The Catholic Church celebrates the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday on October 18, and in his message to mark the occasion, Pope Leo XIV has expressed his gratitude for missionaries around the world and reflected on the Church’s deep commitment to mission.
For the Divine Word Missionaries, this milestone for the global Church closely follows the 150th anniversary celebrations of their own foundation by St Arnold Janssen, which took place last year.
St Arnold founded the Society of the Divine Word on September 8, 1875, in Steyl, The Netherlands, driven by prayer and a desire that all people should have the opportunity to know the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today, the SVD has nearly 6000 missionaries, from 76 nationalities, serving in more than 80 countries.
In Australia, the SVD is present in the Archdioceses of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as the Dioceses of Rockhampton, Townsville, Wollongong, Broome, and Darwin. The Australia Province extends also to New Zealand, Thailand, and Myanmar and SVD ministries include accompanying Indigenous communities, leading multicultural parishes, providing chaplaincy to ethnic communities, and formation of missionaries, among others.
In his World Mission Day message, under the theme, ‘One in Christ, united in mission’, Pope Leo said the day marks the centenary of a celebration established by Pius XI that is “very dear to the Church”.
Pope Leo, who was an Augustinian missionary in Peru, also expressed his “special gratitude to today’s ad gentes missionaries”.
“Like Saint Francis Xavier, they have left their homeland, their families and all sense of security in order to proclaim the Gospel and bring Christ and his love to places that are often challenging, poor, conflict-ridden or culturally distant,” he said. “Despite adversity and human limitations, they continue to give themselves joyfully, because they know that Christ himself, and his Gospel, are the greatest treasures we can offer. Through their perseverance, they demonstrate that God’s love transcends all barriers.”
Pope Leo urged people to continually pray to the Father for new missionary vocations.
“May he grant us the gift of young people and adults who are willing to leave everything behind to follow Christ on the path of evangelisation even to the ends of the earth!” he said.
One such young person who earlier this year made his final vows as a Divine ord Missionary and will be ordained to the priesthood in November, is Deacon Gusty Siga SVD, who is currently serving his diaconate at St Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Marsden.
Deacon Gusty is originally from Indonesia, and began his studies and formation in Flores, before completing his Theology studies at the SVD’s Dorish Maru College in Melbourne.
“By God's grace, I was ordained a Deacon earlier this year, and I am enjoying serving at Marsden Parish in the Archdiocese of Brisbane,” he said. “It's a wonderful opportunity for me to serve the people of God as a Deacon and later as an SVD Missionary Priest.”
Deacon Gusty’s first assignment after ordination is to the SVD Australia Province. He urged others who may feel called to missionary life to “listen to where God is calling” them to love and serve.
In a recent letter to Confreres, Lay Mission Partners and Associates to mark SVD Foundation Day, Provincial, Fr Boni Buahendri SVD, gave thanks to all who participate in and support the mission of the SVD in the AUS Province and beyond.
“When I look at our AUS Province today, I am deeply grateful for the richness of our diversity. We come from different countries, cultures, generations and experiences. We have different gifts and perspectives, yet we are united by one vocation: to participate in the mission of God as followers and servants of the Divine Word,” he said.
