Jesuit Communications
From early times, Jesuits have seen the potential for communications in spreading the Word of God. Ignatius himself bought a printing press when he was the head of the Society, the first of many Jesuit publishing enterprises.
In Asia Pacific, Jesuit Communications operates as a network of Jesuits and lay collaborators involved in various fields of Church communications. A relatively new ministry, the Jesuit Communications Secretariat facilitates audio and video co-productions and publications on topics of Jesuit concern. It also promotes the use of communications for ministry in Asia and organises training courses, internships, and regencies for Jesuits and their colleagues interested in media literacy, video production and programme marketing.
Jesuit Works in Communications
Jesuit Communications Australia
Jesuits in Australia have been publishing materials for the Catholic community for more than 100 years. Madonna magazine first began publishing in November 1897 and continues to be published today. Eureka Street was first printed in 1991, and became an online journal in 2006. Australia's largest Catholic magazine, Australian Catholics, was established in 1993.
Jesuit Communications was established in 2005 to provide communications support for the Jesuit Province Office as well as Jesuit ministries such as JRS and Jesuit Mission.
Kuangchi Program Service
Kuangchi Program Service began life as the Kuangchi Recording Studio, founded in 1958 by American Jesuit Phillip Bourret SJ. In 1961, Kuangchi Cultural Audiovisual Program Service was registered as a not-for-profit organization under Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. Its mission is to produce quality programmes that respond to the needs of Chinese audiences throughout Asia, to serve the Catholic Church and all other groups dedicated to the good of society, and to provide a voice for the voiceless.
eRenlai magazine
eRenlai was created in 2006 by Benoit Vermander after the magazine Renlai monthly also published by the Taipei Ricci Institute. It is a pan-Asian magazine of cultural, social and spiritual concerns that centres on the interaction between the youth of Asia and of the rest of the world.
Kanisius Publishing and Printing House
Kanisius Printing and Publishing House was founded in 1922 to print schoolbooks and became a publishing house in 1952. It now publishes over 200 titles a year and is part of a larger educational foundation that supports primary school education in the region.
Puskat Audio Visual Studio
Studio Audio Visual Puskat (SAV Puskat) was established by the Jesuits in Yogyakarta in 1969. It started from a laboratory of Catechetical Philosophy Academy where they produced photos, sound slides, and audio recordings. Over the years, SAV Puskat developed into a centre of audio-visual training and production.
SAV Puskat serves not only the needs of the Church, but also those of broader community such as NGOs, government, television stations, universities and the inter-religious community.
Jesuit Communications Foundation
Jesuit Communications Foundation is involved in the production of audio-visual materials for evangelization and education. Our mission is inspired by a prayer that Fr. Jim Reuter SJ used to recite with his crew before every performance of a play: “Give us the grace to present this play so that we will bring all those who are touched by it and all those who are involved in it closer to God.” Thus, part of the Jesuit Communications mission is to use media – from the visual to the musical – in the most effective manner possible, in order to proclaim the Gospel and its values.
Casa de Produção Audiovisual
Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA) was established in 2002 by Fr. Ruedy Hofmann, S.J. at a time when Timorese were trying to rise up from centuries of violence, conflict and underdevelopment. CPA is committed to build the Timorese national identity through storytelling. It records and produces audio-visual stories on Timor that are broadcast on the national television network TVTL. CPA also works with partner organizations to produce advocacy and educational videos. CPA is a non-profit organisation associated with the Society of Jesus Foundation.
