Volume 36 No. 2 | Winter 2026 2 Society Matters Message from the Provincial Superior Dear Friends, Welcome to the Winter edition of Society Matters magazine. We are blessed in the SVD Australia Province to have a steady influx of both young and more experienced missionaries arriving on a regular basis. Every new arrival brings fresh enthusiasm, new ideas and a faith-filled passion for mission. In this edition of Society Matters, we introduce you to a few of those missionaries. There is the story of three of our young confreres, Gusty, Krisna and Khanh, who took their final vows as Divine Word Missionaries and were ordained to the diaconate earlier this year. Their love for Jesus and enthusiasm for the missionary life that lies ahead of them is palpable and infectious. They have completed their formation here in Melbourne at Dorish Maru College and, after their ordination later this year, Krisna and Khanh will be sent out to Africa and Europe as missionaries, while Gusty has been assigned here to the Australia Province. What a privilege it has been for our Province to have provided their formation in recent years. You will also read in this edition about the arrival of Fr Shiju Paul SVD, a missionary from India with long experience in different parts of Africa, who has now been assigned to the Tiwi Islands in the Australia Province. And, we reintroduce you to Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD, who has recently been appointed as Mission Secretary for the Province, the second time he has held this post. Originally from Vietnam, Fr Truc has been a missionary in Thailand, has spent some time in Myanmar, and most recently has been parish priest at Emerald in rural Queensland. All of these missionaries – young and old – have one thing in common. They have left their family, friends and home to share the Good News of Jesus Christ wherever they are sent in the world, as part of the Society of the Divine Word. They wish only to walk with and accompany people in faith, hope and love, especially those most on the margins or in need. It is this mission, which you, our partners in mission, continue to so generously support, and we are deeply grateful. Yours in the Word, Fr Boni Buahendri SVD Provincial Superior Cover Story: The Divine Word Missionaries in Telangana, India, are helping orphan children to grow and flourish by providing nutrition, education, and homely care. Read more about this project on 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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