The Dorish Maru College community and friends recently hosted a joyful jubilee celebration for four confreres who have notched up a combined total of 190 years of service as Divine Word Missionaries.

Fr Larry Nemer was celebrating 65 years in vows, while Br Martin de Porres Nono, Fr Sunil Nagothu and Fr Boni Buhaendri were marking 25 years.

Rector of DMC, Fr Mike Knight, says that two other 2017 jubilarians, Fr Kevin Cantwell and Fr Don Grant, were not able to be present for the occasion, held on SVD Foundation Day, but their vocational stories were shared on the evening via a power point presentation.

“The Jubilarians who were present provided a sharing followed by questions,” Fr Mike says.

“This sharing of vocational stories was followed by the Eucharist, pre-dinner social time and an evening meal.”

Fr Larry says he enjoyed the jubilee celebrations, at which 55 people were present.

“I told the students and visitors that as I looked back over my 65 years in vows I thanked God and the Society for the four gifts that were given to me: a love for and dedication to the missions, a love for and experience of teaching for 50+ years in a seminary, a commitment to ecumenical cooperation with the other Churches throughout this time, and, believe it or not, my love for theatre,” he says.

“It was an SVD priest who encouraged me to begin directing plays while I was a Junior Professed, and the ‘bug’ never left me.”

Fr Sunil says he also enjoyed being part of the celebration in Melbourne because “it was a time of joy and happiness at the completion of 25 years in the Society.

“The celebration gave me an opportunity to reflect and see where the last 25 years have gone,” he says.

“I said in my homily that I did not choose religious life but it was God who chose me to be a religious missionary because he saw something beautiful in me.

“The reason I say this is because I am not the smart one in my class and certainly not the brightest among my friends and yet I am still here. This is the reason I am so grateful to God for the religious vocation through which I am called to serve the Lord.”

Fr Boni, who is Vice Rector at DMC and has for some years been involved with formation of young SVD missionaries, says he especially enjoyed the opportunity at the celebration to share his vocational story with the young seminarians who are preparing themselves to journey along the same path as he has done.

“I do hope my story will inspire the students to become good religious missionaries in this challenging society and modern world today,” he says.

“When I look back, the thing I give thanks for most, is the time I have shared with the students themselves in the formation house in Box Hill.

“I do enjoy my ministry in the formation house, and the students’ enthusiasm to become a missionary gives me a positive energy to follow Jesus closely and especially to try my best to give a good example and be a role model for the students in the formation house.”