The St Arnold Janssen Chapel and the surrounding grounds of the SVD Marsfield Community took on a vibrant and colourful character earlier this month with the celebration of Multicultural Sunday.

More than 400 people gathered for the popular event, which returned after four years disruption due to the COVID pandemic.

We are very close to the opening of celebrations for the 150^th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word.

In the Australia Province the opening of the anniversary year on the SVD Foundation Day, September 8, will take place on the same day that we witness the ordination to the priesthood of Deacon Cuong Quoc Dang SVD in Melbourne.

The 19^th General Chapter of the Society of the Divine Word concluded on Sunday, July 14, with a Thanksgiving Liturgy featuring the installation and commissioning of the new Superior General, Father Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro SVD, and his General Councillors, marking a significant leadership transition.

Australian Provincial Fr Asaeli Rass SVD and Provincial delegate Fr Prakash Menezes SVD both said the month-long Chapter had been hard work, but was a positive experience of the global life and mission of the Society of the Divine Word.

St Mark’s Catholic Parish in Inala is well-known for its multicultural richness, and that cultural diversity underpins the faith life and missionary outreach of the parish community.

The relationship between St Mark’s parish and the Divine Word Missionaries goes all the way back to the start when Fr Aloysius Kasprus SVD was appointed the first parish priest in 1956.

Brisbane’s Vietnamese Catholic Community fulfilled a dream that has been 45 years in the making this month with the opening and dedication of its new church.

About 2000 people attended the opening of the Queen of Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church at Inala.

In his address to members of the Society of the Divine Word during their General Chapter last month, Pope Francis encouraged the missionaries to follow “the way of the Spirit” in the footsteps of their founder and to be prophets of hope in a war-torn world.

Pope Francis’ address came as the SVD prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of foundation of the congregation in 2025.

The historical church on Wurrumiyanga – Bathurst Island – which featured in the popular movie, ‘Top End Wedding’ is set to star in a new follow-up television series, further cementing its reputation for being a beacon of faith and cultural heritage.

The church made its film debut in ‘Top End Wedding’, and is now set to star in the sequel TV series, ‘Top End Bub’.

This month, I returned from the SVD General Chapter in Rome just in time to attend the celebrations marking 100 years since the first Mass took place on Palm Island.

The two events could not have been more different in many ways, but they were also intertwined, because at the Chapter we prayed, discerned and talked about mission and tending to the wounds of humanity, and on Palm Island we are part of God's mission in action.