The theme I have chosen for this year’s World Mission Day is taken from the Gospel parable of the wedding banquet (cf. Mt 22:1-14). After the guests refused his invitation, the king, the main character in the story, tells his servants: “Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find” (v. 9).

Reflecting on this key passage in the context of the parable and of Jesus’ own life, we can discern several important aspects of evangelization. These appear particularly timely for all of us, as missionary disciples of Christ, during this final stage of the synodal journey that, in the words of its motto, “Communion, Participation, Mission”, seeks to refocus the Church on her primary task, which is the preaching of the Gospel in today’s world.Dear brothers and sisters!

The Divine Word Missionaries joined more than 2000 high schoolers, young adults, youth leaders, teachers, priests and religious who took part in a life-changing encounter with God and the Church at the Ignite Youth Conference in Brisbane recently.

SVD AUS Province Vocations Director, Fr Yon Wiryono, who attended the event, said the conference, which reflected on the theme ‘Rise Up’ was “incredible and encouraging”.

The annual SVD Mission Day hosted by Dorish Maru College in Melbourne has been hailed an inspiration, with guest speakers calling on the faithful to live out their baptismal calling in a prophetic way in the spirit of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Almost 300 people attended the day which was comprised of a seminar, the celebration of the Eucharist and a shared multicultural meal.

The SVD has celebrated 25 years of presence in Thailand – a mission which began with just two SVD brothers responding to the need of the people and which has grown to include 12 confreres working in HIV/AIDS care, parish ministry, education and more.

The Silver Jubilee celebrations incorporated the Feast of St Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of the parish in Nong Bua Lamphu, as well as the opening of the 150^th anniversary year of the Society of the Divine Word.

The appointment of Bishop Tim Norton SVD as Bishop of Broome has been met with joy by the local Church, the national Catholic Indigenous community, and the Divine Word Missionaries.

Bishop Tim, who has been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane for almost three years, is a former SVD Australia Provincial and has a deep interest in mission, culture and interculturality.

Every October the Universal Church celebrates World Mission Month, a time to highlight the work of missionaries around the world, but also to remind us of the baptismal call to mission of each and every Christian.

This year, Pope Francis chose as the theme of his World Mission Sunday Message: ‘Go and invite everyone to the banquet’ (Mt 22:9).

Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane, the Most Reverend Timothy Norton SVD, to be the third Bishop of Broome.

Bishop Norton was born in Sydney in 1958 and initially trained as a physiotherapist, working in inner-city Darlinghurst with young people who were experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. He entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1984 and took his first vows in 1986.

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.

Fr Cuong Quoc Dang SVD will soon take up his first missionary assignment in Angola following his ordination to the priesthood in Melbourne this month.

Cuong’s journey to a religious vocation began in his home country of Vietnam and continued in Thailand, where he first met the SVD, before coming to Australia to complete his studies and formation

With the SVD’s Sesquicentenary Year now underway, we are looking forward to a raft of events and celebrations around our Province in the leadup to the 150^th anniversary of the Foundation of the Society of the Divine Word on September 8, 2025.

Among these is the annual SVD Mission Day in Melbourne, to be hosted by Dorish Maru College and held on October 12. The Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, Sr Monica Cavanagh RSJ will be the principal speaker, with systematic theologian and experienced pastoral associate, Dr Cecilia Francisco-Tan the respondent. All are welcome.