I am delighted to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Fr. Boni Buahendri SVD, who was born in Indonesia, on his recent appointment as the 8th Provincial Superior for the AUS Province for the forthcoming triennium, which will be effective from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028.

This new position he has been entrusted with is a reflection of his dedication, his spirit of service, and the trust that his confreres and the Generalate have in his leadership. 

There was this story of an old but sick man who won a huge prize from lotto. The relatives were afraid that if they broke this news, he might have a heart attack and die.

Today our Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The purpose of this feast is to focus our hearts and minds on the Cross of Christ.

Dear confreres, lay mission partners and staff,

With great joy I congratulate you on our 150th Jubilee and feast day of the birth of Our Lady.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, following his resurrection, he gave his followers an instruction which has become known as the Great Commission: ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.’ (Mark 16:15).

As the Society of the Divine Word celebrates its 150^th Anniversary, it is useful to consider what that commission means for carrying out Christ’s mission. Of course, it means many things, but one thing it tells us clearly is this: Communication is Mission.

For those, like me, who have ever played the game “Pokemon Go”, you might be able to relate with me. As far as I understand the game, you capture as many Pokemon monsters as you can.

A year ago, we began the SVD Jubilee Year. Before the final event, which will mark the beginning of a new cycle in our history, I would like to address with affection and respect those who made possible the mission that we Divine Word Missionaries have carried out during these 150 years: our benefactors, collaborators and friends, writes SVD Superior-General Fr Anselmo Ribeiro.

The celebrations of this jubilee have allowed us to take up once again the original charism of Fr. Arnold Janssen, source of our identity and inspiration for our current mission. We also return to Steyl, the place chosen by our founder to establish a missionary house. This small village became the cradle of the first community, which over time transformed into a worldwide missionary congregation under the leadership of Fr. Arnold Janssen himself.

In 2018, I attended the episcopal ordination of Bishop Ewald Sedu, in Maumere. Maumere is a very Catholic town, on the very Catholic island of Flores, in very Christian eastern Indonesia. Not surprisingly, this ceremony was a very grand affair.

The SVD Marsfield community celebrated the 150^th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word recently, in conjunction with the annual Multicultural Sunday event, highlighting one of the most foundational of SVD characteristics – interculturality.

Following weeks of rain in Sydney, the skies cleared for a day of shared prayer, cultural entertainment and a mouthwatering shared multicultural meal.

Communication is the essence of mission itself and is the task of every baptised Christian, Bishop Tim Norton SVD told participants in the 4^th SVD Australia Province Webinar to mark the 150^th anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Divine Word.

The webinar explored the theme: ‘Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere for Everyone - From a Social Communication Perspective.’