The newly appointed Vocations Director of the SVD AUS Province, Fr Elmer Ibarra SVD, says that personal witness to the joy of missionary life will be the cornerstone of his approach to promoting vocations.
“I love my life as a SVD, and I want to share that joy and to invite people to join us,” he says.
“My joy is in finding ways of making Jesus relevant in the ordinariness of life. I love that challenge of presenting the Good News as something that is relevant and worthwhile to people.
“And, aside from that, the joys of being a missionary include the opportunity to go out of one’s own country and live in a new place and finding creative ways of proclaiming Jesus Christ based on the culture and the ministries that we have in those places.”
Fr Elmer, who was born and raised in The Philippines, says that he discovered the Divine Word Missionaries after having discerned a desire to live as a Religious. He spent some time inquiring with the Jesuits, but was later introduced to a SVD priest who presided at his Uncle’s funeral Mass, and decided to check out the Divine Word Missionaries. After studying in the seminary, taking his final vows and being ordained to the priesthood, Fr Elmer was assigned to the AUS Province, and has just returned to Sydney after several years as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Parish, Wainuiomata, New Zealand.
“I was always attracted to the idea of becoming a Religious,” he says. “I just liked the idea of living in community, of praying together, eating together, being in ministry together.
“And I still love that. I love that we have all come together as missionaries from all over the world, and we are so different in so many ways, but we live together and move forward together and we are united in the Mission. The Mission of proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Divine Word, is always above and beyond everything else.”
Since taking on the role of Vocations Director late last year, Fr Elmer, who is based at Mary, MOther of the Church Parish, Macquarie Fields, has been out and about, promoting the SVD wherever possible. This has included being part of a Vocations Campaign held by the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Alice Springs and a youth festival at St Mark’s, Inala. He is exploring the possibility of becoming a chaplain at the University of Western Sydney (Campbelltown) and is also keen to open up new social media channels to promote vocations.
Fr Elmer says that worldwide, the Divine Word Missionaries have one of the youngest age profiles of any religious congregation, and its emphasis on multiculturalism, and ministry to the poor and marginalised continues to make it attractive to people.
“I think the SVD is seen as being relevant,” he says. “We’re not stuck with old ways; we’re always evolving and questioning ourselves as to how we can better do the Mission, to proclaim the Divine Word.
“People see that we are doing things differently. We are not just there to officiate at Mass and deliver the sacraments, but we have this added dimension of mission, which animates us.”
Fr Elmer says he is hoping to promote vocations for people who might wish to explore the possibility of becoming SVD priests or brothers, as well as women who might be attracted to join the SSpS Sisters.
“I see this job as being about presenting the face of the SVD to people,” he says. “If I can promote the SVD – who we are, what we do – there might be young people out there who are interested in joining us.”
PHOTOS
TOP: Fr Elmer, pictured at the SVD Marsfield community this week.
BOTTOM: While ministering in New Zealand, Fr Elmer reached out to people by volunteering as a DJ on community radio.
