The Feast of SVD missionary, St Joseph Freinademetz was an extra special celebration for the Divine Word Missionaries’ Marsfield community this year, as confreres, friends and guests joined together to mark jubilees for Fr Kevin Cantwell and Fr Don Grant.

Fr Kevin was celebrating 65 years in vows as a Divine Word Missionary and Fr Don Grant was celebrating 50 years since priestly ordination.

In his homily at the Eucharistic celebration, Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD, spoke of the inner transformation that St Joseph undertook, through the grace of God, to come to terms with his missionary life in China.

St Joseph wrote: “The main work still remains: transformation of the inner person, to study the Chinese way of thought, Chinese customs and usages. All that cannot be achieved in a day, not even in one year, and also, not without some painful surgery”.

Fr Henry said that with those words, St Joseph named the main focus of his Mission.

“He began to free himself from his narrow thinking and became a great missionary,” he said.

“Our two jubilarians, Fr Kevin Cantwell and Fr Don Grant, clearly remember their personal encounters with the Lord and the personal transformation that followed and made them the missionaries they have become.”

Fr Kevin was an accountant before deciding to become a missionary after picking up and reading a promotional SVD pamphlet.

“Of course, like for St Paul, the 72 in today’s Gospel and Joseph Freinademetz, this was just the beginning of a journey that would involve hard work, commitment, openness, but also suffering, loneliness, sickness and pain,” said Fr Henry.

“In all that, Kevin remains faithful to his call to Mission, with deep trust in Christ the source of all Mission.”

After 12 years in formation and studies in Australia and the US, Fr Kevin was ordained a missionary priest and was assigned to the Australian Province where for the next 15 years he worked as Formator, Procurator, Novice Director, Rector of the Marburg community and other jobs. After enjoying a renewal course in Nemi, near Rome, Fr Kevin returned to Australia where he had been elected Provincial. After serving two terms as Provincial, Fr Kevin was assigned to Papua New Guinea, where he would continue his personal transformation for the next 28 years, first as a bush missionary on the Sepik River, then doing pastoral, editorial and administrative work in the Highlands. Twice in this time, his health was tested, first when he contracted Blackwater Fever and then when he developed a blood clot in his lung.

“He returned to Australia in 2004 and retired in Marsfield, but his heart continues to burn for Mission,” said Fr Henry.

Like Fr Kevin, Fr Don was attracted to missionary life after reading an advertisement in a Catholic newspaper. He first when to PNG as a lay missionary teacher, serving in the Wewak diocese for 3.5 years.

“It was during his time in Wewak that Don had a very personal ‘God-experience’, a moment of transformation that changed his life forever,” Fr Henry said.

After talking to Bishop Arkfeld about that experience, Fr Don was sent to Rome to study Theology and was later ordained as the first Diocesan priest in Wewak. He was appointed to teaching posts at the Teacher’s College in Konjungini, followed by St John’s Minor Seminary on Kairiru Island, where he was Rector, and then to full time pastoral ministry on the Sepik River.

“After many years as a Diocesan Priest, always on his own, Don realised that he missed being part of a religious family,” said Fr Henry.

In the late 1990s, Fr Don decided to join the Divine Word Missionaries, and, after completing his novitiate, he was sent back to PNG, where he served until 2004, when he was transferred to Australia, following a heart attack and declining health. Upon his return, Fr Don was soon appointed Novice Director at Dorish Maru College, a position he held for three years.

“Kevin and Don, like St Paul, the 72 in today’s Gospel, and St Joseph Freinademetz, you have responded to His call and allowed Him to transform you,” said Fr Henry.

“Today we thank God for you and thank you for being missionary role models for us. We also pray that God continues to bless you with good health, humour and good appetite.”

Following the Mass, Fr Kevin and Fr Don were treated to a celebratory lunch with confreres, friends and guests.

Fr Don thanked all those present on behalf of himself and Fr Kevin, and expressed deep gratitude to God for the missionary life and for the people who have sustained them in that life.