Volume 32 No. 2 | Winter 2022 2 Society Matters Message from the Provincial Superior Dear Friends, Welcome to the Winter Edition of Society Matters. As the world continues to learn how to live side by side with COVID-19 and its far-reaching effects, a great deal of adaptability and flexibility is needed in so many areas of our life, work and ministry. It’s been a joy to slowly start spending time with people again in our parishes and various ministries. The COVID experience showed us new ways to be missionary, to reach out via online channels and to continuing caring for people who were feeling isolated and alone. But there is no substitute for actually being with people and accompanying one another. We thank God that the pandemic is now at a stage where we can resume being together in person again, although always mindful of the vulnerable in our midst. In this edition of Society Matters you’ll see a range of stories of mission in action, including our feature story from Indonesia, where our SVD confreres are reaching out to young people, or ‘millennials’ as they are known, to help them navigate the perils of social media and the lived reality of human trafficking in that part of the world. We also look at the question of how missionaries are assigned to various places around the world. The basic principle for the Divine Word Missionaries is to send members to the places where they are needed most – even if they are not the most sought-after places to live. One of our newest missionaries, Deacon Tin Trinh SVD, who took his final vows in Melbourne in March, reflects on the process of applying for missionary assignments and how his vow of obedience gave him a sense of “freedom” in accepting his first assignment to Taiwan. I hope you enjoy this edition of Society Matters. We thank you for your generous support of the Divine Word Missionaries as our valued Partners in Mission. Yours in the Word, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD Provincial Superior Cover Story: The SVD in Indonesia are producing movies and drama to highlight the dangers of human trafficking in the region. They are working closely with millennials on this and other communications initiatives. Story: Pages 4-5.. Appeal Office: 199 Epping Road, Marsfield NSW Locked Bag 3, Epping NSW 1710 Australia Telephone: +61 2 9868 2666 Victoria: 100 Albion Road, Box Hill, Vic 3128 Tel: +61 3 9890 0065 Queensland: 96 Lilac Street Inala QLD 4077 Tel: +61 7 3372 5658 New Zealand: 41 Britannia Street, Petone, 5046 Tel: +64 4 971 7885 Published by Divine Word Missionaries Incorporated, ABN 51 885 667 646
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