The SVD Mission Day, hosted by Dorish Maru College and Yarra Theological Union/University of Divinity, made a welcome return this month, following a two-year COVID hiatus, with speakers exploring the topic, ‘For a Missionary Church in a Wounded World’.
Keynote speaker at the Mission Day event was Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, Provincial. The Respondent was Sr Anne Jordan PBVM, of Cana Communities. The formal program was followed by Mass and a shared multicultural meal.
Fr Albano Da Costa SVD, Dean of Academic Studies at Dorish Maru College and one of the key organisers of the event, said the day went beyond his expectations, and it was wonderful to welcome people back in person.
“Last year’s Mission Day program was entirely online, exploring Indigenous Culture, Mission, and Spiritualities, but the response we received from our mission partners this year was just amazing,” he said.
“The Mission Day Eucharist truly reflected the intercultural mission of the Divine Word Missionaries in the Australia Province which was beautifully represented by the Latino, Indonesian, and the Vietnamese communities who were present, and I am sure this made a significant impact in the hearts and minds of our formandi (students in formation) to embrace intercultural mission.
“After the Eucharist the table of fellowship was overflowing, and I loved the way people stayed back to enjoy cultural performances by our students representing various cultures and the youth from several parishes across the Melbourne Archdiocese where SVDs do pastoral outreach.”
In his keynote presentation, Fr Rass shared from his own experience of “Mission in a Wounded World” during his years of ministry in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. He spoke of witnessing endemic violence, alcoholism and suicide.
“Just before I left, I was visited by a custodian of Bathurst Island, knowing that we, SVDs, are coming to work with the Tiwi Islanders and to build on the legacy of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. He said, ‘Father, it’s grief after grief. Whatever your Order is hoping to do, make Healing your priority’.”
Fr Rass said there is no doubt that the problem of human suffering is becoming the main question of global mission.
“We know it is a daunting task and therefore, prioritising mission in a wounded world is not for the faint-hearted!” he said.
“The deep trauma of the multifaceted wounds of the 20th Century needs strong spiritual imagination, robust missiological discernment, practical theologies, and a very strong dose of non-violent prescription.”
Fr Rass said in tackling the subject, he was confronted by the sheer volume of woundedness and complex interplays of violence.
“However, these are not the same as God’s desire to heal all his children and end all violence ... I strongly believe it is a call from the deep, from the Holy Spirit, the missionary par excellence – to work towards eliminating the root causes of violence (if possible), towards healing, social justice, and the world’s transformation,” he said.
“I’d like to advocate a triad of missional attitudes that could be part of our discussion today, namely, a culturally sensitive approach, interreligious cooperation and, if all fails, faithfulness.”
As people of mission, we can neither close our eyes to the reality of violence nor should we despair, but we must acknowledge past hurts, he said.
“In the light of the Cross, it means we are called to repent of both our misuse of power and our use of the wrong kind of power in mission. Let’s not be afraid to confront every theology and mission strategy that glorifies money, power, success and greed,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the great modern-day prophets of social justice such as Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Gustavo Gutierrez, Oscar Romero, Jim Wallis and Richard Rohr, would all agree that we all must make a vow of love. Love, not anger, is the fuel for non-violence and is the only possible basis for a new world order of justice and peace. Love conquers all.”
The respondent, Sr Anne Jordan PVBM has spent decades working with volunteers at Cana Communities, a not-for-profit charity working with men and women, who have experienced homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, and other barriers that have prevented them from creating a positive life for themselves.
Sr Anne began her response by speaking of her long-standing collaboration with the SVD, telling the stories of three men who joined the Cana Communities for Eucharist celebrated by Fr Bill Burt SVD.
She told of their strong desire to be a part of the Eucharist and of being welcomed, even though they presented differently to many others who might attend Mass in a parish setting.
“These three men brought something to our Eucharist that we wouldn’t have had if they had not been people who couldn’t take no for an answer,” she said. “They were people who knew that Eucharist was important and they knew they had a place at that table.”
Sr Anne also spoke of the importance of the interculturality that underpins SVD spirituality.
“As Cana people, we help support another culture in terms of the culture of people who’d spent life in prison, in hospitals, with mental health issues, people who were disadvantaged in some way, homeless, whatever,” she said.
Finally, she said the practical sharing of a belief in a relational God helped open up the love of God in a real way for many members of the Cana Communities, underlining the importance of relationship in healing the wounded.
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: The guest speakers and panel facilitators for the seminar.
MIDDLE LEFT: The faculty at Dorish Maru College were delighted to welcome people in person again for the Mission Day seminar.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Vietnamese Community Choir takes part in the Mission Day Eucharist at St Paschal's Chapel, Box Hill.
BOTTOM LEFT: Prayer before the multicultural shared meal.