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Manh Le Palm Island 2021 250Fr Manh Le SVD has been a missionary with the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon and now Australia’s Indigenous peoples, on Palm Island, and his ongoing search into Indigenous spirituality recently led him to participate in an ecumenical conference exploring the role of the churches in Indigenous history since European settlement.

He said the Tribal Voice for Justice: An Indigenous Theological Revolution conference in Melbourne was an opportunity to delve deeper into his understanding of indigenous spirituality, and the need for ongoing personal and communal conversion in indigenous matters.

Parishioners entering St Theresas church in Balgo 150The Divine Word Missionaries have accepted an invitation to take up the pastoral care of the indigenous community of Balgo in Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region.

Fr Paulo Vanuitu SVD arrived in December 2023, joined by Fr Ronaldo Rodriguez SVD in early 2024. 

Krisna CPE 250SVD students at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne have been spending their summer academic break well, with some completing hospital pastoral placements and others enjoying time in SVD parish communities.

Formator of Scholastics, Fr Linh Nguyen SVD, said the summer placements aimed to give the students pastoral experience, as well as deepen their cultural understanding and English language skills.

Camp fire in nightThe Voice to Parliament was defeated! The pain and hurt is still tangible, writes Fr Nick de Groot SVD. I feel that we, as a country, have failed to take that step towards healing and reconciliation that is still so necessary.

But true love is stronger than all the darkness and negativity. “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jn 1:4

Santa Teresa 70th anniversary plaque at Little Flower Mission Arltunga2 250The Santa Teresa – Ltyentye Apurte community in Central Australia has celebrated its 70th anniversary with prayer, thanksgiving and a pilgrimage back to the location of the Little Flower Mission, where it all began.

Parish Priest of Santa Teresa, Fr Olivier Noclam SVD, said the anniversary celebration was “a really great occasion”, as the community of Eastern Arrernte people remembered not only their rich cultural history over thousands of years, but also their history as a Catholic community.

SOcial Justice Statement 23 24 250In 1967, Australians gave overwhelming support to a referendum that recognised Australia’s First Peoples as citizens. In 2023, we will be given a chance to vote in another referendum to constitutionally recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples through a Voice to Parliament, writes the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council

Australia’s Bishops see it as an opportunity for all Australians to renew our engagement with the First Peoples of Australia. They have come to this view through much listening to the First Peoples and they encourage us all to listen to them in a spirit of love and humility.

Palm Sunday 2023 Niran Bp Charles Hung 250When Fr Niran Veigas SVD answered his vocational call to become a missionary priest, he could not have foreseen himself ministering in Russia and now the Tiwi Islands, but the Indian-born priest is embracing the new challenge of getting to know the people and helping to make a difference in their lives.

Fr Niran was born and raised in a Catholic family in the city of Mangalore, in southwest India and says he began discerning the possibility of being a priest as a young boy.

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD profile pic 250Australia’s Catholic bishops have called on the nation to seek “a new engagement” with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their annual Social Justice Statement launched this month.

As we approach the referendum on constitutional recognition of Australia’s First Nations peoples and the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the bishops’ statement encourages us to listen, really listen, to what our Indigenous brothers and sisters are saying.

Frank Brennan with Dianne Foster on Palm Island 250Well-known priest, lawyer and advocate, Fr Frank Brennan SJ visited Townsville and Palm Island recently and while there, presented information sessions to the local people about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Fr Manh Le SVD, parish priest at St Anne’s Parish on Palm Island, said Fr Frank’s visit, while primarily to attend a funeral for a local leader, was a great opportunity to share information on the Voice with the local Indigenous community.

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD profile pic 250The theme for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday this year is ‘A New Life in Christ’.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council says the theme for this special day in the Church calendar, to be celebrated on Sunday, July 2, relates to “the transformative possibilities that come when we walk God’s Way of love”. What an invitation!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

In the spirit of reconciliation, the Society of the Divine Word, Australia Province, acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, sky, and community.

We acknowledge their skin-groups, story-lines, traditions, religiosity and living cultures.

We pay respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to all indigenous peoples of New Zealand, Thailand, and Myanmar.

We are committed to building with them, a brighter future together.