Supporting the Thai Catholic Church – The Xavier Immersion Program
The Jesuits have been in Thailand for a very long time. In the refugee camps with JRS on the one hand, and with other projects in the capital region of Bangkok on the other. But the north of the country has attracted their attention, first in Chang Mai where the Seven Fountains Spiritual Centre is located, but further north still, in the Chiang Rai region, serving the communities in the highlands.
Another article in this series introduces the Xavier Learning Community, an educational project that provides a boarding school environment for indigenous young people for whom access to higher education is difficult. On this very campus, the Society of Jesus has been developing a specific programme for Thai seminarians and members of religious congregations in Thailand for the past five years. This is the Xavier Immersion Program. We interviewed its academic director, the Jesuit Tom Michel, originally from the United States but a member of the Thai Region.
Related Posts:
The AJCU-AM Assembly, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, brought together leaders from Jesuit universities across Africa to strengthen collaboration and discuss the future of Jesuit higher education in the region.
The UNIJES VUELA Program facilitates meaningful community service through projects across Europe, Africa, and Latin America, emphasizing social action and development cooperation. With over 160 participants involved in 2023 and 2024, VUELA strengthens international collaboration and addresses global social challenges through hands-on service and engagement.
The JCAM Research Network (JCAM-RN) was established to promote collaboration and intellectual dialogue among Jesuit formation centers in Africa, responding to the call of GC 36. This initiative aims to foster a culture of research and publication while addressing logistical challenges to enhance scholarly engagement and quality within the Jesuit community.
The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) stands in solidarity with St. Joseph University in Beirut as it faces immense challenges from the ongoing conflict.
The IAJU Task Force for Peace and Reconciliation fosters collaboration among Jesuit institutions on global peace projects through the ReconciliaNet network. A key project is the GeoVisor database, which currently maps 69 global initiatives.