A child receives an emergency food package. Photographer: Mikhail Demian – JRS MENAMore
Jesuit Father General thanks Australians for giving their hearts to the marginalised
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On 24 January we welcomed Jesuit Father General Arturo Sosa, his Jesuit companions from Rome, and the Jesuit Major Superiors from across Asia-Pacific, to share an intimate evening of gratitude and friendship with some of our long-term and loyal supporters.
"You are part of the family of the Society of Jesus. Not because of what you give, but because of who you are. Because what you are giving is your own life, your own heart," said Fr. Sosa.
The evening consisted of a panel session where the Jesuit Major Superiors from Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Timor-Leste shared heartfelt stories of impact and updates from the ground, on the life-changing global outreach made possible thanks to your generosity.
Led by Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission, the panel was a great way for supporters, from Sydney, Broken Bay and Paramatta dioceses and some who travelled from Melbourne and Adelaide dioceses, to hear from the Major Superiors and Fr. Sosa, followed by opportunities for supporters to engage and meet in person.
Jesuit Mission Australia Board and staff with Fr General Sosa and four Major Superiors from Asia-Pacific. Giovanni Portelli Photography/Jesuit Mission Australia.
"It was an evening of great joy and encouragement, a reminder of the positive change we make when we collaborate and uplift our sisters and brothers in need together," said Ms Forde.
The Major Superiors were invited to share how their ministry is ensuring that the youth have a hope-filled future, to become leaders that strive for justice.
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"We are providing not only education, but holistic formation to youth where their values, culture and spirituality are grounded," said Fr. Erik John Gerilla SJ, Regional Superior of Timor-Leste, in reference to the Jesuit education institutions there which are forming thousands of students and trainee teachers to be the next leaders and change-makers of their country.
Even in the political upheaval in neighbouring Myanmar, beacons of hope and opportunity bloom through the chaos.
"Despite the challenges of the country, the youth of Myanmar have hope…the fighting will one day cease and with the education they receive they will breathe in something new," said Fr. Girish Santiago SJ, Regional Superior of Myanmar.
In Cambodia many children living in rural areas, are unable to receive a quality education due to poverty and a lack of opportunity.
"We opened Xavier Jesuit School in Cambodia near the Thai border, as many children are left behind while their parents seek employment in Thailand. Our school motto is to ‘Dare to Dream of a Brighter Future,” said Fr. Kwon Oh-Chang SJ, Delegate of Cambodia Mission." said Fr. Kwon Oh-Chang SJ, Delegate of Cambodia Mission.
Similarly, in Thailand your generosity is supporting the Jesuits work in two refugee camps providing education, social and pastoral services.
"We have about 11 schools improving their curriculum, supporting teacher salaries, providing textbooks as well as seminars for teacher training and child protection. We visit families, take care of the elderly, the sick and the outcast," said Fr. Miguel Garaizábal SJ, Regional Superior of Thailand.
Fr. Sosa is the 31st Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
Fr. Erik John Gerilla SJ, Regional Superior of Timor-Leste.Fr. Girish Santiago SJ, Regional Superior of Myanmar.Fr. Kwon Oh-Chang SJ, Delegate of Cambodia Mission.Fr. Miguel Garaizábal SJ, Regional Superior of Thailand.
As only the third Father General to visit Australia in the history of the Jesuits, it was a truly memorable occasion for the Jesuit Mission family to hear directly from the Father General as he shared a message of thanks and offered a special blessing.
"The Society of Jesus cannot exist, cannot have a long history as it has without your generosity, without those who support, who have been partners in this mission. So from the grateful heart of the whole Society of Jesus, especially from the Australian, Asian, part of our universal body, and in your name, I ask the Lord for abundant blessings... May the Lord bless each of you, your families, your intentions. May you be blessed with good health and interior strength so that we can encourage one another in doing God's work,” said Fr. Sosa.
Fr. Sosa expressed the importance of us working together as one Church:
"I want to insist that the mission does not belong to Jesuits. The Lord called all of us. All of us are called to that mission together for the same mission. Even though we have different ways of fulfilling... we need to help each other so that we, the Jesuits, and you our friends in Jesuit Mission Australia can work together to fulfill the mission and entrusted to us by God and the Church.”
We would like to extend its deepest thanks to Fr. Sosa, the Major Superiors of Asia-Pacific and Australia, as well as the rest of our Jesuit partners and supporters in mission in Australia and around the world. Through our collaboration in God’s Mission, there is hope for people trapped in the cycle of poverty.
