Five young Divine Word Missionaries, who have undertaken their formation in the AUS Province, were ordained for the priesthood or diaconate recently, and are now preparing to be sent out on their first mission assignments.
Marianus Supardi and Uili Uvea were ordained as priests, during the Mass at St Paschal’s Chapel, Box Hill, while Michael Wu Pengfei, Anthony Li and Laurensius Woda were ordained as deacons.
The ordaining prelate, Archbishop Denis Hart, said that the young missionaries, surrounded by the love of their natural and religious families came forward into the wonderful mystery by which God calls them to Orders to serve the people of God.
“It can be said that they are formed by the Word of God and by response to a missionary vocation, so that the Church will be built up and the love of God will be brought to those who have not as yet known it and it will be deepened in their hearts and in their lives,” Archbishop Hart said.
“I thank their parents and their brothers and sisters for giving these men to the Church and God’s people. While there will be times of separation, by your charity and self-giving, you will have an articulate family member working to help the people of today to engage with the Gospel.
“These young men have been well formed in their Divine Word vocation and will go forward with confidence, trusting in the Lord.
“What is before them, the Lord only knows. However, he is their strength and their shield; he helps them to know that their words and deeds will carry them forward into the special vocation of priesthood or diaconate to which they are called in today’s ceremony.
“By the imposition of hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit, they will be given the grace and strength needed to carry out the ministry which is given to them among the ordained, so that conformed to Christ the Priest, they will be given in the Church for the salvation of all.”
The five young men have received their first mission assignments to the Netherlands-Belgium Province, Philippines Central Province, Costa Rica in the Central American Region, Chile Province and Indonesia-Ende Province.
SVD AUS Provincial, Fr Henry Adler says the ordination ceremony was a time of great joy and thanksgiving.
“We give thanks that these young men have given their lives to God and God’s people in this way,” Fr Henry says.
“We in the AUS Province are particularly glad to have provided the formation for these missionaries at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, and to have come to know them in community and see their various gifts.
“We now pray for blessings upon them as they are sent out to their first mission assignments in countries around the world.”
PHOTOS by Thien Nguyen SVD