Melbourne's Yarra Theological Union is one of Australia's  great ecumenical and learning endeavours, reaching out to all in a spirit of service and hospitality. Its hospitality includes offering courses on other religions and understanding of the religious traditions of Australia. This year YTU celebrates 40 years since it was established. Fr Jacob Kavunkal SVD reflects on its important place in our society.

As a chaplain at Sydney’s busy Westmead Hospital, Fr Sunil Nagothu SVD is no stranger to pain, suffering, fear and anxiety. But amidst all the turmoil, he says there is also a good measure of joy and the ‘honour and privilege’ of being with people at the most vulnerable time in their life, bringing them comfort and sometimes even helping them find a path home to God.

Missionaries or volunteers who may experience a kind of ‘reverse culture shock’ when they return home from an extended period in a foreign country will have extra support, with the establishment of a new network called Trans-Mission.

Sr Geraldine Kearney SGS, who is a consultant in areas of cross-cultural communication, counselling, education and facilitation will facilitate the network with Mission Secretary of the Divine Word Missionaries in Australia, Fr Henry Adler SVD. 

From Central Australia, to Thailand and New Zealand, the Divine Word Missionaries of the Australian Province are preparing to celebrate Holy Week and Easter in a variety of places and cultures, and everyone is invited to join them.

From a career in banking to a life as a Missionary – it’s been a long and winding road for Paulo Vatunitu SVD, and as he celebrates the Profession of Final Vows, Paulo is aware of both the blessings and the challenges that lie ahead.

“I’m a bit nervous about it,” he said, before taking his Vows on Saturday, March 9 at St Paschal’s Chapel, Box Hill.

The generosity of donors has enabled the Mission Office of the SVD Australian Province to send much-needed funds to help the people of the Philippines who lost their houses, livelihoods and stock in Typhoon Bopha, which wreaked havoc in December.

Mission Secretary Fr Henry Adler SVD says that the Australian Mission Office has responded to two requests for help from the Divine Word Missionaries in the Philippines.

Leading international missiologist, Fr Stephen Bevans SVD, will visit Australia this month to deliver a keynote address at the “Mission: one heart, many voices” conference in Sydney.

Fr Stephen is the Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Professor Mission and Culture at Chicago’s Catholic Theological Union and is a renowned teacher and author on Mission. As an SVD missionary he served for nine years (1972-1981) in the Philippines.

The suburbs of Wellington, New Zealand are a long way from home for Indian-born Fr Albano Da Costa SVD, but as a missionary, he has found himself at the cutting edge of a new model of ministry which aims to fill the gap left by dwindling priestly vocations.

Fr Albano works with two priests and two lay pastoral leaders from the Archdiocese of Wellington as part of a new expression of collaborative ministry.

January is a time of thanksgiving and celebration for the Society of the Divine Word, as the worldwide community marks the feast days of two of the Society’s founding fathers, St Arnold Janssen and St Joseph Freidemantz.

St Arnold’s feast day is celebrated on January 15, while St Joseph’s is on January 28.