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Decades of serving Jesuit Mission

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In 2022, we marked the 70^th 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.*

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.

Displaced yet determined to study

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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.

To browse our Gifts for Change shop – click here.

[call_action_button color="#e56a54" link="https://fundraise.jesuitmission.org.au/shop" target="_blank"]Browse Gifts for Change Shop[/call_action_button]

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.

Surviving war and striving for peace

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Your generosity is a beacon of light in the lives of refugees, promising of a better future.

In the heart of Renk, South Sudan, a courageous young woman, Awen has been seeking refuge. Her journey here was a testament to her unwavering determination and love for her family.

Awen and her family, consisting of 19 members spanning from two to 50 years old embarked on a grueling two-day bus ride from Khartoum, Sudan, to reach Renk.

Triggered by the war that started in Sudan in April, a serious humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the region. To date, over two million people like Awen have fled to neighbouring countries.

“Life was good in Khartoum. But when the war started, it all changed…Bombs were falling next to our house, and we could hear and see random shootings in the streets. It was frightening,” she says.

They had hoped to leave Khartoum earlier, but it took them more than three weeks to gather the funds necessary for the bus tickets that would take them to safety.

Her heart is heavy with worry for her own security and for her two-year-old daughter, as there is a scarcity of food and clean water and the future remains uncertain.

She dreams that her daughter grows up in a nurturing and peaceful environment where she can above all, attend school, as Awen had to drop out of her primary education because she married at a very young age.

*Awen with her friends under the make-shift shelter of the camp.*

Unfortunately Awen’s own mother could not afford the bus ticket to Renk.

“I pray for her to come join us as soon as possible,” she says.

Hoping to reunite with the rest of her family soon, your compassionate support has played a pivotal role in giving her hope.

Our project partner JRS South Sudan is providing vital assistance to those like Awen who have endured unimaginable hardship. Their dedicated teams are offering essential support such as emergency food, shelter, clean water and psychosocial support.

The emergency support provided not only addresses immediate physical needs but also extends a compassionate hand to heal the emotional wounds inflicted by the horrors of conflict and displacement.

Through your generosity Awen’s dream for her daughter’s bright future becomes more possible each day.

Around 10,000 attend Bazaar

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As the clock ticked over 9am on Saturday 9 September, there was a buzz of excitement in the air as thousands of people spilled into the gates of Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview for the annual Jesuit Mission Bazaar.

Attendees were greeted by an electric atmosphere of rides, a wine auction, food stalls, music, the lively chatter of old and new friends and all for a common purpose – to raise much needed funds for vulnerable communities around the world.

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Laughter echoed throughout the day and the sense of togetherness was palpable, with around 10,000 people coming together for a sustainable day of fundraising, a testament to the community’s spirit.

This wonderful community event took place during the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October), a time where we celebrate and reflect on the mission given to us by God to care for our common home and respond to its needs and crises today.

Thanks to year-long preparations from parents, volunteers, schools, students and parishes, the joy-filled event left little environmental impact.

Hosted annually at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview since the 1950s, year by year the Bazaar’s commitment to sustainability strengthens in a conscious effort to reduce waste.

“School students collected and recycled all cans and bottles from the event, as well as used what food wastage they could as compost. All food containers were recyclable. Leftover books were donated to other fundraising events. Bric-a- brac leftovers including board games for children, crockery and toys, were given to victims of domestic violence" said Katrina Varis, Jesuit Mission's Event Coordinator.

Moreover, leftover food products were donated to both Jesuit Refugee Service Australia and Jesuit Social Services Australia.

“It is great to see how determined people are to give up their time to help make a difference, whilst also committing to tread lightly on the environment," said Katrina.

Proceeds from the day will directly support Jesuit Mission’s community-led programs, to empower vulnerable communities around the world to liberate themselves from poverty and injustice.

Fr Vincent Hansdak SJ, the Provincial of Hazaribag, India, and project partner of Jesuit Mission also attended the Bazaar this year.

“It was very encouraging for me, seeing all the stalls and all the people who are really involved in the good cause of the mission. Some of them told me that they have been involved since the beginning, over 70 years ago. That is something saintly, they are the real missionaries," said Fr Vincent.

We hope to see many of you again next year at the Jesuit Mission Bazaar for another joint effort to empower communities abroad and to take care of our environment.

Bringing medical relief to Timor-Leste

Manuela, a resilient mother of two, lives in the heart of a small rural community in Timor-Leste.

Thanks to your generosity, the mobile medical clinic comes directly to her doorstep, saving her family the hardship of travelling great distances for medical assistance.

Perhaps the most significant relief is that the consultations and medicine provided by the roaming doctors and nurses, are entirely free of charge.

In contrast, other clinics require families like Manuela’s to pay for medicine, at significant costs, which brings great financial pressure to vulnerable families.

“I am very grateful for this mobile medical clinic program as we cannot afford to go far. At other clinics a bottle of medicine can be $4, $5 or $6 which is a lot for us," said Manuela.

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Many people living in rural Timor-Leste cannot even afford the transportation cost to the nearest medical clinic.

Our partner on the ground, Jesuit Social Services (JSS) Timor-Leste, identified this need when they established Centro de Saúde Daniel Ornelas (CSDO) medical clinic in Kasait.

The clinic is located opposite the Jesuit-run secondary school CSIL and teacher training college ISJB. The clinic provides critical healthcare to adults and children connected to these two education institutions, as well as to people in the broader community.

