Fr Michael Nguyen SVD who has been teaching at the Good Shepherd Seminary in the Archdiocese of Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea this year, has been appointed Dean of Studies for the next academic year, and says he’s enjoying the “vibrant tapestry” of PNG, a place he now calls home.

Fr Michael, originally from Vietnam, is a member of the SVD Australia Province, working in Mount Hagen Archdiocese at the request of Bishop Douglas Young SVD.

The SVD confreres of the Queensland District gathered together for a week of fellowship, sharing, prayer and reflection recently, with a program focusing not only on their present mission experiences, but also paying tribute to SVD pioneer missionaries.

The members of the District gathered in Brisbane from their parishes in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, the Diocese of Townsville and the Diocese of Rockhampton.

As the Church celebrates World Mission Month in October, the Society of the Divine Word celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the canonisation of its two saints – Saint Arnold Janssen and Saint Joseph Freinademetz.

St Arnold founded the SVD in 1875 in Steyl, the Netherlands and went on to also establish two orders of Religious Sisters. St Joseph Freinademetz was one of the first two SVDs sent out on mission - to China. They were both canonised by Pope John Paul II on October 5, 2003, and on this anniversary, we share with you St John Paul’s homily from that occasion

The Arnoldus Family across the Australia Province celebrated the SVD’s 148^th Foundation Day this month, with confreres, Holy Spirit Sisters and lay partners coming together in prayer and thanksgiving.

SVD Foundation Day falls on September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the date on which St Arnold Janssen founded the Society of the Divine Word in Steyl, Holland in 1875. St Arnold also went on to found the Holy Spirit Sisters and the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters.

Roger Kyaw Thu SVD, from Myanmar, is nearing the end of his initial formation to become a missionary priest and has been assigned to the Australia Province, saying he was attracted to missionary life by the idea of going to places where he is most needed.

Roger is to be ordained a deacon on October 1 at Our Lady of Africa Church in Chicago, Illinois, an SVD parish in the United States not far from where he has been undergoing his formation.

The SVD’s Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation coordinators from across the Asia Pacific region met in Bangkok recently to share their work and resolved to further step up their commitment to collaborative efforts and sharing resources across the ASPAC Zone.

Vice-Provincial for the SVD Australia Province, Fr Albano Da Costa SVD attended the meeting which was being hosted by the AUS Province in the Thailand District.

SVD Communications Coordinators from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Manila, the Philippines, recently to share ideas and resources for spreading the Good News in effective and innovative ways.

Communications Coordinator for the SVD Australia Province, Fr Joseph Reddy SVD, said the purpose of the gathering was “to enhance the communication skills and media learning of the SVD Provincial/Regional Communication Coordinators of the ASPAC Zone”.

The SVD Australia Province is hosting two General Visitators over the next month, who will make their way around the various districts in Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand to spend time getting to know the confreres and observing our ministries in action.

Fr Yosef Masan Toron SVD, who is currently serving as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Biblical Institute, is one of the Visitators appointed by the SVD Generalate in Rome. He is joined by Fr Jose Antunes da Silva SVD, who is Vice Superior General and was the provincial superior of Portugal.