On September 8, 2024, the Society of the Divine Word worldwide inaugurated the Jubilee Year celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding with the theme: "Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere, for Everyone." In the Australia Province, we marked this significant occasion with a simple yet profound opening ritual, featuring processions of the Bible, the globe, the Jubilee logo, and the Jubilee candle. Each symbol embodies the deep missionary spirituality of the SVD.

This ritual coincided with the priestly ordination of Cuong Quoc Dang, SVD, marking the beginning of his own journey as a missionary – a witness to the Light. My reflection on this Jubilee theme is deeply inspired by this event, particularly as it relates to our Australia Province. As Cuong Dang begins his journey of witnessing to the Light, it is worth considering several key principles that not only guide him but all of us, writes Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD.

Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane, the Most Reverend Timothy Norton SVD, to be the third Bishop of Broome.

Bishop Norton was born in Sydney in 1958 and initially trained as a physiotherapist, working in inner-city Darlinghurst with young people who were experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. He entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1984 and took his first vows in 1986.

The Gospel passage of this Sunday in fact speaks about an unnamed person’s encounter with Jesus and his profound question to Jesus about eternal life.

In recent years, marriage has been quite a hot topic in various sectors of society. At one end, there are advocates for “marriage equality” which means you can marry any person regardless of their gender.

The Thailand-Myanmar District celebrated the Jubilee Opening on September 28, as part of the District’s celebration of its Silver Jubilee in Thailand (1999-2024).

The celebration took place at St Michael Archangel Church in Nong Bua Lamphu Province, NE Thailand.

Fr Cuong Quoc Dang SVD will soon take up his first missionary assignment in Angola following his ordination to the priesthood in Melbourne this month.

Cuong’s journey to a religious vocation began in his home country of Vietnam and continued in Thailand, where he first met the SVD, before coming to Australia to complete his studies and formation

When Fr Aloysius Nato SVD first arrived in Melbourne in July 2010, he spotted a beautiful church from his car window and was told it was Sacred Heart Preston, an SVD parish. Ten years later, he was appointed to serve in that parish – only it was during the Covid lockdown period and there were no parishioners in the pews.

Four years down the track, the parish has returned to full life again and is putting in place action plans to realise its ambition of becoming a vibrant faith community and a missionary parish.

The Divine Word Missionaries Australia Province launched the Jubilee Year for the 150^th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word this month, the first of many Sesquicentenary events to be held throughout the year.

The occasion in Melbourne was a double celebration, also featuring the priestly ordination of Cuong Quoc Dang SVD, who will continue the missionary legacy when he takes up his first assignment to Angola.

The Divine Word Missionaries were well-represented at the recent Australian Catholic Communications Congress, which took the theme, ‘Missionary Message for the Modern World’.

The SVD also came away from the Congress with an Australasian Catholic Press Association award for an article on confreres growing their own gardens – an activity which contributes to both spirituality and sustainability.

Jesus’ teaching of putting a millstone around a person’s neck and throwing him into the sea; plucking out the eye, cutting off limbs if one sins is rather disturbing and puzzling for a good teacher like Jesus.