A seminarian from China has arrived at the SVD’s Dorish Maru College in Melbourne to undertake Theology studies and complete his formation for priesthood.

Ling Shuang Niu (Francis), who arrived earlier this month, will first engage in English language studies as he begins the journey of learning the Australian way of life.

Happy Easter! As you receive this edition of In the Word, we are midway through the Easter season, with our Sunday gospel readings highlighting the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus and the joy this brings to his followers.

The empty tomb reminds us that God’s power brings new life and endless hope and, here in the SVD Australia Province, we are experiencing this with a range of new missionary assignments and new initiatives to support confreres in their missionary life.

There is a beautiful song often sung by the Tiwi people: “Holy Spirit in this land, reach out and touch us as you can, from the high, high mountains to the deep, deep valley, Holy Spirit in this land.”

These words truly capture my experience of God’s presence in the sacred land of the Tiwi Islands. Over the past three and a half years of my ministry, I have been deeply blessed to witness the love of God alive among the Tiwi people and to experience how the Spirit moves gently yet powerfully in their lives, in simplicity and sincerity, writes Fr Niran Veigas SVD.

The SVD Australia Province is set to host an engaging new online lecture series this year, exploring the theme, ‘Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World’.

The series, from the Province’s Mission, Education and Research (MER) team, will commence on May 16 with a foundational session on ‘Biblical and Mission Perspectives’, featuring distinguished scholars Roger Schroeder SVD and Vien V. Nguyen SCJ.

As Jesus walks the Way of the Cross, we place ourselves behind him, following in his footsteps. As we walk with him, we contemplate his passion for the sake of humanity, his broken heart, and his life as a gift of love, said Pope Leo XIV in his homily for Palm Sunday.

We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms around him. He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence. He offers himself to embrace humanity, even as others raise swords and clubs. He is the light of the world, though darkness is about to engulf the earth. He came to bring life, even as plans unfold to condemn him to death.

The diversity of the SVD Australia Province was on full display over the past month as Provincial, Fr Boni Buahendri SVD was welcomed by confreres and faith communities in the South Island of New Zealand, Central West Queensland and the Tiwi Islands.

The visits were part of Fr Boni’s initial tour of the Province, in which he said his primary goal was to simply “be with” the missionaries and listen to their experience.

Two young SVD seminarians have arrived in Australia to begin their Overseas Training Program, spending time in several ministries of the Divine Word Missionaries in the Province to deepen their lived experience of missionary life.

Yulles Vitoria is from Brazil and Felix Infant is from India and both have arrived at the SVD’s formation house, Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, looking forward to being immersed in new cultures, languages and missions.

As you receive this edition of ‘In the Word’, we are embarking on Holy Week, with all the solemnity and beauty of the Paschal Triduum just a couple of days away.

Beginning on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and concluding with the Resurrection joy of the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening, the Triduum invites us to truly enter into the commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus.

Fr Satheesh Voora SVD has arrived in Wellington, New Zealand to take up his first overseas missionary assignment, following his recent ordination in India.

He said his arrival in the Australia Province has been met with warm hospitality from both SVD confreres and the parishioners of the Te Awakairangi Parish in Lower Hutt, to which he has been assigned as assistant priest.

Three young SVD seminarians professed their final vows as Divine Word Missionaries this month and were ordained as deacons as they continue their journey towards the priesthood.

Agustinus Buu Araujo Siga, SVD (Gusty), Antonius Kristanto Papalesa, SVD (Krisna), and Anthony Khanh Ngoc Nguyen, SVD (Khanh) made their final profession at St Paschal’s Chapel, Box Hill, in Melbourne on Saturday, March 21, before being ordained to the diaconate in the same chapel the following day.