Photography: Giovanni Portelli/Jesuit Mission Australia.
You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and protection. You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday.
Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honour them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.
Psalm 91:1-6,14-16
We pray for those in Myanmar who have lost their homes and are feeling lost. We pray that they feel protected and comforted during this difficult time and that our project partners can continue to reach them in their time of need.
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1. Desire...I ask the Spirit for the Gift of Protection.
I take a nut, considering how its hard shell protects the nut as it grows, waiting for the time when the nut is ready for freedom and seeding new life.
I ask the Spirit for protection from that which threatens me now.
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2. Relish...Today I live in the Protective Trinity.
I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity. Each person addresses me by name, saying, ‘I will protect you. Nothing will separate you from my love.’
Without knowing how I will be protected, I sit humbly, waiting in the mystery of the Protective Trinity and my desire.
I relish feeling safe.
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3. Family... I breathe in Loving Protection.
Then I imagine and feel the Spirit breathing the gift of loving Protection into me.
I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to flow through my particular need for protection.
I repeat as desired – breathing, protected, renewed.
I conclude giving thanks, nut in hand, feeling more loved and protected.
PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.
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Click here to download the prayer of Protecting You.
In the heart of Yangon, Myanmar, a campaign to rid the city of its slums sent shockwaves through the urban landscape in 2022.
Demolition crews erased entire areas, leaving countless slum dwellers without homes, their lives upended in an instant.
One of these affected communities had been home to families who had fled the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
These migrant families sought refuge for years in the city.
With only a week’s notice to vacate their homes, some families managed to find new places to live, however, 10 families were unable to afford relocation.
These vulnerable families struggle to survive day-to-day, so in their hour of need, the Jesuits in Myanmar stepped in to offer a helping hand.
They provided land where the families could then build temporary shelters, a small glimmer of hope in their time of crisis.
"We're filled with gratitude for donors, volunteers so kind. In our darkest hours, your support, a beacon, we did find. Now, each family and child can rest through the night, in these new homes, your kindness, a guiding light. We'll hold your help dear, in our hearts, it will stay, with prayers of thanks, for you, we'll always say." said a mother whose family received temporary shelter.
In the midst of adversity, the community came together, finding strength in unity and hope in the compassion of others.
In the heart of Cambodia, your generosity is encouraging children’s dreams to take flight despite their family’s financial constraints. Vanna (17) can now chase her aspirations as vast as the rice fields that surround her village.
Vanna, the fifth of eight siblings, was born into a family that struggles to make ends meet. Her parents, resilient and as hard working as they are, cannot afford to support their children's secondary education.
In 2018, a scholarship funded by our supporters brought Vanna to the Xavier Jesuit School (XJS) hostel in Sisaphon. Here, within the walls of this haven, Vanna discovered a world beyond the confines of her humble village. Education, once a distant dream, became a tangible reality, and the hostel transformed into a family that nurtures her aspirations.
“Before I never dreamt of anything. I never thought of what I wanted to be in the future." she says.
The financial strain compelled her siblings to abandon their academic pursuits, opting instead to labour in the fields, harvesting chili peppers to sustain the family.
However, life at XJS unfolded like a novel with unexpected twists. The family-like environment within the hostel not only provided Vanna with an education but also equipped her with life skills to navigate the world beyond.
"In the past I was someone who didn’t know much how to communicate with others… But my peers and my teachers have taught me how to build relationships with others," she shared.
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Vanna’s transformation is profound. Once shy and reserved, Vanna has blossomed into a confident and expressive individual. "I also felt shy, but now I have the courage to express myself more freely," she says.
With each passing day at XJS, Vanna's dreams grow bolder. Fuelled by the knowledge acquired and life skills gained through the scholarship, she now envisions her future as a middle school teacher of Khmer and Civics. But her dreams don't stop there; Vanna aspires to start her own business, to own a café.
Vanna (holding microphone) leads a group of fellow students in singing at a recent ceremony.
Yet, it is Vanna’s empathy, that truly exemplifies the heart of our programs.
"If I become wealthy, I would want to help others in need. I know how it feels to be poor, so I want to help vulnerable people and the elderly people who don’t have much support."
As the Christmas season approaches, your generosity can make a meaningful impact. By purchasing a Jesuit Mission Gift for Change, you can transform lives this Christmas, and share hope by uplifting vulnerable communities.
You can make a difference.
