The Divine Word Missionaries joined more than 2000 high schoolers, young adults, youth leaders, teachers, priests and religious who took part in a life-changing encounter with God and the Church at the Ignite Youth Conference in Brisbane recently.

SVD AUS Province Vocations Director, Fr Yon Wiryono, who attended the event, said the conference, which reflected on the theme ‘Rise Up’ was “incredible and encouraging”.

The annual SVD Mission Day hosted by Dorish Maru College in Melbourne has been hailed an inspiration, with guest speakers calling on the faithful to live out their baptismal calling in a prophetic way in the spirit of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Almost 300 people attended the day which was comprised of a seminar, the celebration of the Eucharist and a shared multicultural meal.

The SVD has celebrated 25 years of presence in Thailand – a mission which began with just two SVD brothers responding to the need of the people and which has grown to include 12 confreres working in HIV/AIDS care, parish ministry, education and more.

The Silver Jubilee celebrations incorporated the Feast of St Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of the parish in Nong Bua Lamphu, as well as the opening of the 150^th anniversary year of the Society of the Divine Word.

The appointment of Bishop Tim Norton SVD as Bishop of Broome has been met with joy by the local Church, the national Catholic Indigenous community, and the Divine Word Missionaries.

Bishop Tim, who has been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane for almost three years, is a former SVD Australia Provincial and has a deep interest in mission, culture and interculturality.

Every October the Universal Church celebrates World Mission Month, a time to highlight the work of missionaries around the world, but also to remind us of the baptismal call to mission of each and every Christian.

This year, Pope Francis chose as the theme of his World Mission Sunday Message: ‘Go and invite everyone to the banquet’ (Mt 22:9).

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 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.

We have reached the threshold of the jubilee of the founding of our beloved Society of the Divine Word. It has been 150 years of life and mission, bringing together men from all parts of the world and sending them to all people. The Holy Spirit has been supporting this work that was entrusted to Saint Arnold Janssen, and also to those who preceded us in the mission, and to us, in the present moment.

A Jubilee is a milestone to evaluate, celebrate and make a commitment for the future. In biblical terms, we can speak of three essential aspects of this year that guarantee a just and balanced society: forgiveness, restoration and the restitution of dignity. In other words, the year of jubilee must recreate relationships that have become unjust and unequal.