Dear Friends,

What does it mean to be a missionary? I’ve been contemplating that this past month, as our Australia Province has celebrated a series of first vows, temporary vow renewals and final vows.

While these celebrations of vows have been wonderful affirmations of God alive and at work in our young people, to be missionary is not just the task of the ordained or the religiously vowed.

At the end of the day the Universal Church will continue to place importance on the formation of all of God’s children - not just for deacons, priests, religious - because it is directly linked to the work of God, which is God’s mission, the evangelisation of all peoples and cultures of the world.

And so, every drop in the ocean counts in regards to this formation for us all. The love and support and missionary encouragement from our parents and grandparents; our teachers, spouses or religious superiors and formators. Each person’s contribution to the mission of God is special and irreplaceable. All of us need to stand up and contribute to God’s reign. We all have a role to play by virtue of our baptism.

Religious congregations like the Divine Word Missionaries have their own particular part in this bigger mission. Consecrated life is one way in which the baptised may choose to respond to God’s missionary call.

The Divine Word Missionaries were founded in the Netherlands in 1875 by St Arnold Janssen. Today we are working in more than 70 countries around the world. We are very international. It is an international missionary order. Our life and our vision is missionary work. That’s the end and aim of our Society, to take up God’s mission, to make Jesus’ name known and loved everywhere.

We do this by virtue of our consecrated life, being free to go where we are sent, where the need is greatest. Others are called to make Jesus’ name known and loved by living their own life, through marriage, family life, or whatever path God has called you to.

May we all take some time this Lent to reflect on our missionary call and think prayerfully about our response.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD,

Provincial.