The first group of SVD Lay partners for the Australia Province has been launched in Marsfield during a celebration for the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary and SVD Foundation Day.

The 10 Lay pioneers joined in the celebrations and the Friday night dinner hosted by the SVD Marsfield community.

Fr Dom Flores SVD, who is Chair of the working party set up within the Province to explore the possibility of formalising lay involvement, says the establishment of the first SVD Lay partners group was a milestone in the ongoing process.

“As the pioneering group, we are in the process of getting to know each other and getting to know what we are up to, and establishing our aims and goals,” Fr Dom says.

“We are in the very first stage, or infancy, of this project starting from scratch and have a long way to go but we will start with baby steps, and in time, get to the nature of the SVD Lay and the purpose of forming this group.

Fr Dom says that the SVD founder, St Arnold Janssen, and also the founder of the “Servants of the Holy Spirit,” (SSpS) and “Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP), may have had a dream of including Lay people in their missionary vision but unfortunately this was not to be in their lifetime.

“Hence, the SVDs today are exploring ways of fulfilling this dream by setting up the SVD Lay around the world, focusing on the importance of laity in today’s church and also sharing our SVD spirituality and missionary spirit with our SVD Lay partners,” Fr Dom says.

“We pray for God’s blessing on this new group as it embarks on its journey.”

Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD, says this first step in establishing a deeper connection with the Province’s lay friends was significant.

“We see our lay friends as our Partners in Mission,” says Fr Henry. “And the fact that so many people wish to be involved in our mission is very encouraging to us.”

Fr Henry says that in line with the recommendations of the 12th General Chapter, the AUS Province has been exploring ways of deepening the involvement of lay people in the Province.

“The enthusiasm of this first group of lay pioneers at Marsfield to be a part of this ongoing process and to walk this path of discovery and openness to the Holy Spirit with us is a great blessing,” he says.