One of the ways in which the SVD AUS Province has celebrated the Year of Consecrated Life has been to share on social media short videos of our confreres answering the question: “What do you love about being a Divine Word Missionary?”
The answers have, of course, been varied, but what has been even more interesting is that many common themes emerged, which included: sharing the Good News with others, living in a multicultural community and being open to God’s will in their life. Almost all of our confreres who undertook to answer the question, touched on those three aspects in one way or another.
Next week, those of us living in Australia will celebrate Vocations Awareness Week, and I think when we consider what message we would like to share with somebody discerning a vocation to SVD life, we could do no better than to explore with them those three themes.
As SVDs, we are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Divine Word, with the people we meet, the people we are sent to live among. We are called to not only live in a multicultural religious community, but to share cultures with all people, wherever we find ourselves. And we are called to be radically open to God’s will in our life, to be constantly transformed by his love and to be ready to go where we are sent to share this love with others.
As a Province, we are blessed to play a significant role in the formation of Divine Word Missionaries from all over the world, through Dorish Maru College in Melbourne. The arrival of young people from various countries who are pursuing their missionary vocation is a great blessing to our Province, bringing new energy, fresh insights and hope for the future. On the flip-side, we are aware that, like many other religious congregations within our Province area, we are not receiving many vocations enquiries from young local men. While perhaps a reflection of western society, this is a challenge for us and something for us to deeply ponder on and pray about.
We hope that by sharing our stories, by answering the question: “What do you love about being a Divine Word Missionary?” we will be able to reach out in truth and touch hearts.
Consecrated Life is not the life for everyone, and nor should it be. But for those who do feel a stirring in the heart toward the life of a vowed religious missionary, they could do worse than to head to our Facebook page and check out some of these short video testimonies. You will hear from a group of men from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures, who are living dynamic, meaningful, challenging, joyful, and adventurous lives, planted in the love of God, sustained in personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and at the service of others. It’s not for everyone, but it just might be for you or for someone you know.
For more information on SVD Vocations, click here.
Yours in the Word,
Fr Henry Adler SVD
Provincial
