International

International Ministries

The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is probably best known for its work in education, research and spiritual direction. However, the Jesuits are also the largest missionary order in the Roman Catholic Church. This vibrant apostolate dates back to St. Francis Xavier (the patron saint of foreign missions) and his work in South and East Asia. More recently, this spirit was exemplified in the courageous Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador (1989). These six Spanish Jesuits were missioned to work in Central America and eventually assassinated for their commitment to faith inspired peace-building and defense of the poor.

Strengthening the Church through evangelization; the struggle for social justice and reconciliation, and the promotion of sustainable human development, the Jesuits of the Wisconsin Province are immersed in a variety of international projects.

Twinning Agreements have been established between the Wisconsin Province and the following international Jesuit Provinces:

Eastern Africa

Midwest U.S. Jesuits have served in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya since 1987 serving in a variety of ministries in the Eastern Africa Jesuit province including:

• Pastoral: Parish staffing, sacramental, and catechetical ministry
• Education: University and seminary teaching; parish schools and high schools
• Spiritual direction and priestly formation: Retreats and on-going formation of diocesan clergy, religious and lay ministers.
• Health care: Care for people affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. Nutrition and clean water projects. Drug/alcohol ministries.
• Refugee accompaniment: Ministry and accompaniment of displaced Sudanese, Congolese, and Rwandan refugees and internally displaced Ugandans.
• Social Ministries: Various outreach efforts to the poor, the orphaned and widowed and those affected by civil conflict

The Eastern Africa Province, located in the Great Lakes area in the Horn of Africa is a massive and diverse region consisting of 230 million people and roughly the size of non-Russia Europe or the US east of the Mississippi. Despite the challenges which face the continent --most notably civil conflict, poverty and diseases associated with underdevelopment -- is tremendous hope, faith and vitality.

Northeast India:

The Kohima Region has twinned with the Wisconsin Province since 2002. Pastoral care, education, and social action are the integral means to share the Gospel. The projects of the Kohima Jesuits in Northeast India are located in the primarily rural, mountainous surroundings in the Himalayan hills and valleys between Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Tibet. Wisconsin Province Jesuits are serving in a variety of ministries in the Kohima Region including:

• Pastoral: To build village parishes and extensive mission stations
• Education: To train teachers as well as support of vocational/agricultural projects, high schools, middle schools and primary schools
• Health Care: To provide health education through parish dispensaries and clinics.
• Social Research: To support human rights, religious tolerance, economic and social justice and environmental preservation.
• Social Action: To sustain literacy training, self-help, micro-financing, orphan care and outreach to marginalized groups (indigenous and tea garden workers).
• Diocesan Support: to educate and provide spiritual direction to local clergy, religious, lay leaders

Some statistics from the Kohima Region:

• Jesuit Profile: The majority of the Kohima Jesuits are in formation with an average age of 40 (US average is 63). In one generation, the Kohima region has grown from three Karnataka Jesuits (Bangalore, South India) to a region of over 105 Jesuits. Recent novice classes have come entirely from the Northeastern regions.

• Setting: Due to its isolation and often mountainous conditions, 70% of households do not have electricity and safe water in Northeast India.

• Literacy rate in India is about 50% (65% for males/40% for females)

• Indian Catholic population is 2 % of the 1.1 billion people

• Demographics: India’s Northeast is primarily indigenous – an area annexed by India during the British colonial days for the fertile tea-growing Assam valley and buffering hills. Tea garden laborers earn $1 per day working 6-7 days per week. There is political-social tension between the Northeast and the predominantly Hindu mainland India

• Land: One of the world’s last remaining mega-biodiversity zones due to its diversity of topographies, the Kohima Jesuits are also active in sustainable development and forest preservation to protect the livelihoods of indigenous people.

• Diversity: The land diversity lends itself to the diversity of the people which have often been isolated from mainland India also independent from another due to the mountains, forests, valleys and rivers. It is ethnically one of the most diverse regions of South Asia with 240 distinct languages.

Ecuador

The Wisconsin Province signed a twinning agreement with the Jesuits in Ecuador, South America in 2005. Jesuits are well established in Ecuador. They have founded and administer secondary schools and social centers which minister to the urban poor as well as indigenous people in the Andes.

Furthermore, they work at the national Catholic University and have extensive communications and catechetical outreach. In addition, Fe y Alegria has flourished in Ecuador. This is a Jesuit Movement for Integral Popular Education and Social Development directed toward the most disadvantaged and excluded.

Around the globe

In addition to these twinning agreements, the Province supports the work of Wisconsin Jesuits working in Honduras, Belize, Argentina, Sri Lanka and Korea.

The Wisconsin Province also responds to humanitarian concerns and natural disasters through the recent relief and re-building work of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in areas such as South/Southeast Asia (Tsunami) and in other areas of refugee presence such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Links

Trusting God Even More - A visit with our Kohima twin in Northeast India Xavier House - A growing African church