The Mission Office of the SVD AUS Province has responded to a call for help from the Divine Word Missionaries in Ecuador to help fund emergency recovery work needed in the wake of a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake in that country.

More than 650 people died in the earthquake, with about 16,000 injured and more than 30,000 people left homeless.

Three Divine Word Missionaries, Anthony Li, Laurensius (Laurens) Woda and Michael Wu were ordained to the priesthood last week in a joyous celebration attended by their family, friends and SVD confreres.

In receiving the gift of priesthood, the three young men were also being made into gifts for the people they will serve, said ordaining prelate, Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane.

The SVD AUS Province is buzzing this month with the arrival of Fr Bob Kisala SVD, the Vice-General of the Divine Word Missionaries, who is here on official Visitation from the Generalate in Rome.

The purpose of the Visitation is to reaffirm the Province in its Mission in the Church today and to affirm and empower our missionaries in what they are doing on the local level throughout the Province, in Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.

The SVD AUS Province and the Timor Leste Region are exploring new possibilities for collaboration in a range of areas, including mission and formation.

SVD AUS Provincial, Fr Henry Adler, visited Timor Leste recently to learn more about their country, their missionary activity and to discuss where some opportunities might exist for collaboration.

Br Maurice Taylor SVD has been remembered as an exemplary religious, a dedicated teacher and administrator, but also as a man of deep prayerfulness.

Br Maurice, whose health began to decline about four years ago, died in hospital in Sydney this month, at the age of 81, with his last words to a nurse at his retirement village being: “I am at peace.”

The SVD Marsfield community recently celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of their friend and Arnoldus family member, Sr Josapha Lergessner SSpS.

Sr Josapha, together with SSpS sisters and friends, joined the SVD Marsfield community for a special Mass and dinner to mark the milestone of 60 years since she took her first vows as a Holy Spirit Missionary Sister.

As he farewells Thailand and the AUS Province to take up work with refugees in the German Province, Br Bernd Ruffing SVD recalls his ministry in Thailand as being a journey of friendship and relationship with the people.

“I tried to be a brother to those who needed someone who’d walk with them for some time,” he says.

Happy Easter! It’s wonderful that this edition of In the Word is published in Easter Week, just days after the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord. What a joyful time this is.

We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song! This is what we profess, but what does it mean for us in our life and our mission?

The SVD AUS Provincial Council recently undertook a workshop and reflection day on Professional Standards, to ensure the leadership team continues to be well versed in current policies, procedures and requirements in this important area.

The reflection day was facilitated by Dr Sharon McCallum, a consultant on ethics, complaints management and professional standards, who says the program focused on the Church’s response to allegations of harm to children or vulnerable people.

February was a month of great celebration in the SVD AUS Province, as two confreres celebrated significant anniversaries of their vows, with Fr Frank Gerry SVD notching up 65 years as a Divine Word Missionary and Fr Michael Hardie SVD marking his 25th jubilee.

Fr Frank, who now lives in retirement, celebrated his jubilee with family in Brisbane, while Fr Michael shared the milestone with confreres at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, where he is Rector.