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With just a $50 Gift for Change, you can help buy a bicycle for a young student in Cambodia and give them access to a quality education.
Through your unwavering support, you have not only changed the course of one young girl's life but have sown the seeds of change that will undoubtedly yield a harvest of hope for generations to come.
To browse our Gifts for Change shop for more options – click here.
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Decades of serving Jesuit Mission
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In 2022, we marked the 70th Anniversary of the inaugural Jesuit Mission Bazaar, first held at St Ignatius’ College, Riverview in 1952.
To commemorate this occasion, the Old Ignatians' Union (OIU) created the "Hazaribagh Award" to pay tribute to the Australian Jesuit Missionaries who pioneered a vibrant mission in India, greatly improving education and healthcare for the marginalised and the outcast, empowering them to live full and free lives.
This year, the OIU awarded Jesuit Mission companions, Doug and Maree Meagher, with the inaugural Hazaribagh Award for their “Service by a member to the Jesuit Mission Bazaar."
Doug has been a long-time volunteer for Jesuit Mission, substantially helping on the organising Committee of the Jesuit Mission Bazaar and serving on our Jesuit Mission Board for years. For over 30 years Doug has co-led the "$5 Wheel" stall at the Bazaar.
Doug’s father, Bob Meagher, comes from a large family of nine, two of whom were Jesuit Missionaries in Hazaribagh, Fr Geoffrey Meagher SJ and Fr Paddy Meagher SJ.
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"It has been a wonderful opportunity to volunteer as part of a very large team of very generous people, who happily give their time and effort to help others who they’ll likely never meet. Having two uncles who worked as missionaries in India gave my family a very personal connection to their work and we always wanted to help," said Doug.
Doug’s wife Maree, also a Bazaar volunteer for decades, stepped into the position as Chair of the Bazaar Committee just when COVID-19 struck and has steered the committee since.
This required many nights of meetings in the lead up to the day, as well as an entire week of set up and cleaning up after the Bazaar.
"Doug and Maree are people of great generosity and kindness who actively serve others. Their desire to assist Jesuit Mission has its roots in their family connections, but also because they were inspired by the early missionaries," said Daniel Bolger, previous OIU President.
Maree reminisces on a recurring conversation with former Jesuit Mission Director and Hazaribagh Missionary of more than 50 years, Fr Phil Crotty SJ:
"Whenever I mentioned the weather to Fr Phil, he would always say ‘the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways and will take care of the weather,’ and the Bazaar has always had fine weather," said Maree.
"I have met so many people over the years who have become great friends. I love that it brings our community together for the same goal, to contribute in a small way to help raise funds for people in need across the world." she added.
Doug and Maree would both like to acknowledge the incredibly generous support they have received for the Bazaar logistics, they note the following who have contributed for at least a decade:
"Firstly, Denis Eade and Terry Meagher who showed us the way. Paul and Harry Brogan, Phil Elbourne, Mark White and the Riverview maintenance crew, our sons Michael and Alex Meagher ; the boarders and gappies at Riverview, the full busload of volunteers from St Aloysius’ College, Jesuit Mission staff, the Marist Brothers students, the Bazaar Committee; the stallholders, and the St Ignatius’ College, Riverview community for allowing Jesuit Mission to use their facilities for the event."
It’s the efforts and generous spirit of all these people that make all the pieces come together for a wonderful annual Jesuit Mission fundraising and friend raising event.
"I’ve always admired Jesuit Mission’s focus on teaching and enabling people in the developing world. It’s like the old saying ‘If you teach them how to fish, you feed them for a lifetime,’" added Doug.
As Doug and Maree step down from their positions on the organising committee for the Bazaar, Jesuit Mission would like to say a heartfelt thank you to them for many years of tireless and unwavering support.
The First Jesuit Mission Bazaar in 1952, with Cardinal Gilroy officiating.More
First Spiritual Exercises – Endangered Family
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As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I, the Lord, will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak. I will feed them with justice.
Ezekial 34:11-13, 16
We pray for the endangered refugee families in South Sudan, that they may be able to reunite and find peace. We pray that the Spirit comforts them during this time of great need and that they continue to receive vital emergency support from our project partners in the region.
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1. Desire...I hold a branch – symbol of Family.
I hold a branch, symbol of a family tree. I consider how vital a family is to all, yet when families flee violence, war, poverty and abuse, they are broken, divided, scattered, injured, lost and killed, husband from wife, parent from child, brother from sister.
