The SVD AUS Province has recently celebrated jubilees adding up to 150 years of Divine Word Missionary service, with confreres giving thanks to God for the life to which they have been called.

Fr Jim Knight SVD (pictured right) marked 50 years as a missionary priest and Fr Jacob Kavunkal SVD (pictured below right) marked 50 years in vows, with celebrations in Alice Springs and Melbourne respectively. The Melbourne celebration also honoured the 25-year jubilees of Fr Michael Hardie SVD and Fr Joseph Vu SVD (below right).

Fr Jim joined the Divine Word Missionaries at Marburg, Queensland, in 1957 and took his first vows, together with Fr Tony Bishop SVD, on February 2, 1960. Having completed his studies in the United States, Fr Jim returned to Australia and was ordained to the priesthood on August 7, 1966.

Surrounded by family, confreres, friends and parishioners he celebrated his Jubilee Mass on September 10, followed by a meal and speeches at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Alice Springs. Fr Jim responded to the speeches, saying that he had experienced “a life of fulfilment in the missionary priesthood”.

The homilist for the Mass was confrere and friend, Fr Frank Gerry SVD, who himself celebrated 65 years in vows earlier this year. He spoke of the important role that families play in supporting religious vocations.

“We gather here this morning to give thanks and to celebrate the priestly and missionary life of Fr Jim Knight, Divine Word Missionary – 50 years of faithful service in the vineyard of the Lord!” he said.

“This is a real achievement, isn’t it! Something worthy of celebration, not just by the individual, but by the community at large, for Fr Jim did not achieve this alone. That is why he has gathered his family and friends here this morning.”

In Melbourne, Fr Jacob was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first vows, which he took in 1966 at Khurda, Indore in India. He was ordained a priest in May 1975 at Kurumpanadom, Kerala.

He says he was delighted to share his jubilee celebration with the students at Dorish Maru College, reflecting on the formation he went through.

“I give thanks for the Lord making me an instrument for the cause of God’s Reign,” he says.

Fr Michael Hardie SVD, who marks 25 years in vows this year, says the jubilee celebration began with Mass which was followed by a shared meal with confreres, friends and students.

“It was a really good occasion,” he says. “The shared Eucharist and meal afterwards, was a lovely way to acknowledge our jubilees together.”

Fr Joseph Vu SVD, who is marking 25 years in vows, travelled to Melbourne to join in the jubilee celebrations, following a beautiful Mass of Thanksgiving at St Mark’s Parish, Inala, in Brisbane, where he is currently chaplain to the Vietnamese community.

The parishioners at the Inala celebration presented Fr Joseph with a bouquet of flowers, card and gift before he cut the Jubilee cake and the parish choir sang a song for him.

Speaking at the parish function, Fr Joseph humbly acknowledged that though he is unworthy to be the servant of God, God has called him to be a servant to serve humanity as a Divine Word Missionary.