As I write this message, savage bushfires are burning across areas around Sydney, in particular the Blue Mountains. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families who are affected by the fires, especially those who have lost their homes and all their belongings.

For these people, starting all over again is no doubt a truly daunting prospect. I am pleased to see that many charities, including St Vincent de Paul have stepped in quickly to provide the essential needs of these people who suddenly have nothing.

What is even more gratifying to see is the amazing outpouring of generosity across social media sites, from people seeking to help. As they watch the disaster unfold from the relative security of their unaffected homes, people have been moved to offer spare cars, free rental accommodation, horse and animal relocation and care, children’s toys, clothing and much more.

As I observed this love and compassion in action, I reflected on the compassion of Christ and on our responsibility to make this compassion present in our world, as expressed so beautifully in the prayer of St Theresa of Avila: “Christ has no body but mine, Christ has no hands but mine, Christ has no feet but mine. Mine are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion must look out on the world. Mine are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good. Mine are the hands with which Christ is to bless us now”.

God works through us. In this edition of In the Word, we see how God has worked through Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD during his first missionary assignment to Thailand and we read also of how the Church in Papua New Guinea is using social media to reach out to people, even those in very remote areas, with the message of God’s love for them.

And, with World Mission Sunday having been celebrated last week, we share with you Pope Francis’ message. We share also in the words of the Holy Father at his Angelus address on Mission Sunday, in which he said: “I thank all those who through prayer and concrete help sustain the work of the missions”.

As Divine Word Missionaries, we too thank all our friends and supporters who sustain our missionary work with prayer and concrete help. May God bless you.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Tim Norton SVD
Provincial Superior