As you receive this edition of In the Word, we have just entered into the season of Lent, a time which calls us especially to look at how we can become closer to God and to our neighbour.

This is an important time of reflection and action for all Christians – a time of taking spiritual stock – and for us, as Divine Word Missionaries, it is a time to dig deep and consider afresh how we are meeting the needs of those we are called to accompany and serve.

Each SVD confrere in the AUS Province will make these reflections in his own context, along with our Lay Partners in their own context.

As Provincial, I will take this Lent to reflect personally and also communally about how we can ever more deeply embody the call from our last General Chapter in Rome for us as SVDs to be “Compelled by Christ; rooted in the Word and committed to His mission”.

In exercising this leadership, I am pleased to announce to you the team which has been appointed by the SVD Generalate to work closely with me.

Taking on the role of Vice-Provincial is Fr Nick de Groot. Provincial Counsellors are Fathers Viet Nguyen, Sunil Paul Nagothu, Michael Hardie. Fr Stephan Gerdes has been appointed as Provincial Treasurer.

The coordinators of our Characteristic Dimensions are: Fr Michael Hardie for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation; Fr Elmer Ibarra for the Bible Apostolate; Fr Joseph Reddy Dondeti for Communications; Fr Viet Nguyen will be Mission Secretary; and Fr Michael Hardie will continue in his role as SVD Safeguarding and Professional Standards Officer. Fr Truong Linh Nguyen has been appointed Formator of Scholastics; Fr Rajasekhar Reddy Kommareddy as Director of the Overseas Training Program for students; Br Martin de Porres as Lay Mission Partner Coordinator; Frs Bill Burt and Truong Le as Postulant Directors; and Fr Phuong Vu as Arnold Janssen Spirituality Coordinator.

I am grateful to these confreres for supporting me and the Province in these roles and I am excited about the energy, wisdom and enthusiasm that they bring to our mission.

I pray that this Lent will be a time of spiritual renewal for everyone, as together we seek to share Christ’s love with all, especially those who are most forgotten and marginalised.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Asaeli Rass,

Provincial.