The Divine Word Missionaries were well-represented at the recent Australian Catholic Communications Congress, which took the theme, ‘Missionary Message for the Modern World’.

The SVD also came away from the Congress with an Australasian Catholic Press Association award for an article on confreres growing their own gardens – an activity which contributes to both spirituality and sustainability.

Nearly 100 friends and benefactors gathered at the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) community in Bangkok on Sunday, September 15, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of SVD’s presence in Thailand.

While the main celebration is scheduled to take place in Nong Bua Lamphu Province, northeastern Thailand, on September 28, the Bangkok community held a local event for those unable to make the 600 km journey to Nong Bua Lamphu.

SVD-ness. This sounds familiar to us, especially when we think of our identity which uniquely differentiates us from other religious congregations.  As we have recently inaugurated the Jubilee Year of the 150^th anniversary of our beloved SVD, we, SVDs are all invited to celebrate this special milestone with much more awareness of strengthening and deepening our core identity as SVD religious missionaries.

This reflection is centred on a few essential aspects of living out our SVD-ness in the light of the Jubilee theme “Witnessing to the Light, from Everywhere for Everyone”.

As we are here, surrounded by the lush greenery of Nemi Hill, let us pause to contemplate the profound significance of this moment, said SVD Superior-General, Fr Budi Kleden SVD in his homily at the Opening Mass of the 19th General Chapter in Nemi, Italy.

Just as a cedar tree in the vision of the prophet Ezekiel in the first reading, from a tiny seed grows into a majestic forest, so too does our General Chapter, a journey of awe-inspiring growth and transformation for our Society of the Divine Word.

Mary Mother of the Church Parish in Macquarie Fields on Sydney’s southern outskirts is a warm and vibrant multicultural community of faith, which aims to keep growing in mission and love.

Parish Priest, Fr Bosco Son SVD, says the parish, which is part of the Diocese of Wollongong, is both geographically and numerically large, and continues to grow and expand because of new housing developments, and it is this growth which helps make it such an active parish.

The Australia Province will soon welcome a newly ordained priest, Fr Roger Kyaw Thu SVD, as he takes up his first assignment to his homeland of Myanmar.

Roger, together with three other Divine Word Missionaries, was ordained last month by Bishop J. Terry Steib SVD, the Bishop Emeritus of Memphis Tennessee, at the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago, USA.

Cuong Quoc Dang SVD’s profession of final vows as a Divine Word Missionary in Box Hill, Melbourne, this month, followed by his ordination as a deacon, were pivotal moments in a winding, but grace-filled vocational journey.

Accompanied by his mother and parish priest, who travelled from Vietnam to share in the joy of the occasion, Cuong was also surrounded by fellow Divine Word Missionaries and other religious and lay people connected to the SVDs.

Well, here we are, about to enter into the Paschal Triduum, those most sacred three days in which we immerse ourselves in the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

When I think of Easter, I think of hope. Hope that through the resurrection, the brokenness and the woundedness we see in our lives and in our world will not have the final word.

Members of the Divine Word Missionaries who are serving in the Good Shepherd Parish, Kirwan, in Townsville recently celebrated SVD Mission Weekend with parishioners.

The Mission Weekend also marked the postponed feast day celebrations of SVD founder, St Arnold Janssen.

The theme of our SVD's 19th General Chapter and its reflections clearly indicate how missionaries need to deepen their understanding of mission, identity, charism, and spirituality. One aspect is crystal clear: we are called to become a light in the wounded world for oneself and for others.

The Divine Word Missionaries are completing a year with our presence at Tiwi Islands. During this year, it has been a time of reflection, understanding, walking along, appreciating the culture, being with the people in sorrow, and, above all, making the Tiwi people know that we are with them.