New Year greetings to all. It’s not too late to say that is it? Not if it’s still January, surely. Even though the Christmas-New Year break is well behind us and most of us are back in the swing of work and life.

And what a horrendous Summer break it was for so many Australians this year, as the bushfires raged and lives, homes, businesses and animals were lost. Our prayers are with all those who died and with their loved ones.

Australia has always appreciated the work of our Rural Fire Service volunteers in protecting life and property in local communities, but never more so than this year. The sheer length of time they have been away from their jobs and daily lives to battle these monster fire-fronts and the heroic deeds they have performed is incredible. We all owe them a great debt of gratitude.

We are thankful too, for all the people and charities who are working with those affected by the fires to help provide immediate assistance as well as put in place longer term recovery plans. The SVD AUS Province, including our Lay Partners and parishes are supporting this work, through the Vinnies Bushfire Appeal.

As we head into a new year and a new decade of mission, our Province, which takes in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Myanmar, also has a new Provincial.

I am delighted and humbled to be taking on this role for the next Triennium, and I thank all those who have sent messages of support and welcome.

I extend my thanks to the previous Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD and his Provincial Council, who steered our Province so well in recent years, ensuring that I begin my term with a very healthy legacy.

As we begin the new decade, our parish ministry with indigenous communities, large multicultural communities and others continues to thrive. The SVD remains active in ethnic chaplaincy and also prison ministry. Our AIDS support ministry and parish ministries in Thailand continue to reach out to people in need and we have recently taken up a new presence in Myanmar, sharing our Bible apostolate. Our SVD Lay Partners group is growing and developing, and, as a Province, we also continue, with your generous help, to support many good works being undertaken by the SVD around the world. Meanwhile, our formation house, Dorish Maru College, is training, educating and forming the young missionaries of tomorrow and we are blessed to have these young, energetic men in our midst.

As we move forward, we will continue to revitalise and energise our ministries and look for new ways the Spirit might be calling us forward to walk with the needy and marginalised.

I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I embark on my term as Provincial. Be assured I will also keep you, our friends, supporters and Partners in Mission, in my own prayers.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD,

Provincial.