Mission does not always involve going to foreign countries and spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth – rather, it is a call for each one of us to reach out in love to the people in our own lives who are in need of care, concern and compassion, Fr Jacob Kavunkal SVD says.

Fr Jacob, a leading missiologist, who teaches at the Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne, says World Mission Sunday reminds us primarily of our Christian call to be collaborators in God’s mission to the world as manifested in Jesus Christ.

Four young men took important steps forward in their lives as Divine Word Missionaries recently, with Bernadinus Asmon, Prakash Menezes and Trien Nguyen beginning their formal preparation for final vows, and Paulo Vatunitu receiving his Mission Cross, ahead of his first assignment.

These signs of commitment were made during a special Eucharistic celebration at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, during which the men were urged to base their missionary life on their personal encounter with Jesus.

Welcome to the September edition of In the Word.

The stories in this edition highlight some of the many aspects of living Christ’s mission in our world today.

As we approach World Mission Sunday on October 20, it’s useful to step back and ask ourselves, ‘what do we mean by Mission?’

Christianity has had a liberating impact on Indian society, especially the tribal peoples and Dalits, but there is an ongoing need for the further liberation of women, both in wider society and within the Church, according to visiting Indian sociologist Fr Joseph Mundananikkal SVD.

Fr Joseph, who is the SVD National Co-ordinator for India of Mission, Education and Research, was keynote speaker at Mission Day celebrations held at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, where he spoke about the influence of Christianity on Indian Culture.

Becoming the parish priest of Santa Teresa, an Aboriginal community near Alice Springs, has been a lesson in love for Fr Bosco Son SVD.

Fr Bosco, who was born and raised in Korea, took over as parish priest from Fr Jim Knight SVD in April and says that he received some valuable advice before setting out for Santa Teresa, which helped bring focus to his ministry in this remote Aboriginal community.

Divine Word Missionaries and Holy Spirit Sisters in the Diocese of Maliana, East Timor are helping high school students in Atabae to learn English and become independent learners, in a program that has been so successful it already has a waiting list for next term.

Fr Kasmir Nema SVD, who completed his SVD formation in Melbourne, says although the English language course is only five months old, it is already bearing fruit, with students showing they are eager to learn and to expand their knowledge.

Technically, Fr Dom Flores SVD is supposed to be retired, but as he celebrates 60 years in religious vows, it is clear that when it comes to his ministry, his love of people and the Word of God, he still has energy to burn.

Whether he is celebrating Mass, helping to arrange the flowers in the Chapel, or joining local seniors for a sing-along and dance, Fr Dom’s famous smile illuminates all he does.

Fr Dom took his first temporary vows as a Divine Word Missionary in 1953 in the northern province of the Philippines, where he was born and raised.

I was born in a small town called Ruteng in the western part of Flores, Indonesia, the youngest of three children. I became interested in becoming a religious when I was 6 years old. But my mother told me that becoming a priest was already my answer, when I was 3 years old, when I was asked “what do you want to be”. When I was little, I really enjoyed watching our parish priest distributing communion. This amazement drew me to create my own ‘liturgy’ at home. I put all my snacks in a bowl and distributed them to my sister and brother. Both of them kept coming back to me for the snack until the bowl was empty. What was in it for me? Not just snacks, but an enjoyment of giving and sharing.

Divine Word Missionary priest, Fr Elmer Ibarra, has taken to the airwaves as a disc jockey, hosting a late night radio program in New Zealand, in which he plays Filipino music and reaches out to the Filipino community of Wellington.

The show is called “Late Nights with DJ Elmo” and can be heard on community station, Hutt Radio 106.1 FM in the Hutt Valley and Wellington district.

Fr Elmer, who was born and raised in the Philippines, before being assigned to the Australian Province of the Divine Word Missonaries, says his foray into radio is a chance to fulfil a longstanding love of radio and music.

Divine Word Missionaries who arrive in Australia from overseas countries soon find themselves plunged into an acculturation program that aims not to strip them of their own culture, but to immerse them in the Australian culture, while confirming them in their own.

The programs have been carried out in the Australian Province for about 30 years and in recent years have also been in demand beyond the Province, with dioceses and other religious orders who are inviting overseas priests and religious to serve in Australia.