It has been a whirlwind start to the year for me personally and for the AUS Province of the Society of the Divine Word more generally.

Since taking up my role as Provincial on New Year’s Day, I, together with the Provincial Council, have been looking at our various missionary ministries and prayerfully examining how we can build on the existing energy and experience that exists in those ministries and carry them forward with fresh passion and enthusiasm.

It has been a most invigorating and humbling experience, to see how the Holy Spirit has been at work in our Province and beyond, and to open ourselves up again to the winds of change that the Spirit asks of us now, at this time. For, as Christians and missionaries, we are always on a pilgrimage and always seeking to discern the path forward. As we chart our path forward we will be guided by the resolutions and recommendations of the SVD Provincial and General Chapters, which challenge us to make realistic and specific commitments; to get involved and take action in a very concrete way; to meet and confront our dialogue partners and in that way participate in the Mission of God.

In this edition of In the Word, you will read about some of the changes we have made, with a focus on Fr Michael Hardie SVD taking up the role of Rector of Dorish Maru College in Melbourne. Over coming months we will focus on various other changes in ministry.

We also take the opportunity this month to thank all those who gave so generously to our SVD AUS Province Philippines Disaster Appeal at the end of last year. Thanks to your practical love of neighbour, we were able to raise over $58,000 which has gone directly to our confreres in the Philippines who are continuing to assist those in need as they rebuild their lives after the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan.

I look forward to keeping in touch with all our friends and supporters in person as much as possible, but also through this e-news publication, Facebook and Twitter, as well as our quarterly Mission magazine Society Matters, which you can subscribe to receive in the mail, or, from this month, flick through on the website as a flip-book.

Yours in the Divine Word,
Fr Henry Adler SVD
Provincial