The mobile clinic offers free medical consultations and treatment to twelve communities on a twice-monthly basis. This service can reach over 7,000 patients per year, and is preventing the outbreak of diseases among the remote populations it supports.

All services provided are free of charge, which includes the distribution of basic medicines as required.

“My eldest child is six years old and the other is three years old. My dreams for my two children - for my daughter I want her to become a doctor. For my son I want him to study well so that he can go abroad," said Manuela.

First Spiritual Exercises – Checking Health

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Honour physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; for their gift of healing comes from the Most High. The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them. By them the physician heals and takes away pain; the pharmacist makes a mixture from them. God’s works will never be finished; and from him health spreads over all the earth.

My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; do not let him leave you, for you need him. There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord that he grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you.

Sirach 38:1-14

We pray that the standard of health improves in rural Timor-Leste. We pray that the roaming doctors and nurses continue to provide quality medical care to those in need and that their reach expands throughout the country.

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1. Desire...I ask the Spirit for the Gift of Health

I hold some medicine, new or old, of any kind. I consider how access to doctors, health care and medicine is a basic human right. So too is sanitation and security in the event of disability. I remember the times I have urgently needed health care and how dire it would have been without it. I open myself to the needful Spirit of Health.

I ask the Spirit for the medicine, health care and healing I need for myself or one I love.

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2. Relish...Today I live in the Trinity of Health

I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity of Health. Father, Jesus and Spirit, address me by name, saying, ‘I will help you become healthy. Your faith will heal you.’

Not knowing how I will receive health care, it being far away, too expensive, or denied, I sit humbly, for a while, with my desire and the mystery of the Trinity of Health.

I relish being well and healthy.

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3. Health... I breathe in the Spirit of Health

Then I imagine and feel the Spirit of Health breathing health into me.

I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to flow through my need or the need of one I love, imagining it healing. I repeat as desired – breathing, healed, healthy.

I conclude giving thanks, looking forward to the well-being of good health.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

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Click here to download the prayer of Checking Health.

Light of Mercy Home – Video

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Our project partner Jesuit Service Cambodia made the video above to show the wonderful work they have done for children living with disabilities in the last year.

Light of Mercy Home (LMH) is a home centre for children living with disabilities in Cambodia. Here the children receive a formal education and live in community together.

LMH encourages individual talents and interests through extra-curriculum classes such as computer skills, music, dancing, tae kwan do, and simple craft skills, depending on an individual’s abilities.

Makara is a student at Light of Mercy Home who was born with a hearing impairment. Growing up this meant he did not go to school and became isolated and excluded from the community.

From an isolated child who was unable to communicate with others and had no real prospects for an independent future, he’s now blossomed into a confident teenager with many new friends and new interests (including gardening).

Today, you can help Light of Mercy Home provide life-changing education for young people, like Makara.

Click here to read his story.

Refugee-led tailoring hub weaves resilience, empowers futures

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Ahmad, a refugee from Afghanistan, opened a tailor learning centre in Cisarua, Bogor that provides training and skills development for refugees interested in tailoring and garment-making.

Ahmad has experienced unimaginable pain and loss in his life. His whole family was killed by the Taliban, and he narrowly escaped death when a bullet hit him.

Despite all of this, Ahmad is determined to make a difference in the lives of his fellow refugees. With his experience in tailoring, Ahmad had the idea of creating a learning centre for refugees interested in garment-making.

He wanted to share his skills with others in the community and provide them with an opportunity to learn a trade that could help them secure a better future. The centre has three small rooms for English classes and offers basic tailoring skills, which may include training on using a sewing machine, measuring, and cutting fabrics, and creating basic garment patterns.

“At the beginning we had 15 students, offering classes only two days a week. But people kept coming, and now we have around 40 students, male, and female, from different countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan), who speak different languages. We have several Indonesian students too, they live nearby." said Ahmad.

As word spread of the centre's success, more and more refugees flocked to enroll in his classes. Now the course has now grown to 40-60 people and is open for 6 days a week. Ahmad was thrilled to see the impact he was having on his community. The centre grew to become a thriving hub of activity, offering basic tailoring skills to dozens of students, many of whom were women.

Thanks to your support, Ahmad receives a monthly stipend to run the centre, materials, and rent through JRS Indonesia. The centre has a significant impact on the lives of refugees by providing them with valuable skills and training that can lead to better employment opportunities and increased self-sufficiency.

Despite the success of the center, Ahmad remains humble and is seeking ways to improve the lives of his students. He is looking to hire an English teacher and he is hoping to expand his program to include business skills as well.

"We are all here (in transit) waiting. Suffering. Till when? Nobody knows. Just accept it, it’s our time to do good things, only good things. Some people choose to do nothing, just like I used to do. It’s OK. But if you keep doing it, it won’t make my life easy," said Ahmad.

The learning centre has become much more than just a place to learn garment-making. It is a community, providing a sense of belonging and psychosocial support for refugees struggling to adjust to their new lives. Ahmad has turned his tragedy into an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others, and his community is all the better for it.

"I am happy to see other people happy, seeing the students busy studying. What I love the most about this place, is it has pulled together people from different countries. We don’t care about the language barrier. When I see students come with gloomy faces, I make jokes, and they laugh." said Ahmad.