• 100 Years at Epping
  • 100 Years at Epping
  • 100 Years at Epping
  • image
  • image
  • image
News & Events

 

 

Fr Kevin speaking at book launch 150Fr Kevin Cantwell SVD has launched a book of reminiscences of his time as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, in which he says the focus is not on him, but on the people of PNG, the missionaries who have served there, and the lay catechists and local church members.

Fr Kevin, who turned 90 in October, was a missionary in PNG from 1976 to 2003, first on the Sepik River and then in the Highlands, having been transferred there at the age of 48, after 16 years of appointments in Australia, including a time as Provincial.

 

 

 

Fr Heinz Kuluke 150When the Superior-General of the Divine Word Missionaries, Fr Heinz Kuluke, visited the SVD AUS Province recently, he had one key message for both confreres and partners in mission: “Thank you”.

“I am here to thank you,” he said. “I am always touched by the dedication of our missionaries and the many mission partners who support us in so many different ways.”

 

Tuesday, 28 November 2017 11:00

Preparations for Myanmar mission well underway

 

Myanmar house 150The SVD AUS Province’s new mission in Myanmar is full of both wonderful potential and challenge, says Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD.

Fr Truc has recently returned from Myanmar where, together with Fr John Hung Le SVD, he has been preparing the property for the first missionaries to take up residence in sometime in the first half of next year.

 

 

Rice harvest 150One of the things that a religious missionary who is far away from home enjoys is phone conversations with family members. Recently I had a memorable conversation with my Dad. Each year at this time of the monsoon season, Dad works tirelessly in preparation for the paddy Harvest.

In my last conversation with him, I asked Dad, how the preparation is going for the Harvest. To my surprise he said, that this year the farm is not in its prime healthy condition, because of the incessant rain. The chilli fields are more often prone to infestation of pests. However, he expressed his eagerness in waiting for the paddy harvesting in the early weeks of December.

 

Wednesday, 22 November 2017 11:55

Poverty in the African context - a reflection

Clement Baffoe SVD 150As I walked with my confreres from the parish to our community after Mass, it struck me that we were like the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. Like the two disciples, my confreres and I have had the same experience but whilst their experience was the death of Jesus, ours was growing up in a continent that has been stricken by poverty.

We thank God that we have taken the vow of evangelical poverty. However, we did sincerely ask ourselves: “How poor are our Religious in Africa compared with the local people?”

Monday, 30 October 2017 11:18

The reality of cyberspace - a reflection

 

Cyberspace Anthonys reflection 150Modern Internet technology has created for us an entity known as cyberspace. We hear this word often but do not always understand exactly what cyberspace is. Cyberspace is the notional environment in which communication over computer networks takes place. It is a metaphorical space that exists in our minds, especially when we are chatting with friends on social networks and feel as if we are meeting them in a particular space.

While cyberspace is not physical, it is not necessarily virtual (or unreal). As Pope Benedict XVI asserted, “The digital environment is not a parallel or purely virtual world, but is part of the daily experience of many people, especially the young.”

 

 

 

Students meeting with Provincial 2017 150The SVD seminarians studying at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne spent an evening with the Provincial recently, getting to know one another better, asking questions and learning about the priorities of the AUS Province.

Student, Clement Baffoe, from Ghana, says the Provincial, Fr Henry Adler, shared insights on the specialised ministries of the Province and challenged the seminarians to deepen their commitment to the Divine Word which is at the heart of the Society.

 

Fr Heinz Kulke in Alice Springs 150The Superior General of the Divine Word Missionaries, Fr Heinz Kuluke, is visiting the AUS Province to spend time with the SVD missionaries here, to learn about their ministries and encourage them in their work.

Fr Heinz, who is based at the SVD headquarters in Rome, will visit Melbourne, Central Australia, Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand. He has previously visited Thailand which is also part of the AUS Province.

 

 

ASPAC Brothers Meeting Thailand 2017 banner 150SVD Brothers from across the Asia-Pacific region came together in Thailand this month for their regional assembly, which focused on topics including vocation promotion and the need for deep-rooted spirituality for Brothers in the hierarchical Church.

The meeting was hosted by the SVD AUS Province community at Nong Bua Lamphu in northern Thailand, which is home to two Brothers, Br Damien Lunders SVD and Br Ron Fratzke SVD.

 

 

 

Alice House blessing 150The Divine Word Missionaries have confirmed their deep commitment to mission in Central Australia by purchasing a property in Alice Springs which will not only be a dwelling for confreres and visitors, but a house of spirituality and Indigenous theology for the whole community.

The house, named the Logos Spirituality Centre, was blessed by the SVD Superior General, Fr Heinz Kuluke, during his visit to the red centre last week.

 

Page 49 of 77