Arnold Janssen, the founder of the SVD struggled with the idea of founding a religious congregation in a very challenging historical situation, writes Fr James Areechira SVD, in a reflection ahead of SVD Foundation Day on September 8.
Our constitutions characterise Arnold Janssen as a man of prayer, of unshakeable trust in God– a man of deep faith. He was ever open to God’s plans, offering unconditional surrender to his will. An open-minded man of great apostolic zeal, Arnold responded to the call of the Holy Spirit and the needs of people.
January is an important month on the Divine Word Missionaries’ calendar, with not one, but two feast days of SVD saints to celebrate.
This year, both St Arnold Janssen (feast day, January 15) and St Joseph Freinademetz (January 29) were remembered with a joint celebration at the St Arnold Janssen Chapel in Marsfield on January 19. Celebrations have also been held in the various different parts of the Province, around Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Myanmar.
Some days all of us surely wonder if what we’re doing in our day-to-day life is really making a difference for the Kingdom of God. We have frustrations and difficulties and we wonder if we’re on the right track.
But this month, as I reflected on the foundations of the Society of the Divine Word, I was reminded yet again, that we don’t have to see the end goal of what we’re doing. It is enough to pray, to do our best, and to do our bit.
Father John has invited me to speak in honour of St. Arnold Janssen, the founder of three missionary religious congregations: the Divine Word Missionaries, the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, and the Holy Spirit Sisters of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.
We simply speak of him as Father Arnold. His feast day was last Friday.
SVD communities around the AUS Province celebrated their heritage in January with the feast days of the Divine Word Missionaries founder, St Arnold Janssen, and the first SVD to be sent out on mission, St Joseph Freinademetz.
St Arnold’s feast day is celebrated on January 15, while St Joseph’s is on January 28. Each community celebrated the feast days in different ways, with the celebration of the Eucharist uniting all in prayer and thanksgiving.
