SVD student Shehan Fernando has become the first person from Sri Lanka to become a Divine Word Missionary, after taking his first vows in Melbourne on Sunday.
Shehan took his vows at Dorish Maru College (DMC), in the presence of his formators and fellow students, while friends and family at home in Sri Lanka watched online.
“I feel so humble and joyful for being the first Sri Lankan SVD in the world,” he says.
“I’m sure this will be a starting moment in God’s own plan to bring the divine fire which he began in our founder’s heart to the lives of the Sri Lankan people one day.”
Shehan has been living as a novice in the Dorish Maru community for the past year. He has been accompanied by Novice Master, Fr Bill Burt SVD, who has walked with him, helping him to understand missionary life in the intercultural SVD context, including the history of the Society of the Divine Word, it’s Apostolic Dimensions and its place in the world today.
“Taking first vows in the Society of the Divine Word makes me humbler and I’m sure God will expand my heart more to be opened for his mission wherever he sends me,” he says.
“Also, vows will take me into a deeper connection with God’s own heart, where I will find the ultimate meaning and purpose of my life as a human being. So, this is more confirming and deepening my baptismal vocation to another level of connection with God. For that, I am forever grateful.”
Shehan says that many people helped to get him to this point in his vocational journey.
“There are many people who supported me and guided me throughout my initial formation stages as an SVD,” he says.
“I would love to remember Fr Linh (Nguyen) SVD who was my spiritual director back then, who guided me and supported me throughout the discernment process; Fr Bill (Burt SVD), my novice master who accompanied me for the past two years; All the DMC community members who became part of my life; and Provincial, Fr (Asaeli) Rass SVD and the leadership team for their trust in me and for welcoming me to the SVD family.
“This is not a result of my efforts or my personal strength whatsoever. Rather, being able to profess my vows as an SVD is purely God’s grace. So, all praise goes to God who called me to this way of life, and being within me, is the ultimate meaning of my life.”
Shehan says that while his first vows mark a milestone in his vocation, he is aware that he is just at the beginning of the road to missionary life.
“I think I am still a baby in SVD life,” he says. “I still have more to learn and experience as a Divine Word Missionary. I believe it’s a life-long process.
“For the moment, my only hope is to please God in whatever I do, wherever I am sent, and to fulfil God’s purpose and to be part of his mission.
“To seek God among the lives of poor and marginalised people and bring hope where it has been lost would be my main hope for the mission.
“To be faithful to ‘only Jesus’, as I chose for the theme for my first vows, would be my life-time goal and hope.”
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Shehan Fernando SVD
MIDDLE LEFT: Shehan makes his first vows as a Divine Word Missionary in the presence of Provincial Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, Novice Master Fr Bill Burt SVD, confreres and friends.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Shehan signs his vows.