I ask the Spirit for the gift of a healed and re-united Family, my own or another family.
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2. Relish...Today I live in the Trinitarian Family.
I imagine I am surrounded in a circle of the Trinitarian Family. Father, Jesus and Spirit, address me by name, saying, ‘I will seek you out and bring you home.’
Uncertain how this will be, given the real obstacles and barriers of family separation, I sit awhile with my desire, in the mystery of the Trinitarian Family.
I relish my family together.
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3. Family... I breathe in the Spirit of Family
I imagine and feel the Spirit of Family, joy and sorrow, breathing love into me.
I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out through my broken family, or to bring to life a child traumatized, orphaned, enslaved, or lost in the thick darkness of events. I repeat as desired – breathing, loved, at one with family.
I conclude placing lost family in God's hands, and giving thanks for my family found.
PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.
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Click here to download the prayer of Endangered Family.
In Myanmar, a land marred by ongoing violent political conflict and the devastating natural disaster of Cyclone Mocha, there is a glimmer of hope that shines brighter than ever, thanks to your unwavering generosity.
Meet Jar Nuu, a 12-year-old with a heart full of dreams, who attends Palana High School in 5th grade. She shares a humble dwelling at Palana Camp for internally displaced people, with her family, including two younger brothers and one younger sister. It's a camp they've called home since Jar Nuu was just a month old.
Jar Nuu's parents, although lacking formal education themselves, understand the importance of giving their children the best opportunities they can.
“I believe that my parents are my real heroes who give their lives for the sake of their children," she says.
In 2021, guided by her parents' vision, Jar Nuu joined the Community Learning Support Program (CLSP), run by our partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Asia Pacific. This decision marked the beginning of a transformative journey for her.
The CLSP not only educates young displaced children in the camps, it also serves as a safe space where they can play games, engage in activities, and develop their self-confidence.
She went from being timid to confidently speaking, singing, and dancing in front of others.
Jar Nuu's enthusiasm to learn extended to a summer program offering English and Kachin language classes, as well as music lessons. Through this, she improved her English skills, learnt to appreciate her mother tongue and realised her passion for teaching.
“I discovered my passion for learning English and dream to become an English teacher someday. I want to open an English school for children who, like me, cannot afford to pay for tuition," she says.
Emergency food and medicine being delivered to rural villages.
In the midst of displacement and adversity, JRS Asia Pacific, with your support is uplifting the lives of vulnerable children and their families in a dark period in Myanmar’s history.
Today in Myanmar, many people are living in makeshift camps, struggling to access essential healthcare, food, shelter, and basic necessities. The Jesuits in Myanmar are responding by not only providing medical aid but also food, shelter, livelihood support, psychological assistance, and education.
Despite the political challenges, vital education classes continue in times of emergency to empower the next generation.
Last year, they assisted over 22,000 displaced people with food, medicine, and shelter. This year, they've continued their emergency efforts, establishing pop-up emergency schools, micro-credit programs, and providing shelter to families whose homes were destroyed.
“In Myanmar’s current context, our pastoral task is to welcome, protect, comfort, encourage and nourish hope and livelihood, without discrimination of identity or religion," said a Jesuit on the ground whose identity is protected due to the current political situation in Myanmar.
As the Christmas season approaches, your generosity can make a meaningful impact. By purchasing a Gift for Change from Jesuit Mission, you can transform lives this Christmas, sharing joy and generously serving those in need.
You can make a difference.
With just a $40 Gift for Change, you can help five displaced people in Myanmar receive medical kits, offering a lifeline of hope.
Your act of kindness will shine brightly in the darkest corners of Myanmar, bringing hope, health, and happiness to children like Jar Nuu and countless others who long for a better tomorrow. Your gift is a promise of transformation, independence, and empowerment.
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Empowering rural farmers
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Thanks to your support, our project partner Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO) in Cambodia is equipping rural farmers with sustainable agriculture techniques and teaching them the skills to sell their produce.
Some of these skills include raising sustainable livestock, vegetable farming and the system of rice intensification method, an agricultural technique developed by a French Jesuit priest that uses less seeds, less water, and no chemicals.
By facilitating the creation of self-help groups in 22 different areas of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, farmers are working together to find the right market channels and sell their produce more effectively.
Watch the video made by KBO and meet some of the farmers whose lives have been transformed by being a part of this program. Thanks to your compassionate support, rural farmers in Cambodia are being uplifted together as a community.
