If you have a heart for Mission, there’s one date in 2017 you won’t want to miss – the Mission: One Heart Many Voices conference, which runs from May 15-17 in Sydney.

Fr Tim Norton SVD will return from Italy where he is working, to co-MC the event, and will bring with him valuable experience and a perspective on intercultural mission that will add to the facilitation of the conference.

Fr Bernadinus (Bedi) Asmon SVD, a young missionary from Indonesia, who undertook his formation in Australia, is now living and ministering in Brazil where he has discovered that music is the common language with the people he serves.

Fr Bedi, who spent five years studying in Australia, before his final vows and ordination in 2014, has been in Brazil since March 2015.

It is wonderful to be back with you, refreshed and rejuvenated after my recent home leave to Germany and Poland, and equally wonderful to arrive back just in time to celebrate World Mission Day.

Pope Francis reminds us in his Message for World Mission Day that this year is the 90th anniversary of this special day in the Church’s calendar which aims to celebrate the Church’s missionary nature, reinforce the call to Mission for all the baptised, and to raise awareness of and funds for missionary activity around the world.

For those who watch the Olympics, one of the so-called “blue ribbon” or glamour events is the 100-metre dash.

One of the great things about missionary life – and life in general – is the people you get to know along the way, and the richness they bring to your life.

Sr Rita Hassett rsm was one of those people who enriched the lives of many SVD missionaries, with her zest for life and her love for people and mission. Sr Rita died in her sleep recently, while in Alice Springs, working with us at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish.

The SVD AUS Province is gearing up to celebrate World Mission Sunday on October 16 by sharing resources and planning activities across the Province to mark this special day in the Church’s calendar.

Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD says that on World Mission Sunday, Catholics all over the world are called to reflect on and recommit to the Church’s missionary activity, through prayer, sacrifice and personal involvement.

For the people of Nhulunbuy in isolated East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, a regular Catholic priest has been hard to come by in recent times, but after providing priestly supply services there, and seeing the need of the people, Fr Jan Szweda SVD offered to move in as Parish Priest, and despite the challenges, he’s loving it.

Bishop Eugene Hurley appointed Fr Jan as Parish Priest of Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt earlier this year and since then, Fr Jan has been doing his best to build a parish community – not an easy task in a largely transient mining population.

A good master teaches his apprentice how a work is done so that if ever the master goes, he knows that at any time the apprentice could take over and continue the work.

Family holds such an important part in our lives. Ideally, although I acknowledge, not always, it is the place where we are brought into the world, nurtured, formed, taught to love and be loved.

It is the place where we feel safe, as well as sometimes frustrated and annoyed! Family is on my mind because I am about to head home to Germany and Poland for a period of leave, to catch up with family and friends.

The General Visitation from the SVD leadership in Rome has found the SVD AUS Province to be young and vibrant, with hope for the future, and focused on its role serving multi-ethnic parishes, indigenous communities, intercultural living, formation, and inter-faith dialogue, according to the SVD Vice Superior General, Fr Bob Kisala.

Fr Bob has spent a month visiting all the places in Australia, Thailand and New Zealand where the Divine Word Missionaries are in ministry.