The Thailand-Myanmar District celebrated the Jubilee Opening on September 28, as part of the District’s celebration of its Silver Jubilee in Thailand (1999-2024).
The celebration took place at St Michael Archangel Church in Nong Bua Lamphu Province, NE Thailand.
We have reached the threshold of the jubilee of the founding of our beloved Society of the Divine Word. It has been 150 years of life and mission, bringing together men from all parts of the world and sending them to all people. The Holy Spirit has been supporting this work that was entrusted to Saint Arnold Janssen, and also to those who preceded us in the mission, and to us, in the present moment.
A Jubilee is a milestone to evaluate, celebrate and make a commitment for the future. In biblical terms, we can speak of three essential aspects of this year that guarantee a just and balanced society: forgiveness, restoration and the restitution of dignity. In other words, the year of jubilee must recreate relationships that have become unjust and unequal.
The Divine Word Missionaries Australia Province launched the Jubilee Year for the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word this month, the first of many Sesquicentenary events to be held throughout the year.
The occasion in Melbourne was a double celebration, also featuring the priestly ordination of Cuong Quoc Dang SVD, who will continue the missionary legacy when he takes up his first assignment to Angola.
The ‘Our Lady of Peace and St Therese’ community in Wurrumiyanga (Bathurst Island) celebrated the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) congregation recently, writes Fr Niran Veigas SVD.
The Wurrumiyanga community gathered to thank God for the countless blessings bestowed upon them through the tireless service of the OLSH sisters, who have faithfully served the Tiwi Islands for over 112 years.
The Divine Word Missionary seminarians took a break from Dorish Maru College in Melbourne over winter and embarked on an epic pilgrimage to the spiritual heart of Australia – an experience which had a big impact on their hearts and their formation as missionary priests.
The pilgrimage took the students from Melbourne to Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Alice Springs, Santa Teresa and Port Augusta. They were accompanied by Formator of Scholastics, Fr Linh Nguyen SVD and Vice-Rector of Dorish Maru College and OTP Director, Fr Yon Wiryono SVD.
We are very close to the opening of celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word.
In the Australia Province the opening of the anniversary year on the SVD Foundation Day, September 8, will take place on the same day that we witness the ordination to the priesthood of Deacon Cuong Quoc Dang SVD in Melbourne.
In his address to members of the Society of the Divine Word during their General Chapter last month, Pope Francis encouraged the missionaries to follow “the way of the Spirit” in the footsteps of their founder and to be prophets of hope in a war-torn world.
Pope Francis’ address came as the SVD prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of foundation of the congregation in 2025.
Two Divine Word Missionary students from Vietnam who are in Australia as part of the SVD’s Overseas Training Program have renewed their temporary vows and are now looking forward to continuing their studies and formation in Melbourne.
Khanh Ngoc Nguyen SVD and Thuc Van Truong SVD renewed their vows in separate ceremonies in the parishes where they were undertaking a pastoral placement.
Let me start with a story that I read from an article by a good friend of mine, Fr Atilano Corcuera, SVD. A contractor was asked to make a building for homeless blind people.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
In the spirit of reconciliation, the Society of the Divine Word, Australia Province, acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, sky, and community.
We acknowledge their skin-groups, story-lines, traditions, religiosity and living cultures.
We pay respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to all indigenous peoples of New Zealand, Thailand, and Myanmar.
We are committed to building with them, a brighter future together.