Dear Friends,
As Spring arrives, so too does the official celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the founding by St Arnold Janssen of the Society of the Divine Word.
St Arnold founded his missionary society on September 8, 1875. Driven by prayer and a desire that all people should have the opportunity to know the Good News of Jesus Christ, he overcame much opposition to begin fulfilling his dream. From those humble beginnings, the SVD has flourished and grown to be the sixth biggest male religious order in the world, with nearly 6000 missionaries, from 76 nationalities, serving in 79 countries.
The SVD AUS Province will mark the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of the Society of the Divine Word in September with a special Jubilee Mass, a Provincial Assembly in Melbourne, followed by participation in an ecumenical mission conference.
As the Anniversary approaches, I have been thinking about what it must have taken Fr Arnold to step out in faith, answering God’s call for him to establish a missionary society, especially in Germany at that time, where there was a big crackdown on Church activity during the Kulturkampf. Indeed, he had to cross the border into the Netherlands to bring his dream to reality. One thing we know is that he was a man of prayer with a deep devotion to the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As indicated by the name he gave his Society, he was also a man devoted to the Word of God. And, as evidenced by his steadfastness in the face of opposition, we can deduce that he was a man of courage.
This past year of preparing for the 150th Jubilee of the SVD has been a time of great blessing, helping us to focus more deeply on our key task of ‘Witnessing to the Light’. The celebrations around the Australia Province have also highlighted the importance of our collaboration with our parish communities, chaplaincies, and our partners in mission in so many areas.
Mission is a two-way street. It is sharing the love of Jesus Christ with one another, and we are so grateful for those who walk together with us on this journey.
Yours in the Word,
Fr Asaeli Rass SVD,
Provincial.