Volume 34 No. 3 | Spring 2024 2 Society Matters Message from the Provincial Superior Dear Friends, I have recently returned from the SVD 19th General Chapter in Nemi, Italy, where we not only elected a new Superior General in Fr Anselmo Ribeiro SVD, but also spent time listening to what the Spirit was saying about the future direction of the Society of the Divine Word. The SVD is about to launch into celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of its foundations, so it was a good time to be giving thanks and discerning our direction for the next six years. Working under the theme: ‘Your light must shine before others: Faithful and creative disciples in a wounded world’, the Chapter outlined six major wounds affecting humanity and the SVD’s responses to those wounds. The wounds identified were: Social and cultural wounds; Economic and political wounds; Physical and Psychological Wounds; Environmental wounds; Wounds in the Church today; Our own woundedness as SVDs. It was hard work to try to embrace these wounds, which we recognised in the Church, the world and within the Society itself. The idea is to build capacities for communities within and outside the Church. We realise that the Church and the world are one – we need to work all together. One of the great things about participating in an SVD General Chapter is that you really see first-hand the global mission of the Society of the Divine Word. It’s wonderful to hear about the missionary activity taking place in different regions. We also heard about the social and missionary challenges in so many parts of the world. In this edition of Society Matters, we want to share with you some of that global missionary activity, with a focus on South America. We hope you will enjoy learning more about the SVD’s presence in that part of the world. We hope also that you will join with us in prayerful celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word over the next year. As our partners in mission, you are an integral part of SVD life, and we give thanks for your generous support. Yours in the Word, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD Provincial Superior Cover Story: A young Guarani girl in Argentina, which is one of eight countries in which the Divine Word Missionaries are present in South America. In this edition of Society Matters we provide an overview of the incredible range of SVD ministries in these countries. Read more on Pages 4 and 5. PHOTO: Leszek Wilman SVD. Appeal Office: 199 Epping Road, Marsfield NSW Locked Bag 3, Epping NSW 1710 Australia Telephone: +61 2 9868 2666 Victoria: 100 Albion Road, Box Hill, Vic 3128 Tel: +61 3 9890 0065 Queensland: 96 Lilac Street Inala QLD 4077 Tel: +61 7 3372 5658 New Zealand: 41 Britannia Street, Petone, 5046 Tel: +64 4 971 7885 Published by Divine Word Missionaries Incorporated, ABN 51 885 667 646
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