Once in a while I run across a social media post or a graphic that says “Proud to be Catholic”, writes Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD. When reflecting on the phrase, I think I understand what the poster is trying to communicate through these words. Perhaps it’s the feeling of joy to feel that one was created by a loving and gracious God who not only grants life to us but continually invites us to enter into a deeper relationship with God.

Perhaps it’s also the feeling of having a mission and purpose because all Catholics are called by God to collaborate in the redemptive work that God is carrying out for the sake of all humanity. It’s also perhaps the feeling of jubilance knowing that we have been saved through the actions of Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God has given us Jesus Christ as our Savior and Teacher who guides and calls us into a new life of selfless love and service.

Terry Davies (SVD Marburg class of 1969-70) organized a wonderful 50th anniversary gathering at the former SVD seminary, Marburg, Queensland, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing. Unfortunately, Terry himself landed in hospital just before the ‘touch-down’ and was unable to join us – but he is on the mend! Terry worked on this project for several years, tracing as many former SVD students as he could, and resulting in a gathering of 19 men, on the 20-21 July 2019.

A very special guest was Fr Frank Gerry SVD, who had been novice master to many of those present. Particular tribute was paid to Frank for his role in awakening us to our potential to be the best we could be, in the SVD tradition, each in our own different way. Many of us had spent much of our working lives in the helping professions, especially in social action and social justice activities, often with a connection to Australia’s indigenous people.

The SVD Generalate in Rome has announced that Fr Asaeli Raass SVD has been elected as Provincial of the AUS Province and will take up his role in January 2020.

The current Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD says the news of Fr Raass’ election by his province confreres arrived from Rome this week. Fr Raass is currently Vice-Provincial and is the Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Alice Springs.

The Divine Word Missionaries team in Myanmar is taking the next step in preparing their engagement with the people, by immersing themselves in the local culture and in the Word of God.

Fr Tuyen Nguyen SVD, one of the team assigned to Myanmar, which is part of the AUS Province, is now living in a village among the people and really immersing himself in the language, culture and customs.

When the small Central Australian community of Santa Teresa empties out every year on the Sunday of the June long weekend as the residents head out to watch all the action of the Finke Desert Race, Fr Prakash Menezes SVD knows exactly what to do – he takes Mass to the people, trackside.

The tradition started about 10 or 12 years ago, long before Fr Prakash arrived, but he is happy to keep it going.

A new SVD missionary has arrived in Australia from Ghana and is looking forward to doing God’s will among the people of the AUS Province.

Fr Gideon Awudi was ordained to the priesthood in August last year and this is his first assignment as a Divine Word Missionary.

With my time as Provincial drawing to a close at the end of this year, and still plenty of things to cross off the ‘to-do’ list, there hasn’t been much time for reflection on these past six years.

But as I write this column, it is a chance to take a few moments and consider what God has done in our Province and to give thanks for blessings received.

After the resurrection of Jesus the disciples hid themselves behind locked doors for fear of the authorities. Now one can lock oneself in a room because one believes that the world is unfriendly and hostile, and so prevent the world from entering the room, but then one also can’t get out. Since the crucifixion the disciples had bunched together behind locked doors in fear and anxiety. It must have been like hell.

However there is a way out of this terrible fear. Into this room of trapped people comes Jesus with his gift of peace and he says, “Peace be with you”.

When Fr Kazimierz Niezgoda SVD left Poland as a young man to be a missionary in Papua New Guinea he figured he would stay there his whole life, and now, 51 years after he arrived, he still has no plans to leave.

“I was committed,” he says. “I knew I would stay.”

Small communities with a big heart have joined together to kick off the SVD African Hurricane Appeal, by donating generously to assist the recovery of people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Mali, who had their homes and communities destroyed.

Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD, says that some of the Divine Word Missionaries’ ethnic chaplaincy communities and parish and chapel communities were among the first to respond to the call for assistance.