• 100 Years at Epping
  • 100 Years at Epping
  • 100 Years at Epping
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Inala 65th anniversary Archbishop Coleridge with islanders 150The St Mark’s Inala community came together in all its multicultural richness recently at a special Mass to celebrate the 65th anniversary since the establishment of the parish.

The day was extra joyful because it marked the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that the church was filled to capacity.

Fr Raas 2019 150This month, we have been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the Divine Word Missionaries in Epping, Sydney, which marks the beginning of our mission in Australia.

SVD Superior-General, Fr Paul Budi Kleden, has sent a message of congratulations for our confreres, sisters, friends and partners in mission, which I would like to share with you.

Jubilarians 2020 150A special celebration was held this month to give thanks to God for the Divine Word Missionaries of the AUS Province who are marking their jubilees of religious vows or priestly ordination.

Ten SVD confreres are celebrating significant jubilees this year, with Fr Ennio Mantovani SVD marking the wonderful milestone of 70 years in vows.

SVD pioneers 100th anniversary 150The Divine Word Missionaries are celebrating 100 years since arriving in Epping, Sydney, a significant development in the mission to Australia and Papua New Guinea, which was overseen by St Arnold Janssen himself.

“The first chapter of the SVD in Australia is a story of hard years, 45 of them: just like the 40 years of Israel in the desert. They were years of going around in circles, wondering do we have a place of our own or a future in this country, or are we simply an adjunct to the German New Guinea Mission of the SVD,” writes Fr Frank Gerry in a history of the SVD AUS Province.

Thailand 20th anniversary group casual 150The SVD Thai District recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Divine Word Missionaries’ presence in Thailand.

The anniversary was marked during a gathering of the confreres for their quarterly recollection, where, in a spirit of prayer they gave thanks to God for blessing the Thailand mission over the years.

Inala 60th anniversary 150St Mark’s Parish, Inala, celebrated its 60th anniversary this month with a special Multicultural Mass, followed by a day of entertainment, food stalls, fun and fellowship.

The parish was established in 1956 as the Parish of the Divine Word, with Fr Aloysius Kasprus SVD as Parish Priest. Over the 60 years, the parish has been in the care of both the Divine Word Missionaries and the Archdiocese, taking the name St Mark’s in 1961.