1 Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 Society Matters A NEWSLETTER OF THE DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES INC - AUSTRALIA PROVINCE Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 Society Matters Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others ... (1 Peter 4:10)
Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 2 Society Matters Message from the Provincial Superior Dear Friends, Welcome to the Autumn edition of Society Matters. In this edition you will read about how the Divine Word Missionaries have embarked upon a Jubilee Year as we move towards the 150th anniversary of our founding by St Arnold Janssen on September 8, 1875. The theme of our Jubilee is ‘Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere, for Everyone’. At the same time, the Universal Church is celebrating the Jubilee of Hope, proclaimed by Pope Francis and inaugurated when he opened the Jubilee Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve. I think the two Jubilees have much in common, because St Arnold’s decision to start a new missionary society in the troubled times in Europe in the late 1800s and against much opposition, was certainly an endeavour built on Hope, the Hope of Jesus Christ. As he opened the Holy Door at St Peter’s Pope Francis invited us all to make a pilgrimage of the heart this year. “Dear sister, dear brother, on this night, the ‘holy door’ of God’s heart lies open before you. Jesus, God-with-us, is born for you, for us, for every man and woman. With him, joy flourishes; with Him, life changes; with Him, hope does not disappoint,” he said. In this edition of Society Matters you will read several accounts of Divine Word Missionaries who are being ‘Witnesses to the Light’ in their own local context. We have a profile story on Fr Daniel Polla SVD, whose missionary life has taken him from his home country of Indonesia to Paraguay and now to remote Daly River in the Northern Territory. You will also read about the priestly ordination of Cuong Dang SVD. Having received his formation in Australia, Fr Cuong has now embarked on his first missionary assignment to Angola. And our feature story highlights the work of the SVD in the Philippines, providing education and formation for the Indigenous Mangyan youth in Mindoro, a wonderful ministry I have visited myself. In all of these missionary stories it is clear that not only are our missionaries being witnesses to Christ’s light, but are also embracing and encouraging the light of Christ already present in those they meet. Thank you for your steadfast support of the work of the Divine Word Missionaries. May this year of Jubilees open our hearts to be people of Hope and Witnesses to the Light. Yours in the Word, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD Provincial Superior Cover Story: The SVD in the Philippines is helping to empower Indigenous Mangyan communities by providing education and formation for youth to equip them for a stronger future. Pictured are Br Willy Vincent Iopam SVD with some of the Mangyan scholars. Read more on pages 4-5. Appeal Office: 199 Epping Road, Marsfield NSW Locked Bag 3, Epping NSW 1710 Australia Telephone: +61 2 9868 2666 Victoria: 100 Albion Road, Box Hill, Vic 3128 Tel: +61 3 9890 0065 Queensland: 96 Lilac Street Inala QLD 4077 Tel: +61 7 3372 5658 New Zealand: 41 Britannia Street, Petone, 5046 Tel: +64 4 971 7885 Published by Divine Word Missionaries Incorporated, ABN 51 885 667 646
3 Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 Society Matters Former migrant worker ordained to priesthood; takes up assignment to Angola Fr Cuong Quoc Dang SVD has embarked on his first missionary assignment in Angola following his ordination to the priesthood in Melbourne. Cuong’s journey to a religious vocation began in his home country of Vietnam and continued in Thailand, where he first met the SVD, before coming to Australia to complete his studies and formation. His ordination Mass, at St Martin de Porres Parish in Melbourne’s Avondale Heights, had the distinction of also incorporating the official opening of the SVD’s 150th Jubilee Year celebrations. Among the guests were Cuong’s mother, who travelled from Vietnam, and Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD who accompanied Cuong as he discerned his vocation in Thailand. Fr Anthony’s ministry includes serving Vietnamese Catholic migrants in Bangkok. Witnessing Fr Anthony’s commitment to accompanying and empowering the marginalised, broadened Cuong’s understanding of priestly ministry, transcending traditional pastoral roles to encompass advocacy and social justice. In 2016, Cuong decided to apply to the Society of the Divine Word, Australia Province as a postulant. He entered the formation program as the first Vietnamese migrant worker in Thailand to be accepted. Cuong spent the following year learning English before his journey continued through the Philippines for Novitiate, where he took his first vows as a Divine Word Missionary. He then went on for theology studies in Australia, where he professed his final vows. Bishop Tim Norton SVD presided at the Ordination Mass and was ordaining prelate. He was joined by the Australian Provincial Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, other SVD priests and students, diocesan and visiting clergy. In his homily, Bishop Tim urged Cuong to draw his faith from Jesus and from the people he serves. “In order to keep your faith strong and to know how to be a good priest, don’t look at us, we’re not great examples. But turn yourself around and look at them (the people). They are great examples of faith and resilience. And they, including your good mother who is next to you, they are the ones who will really teach you what it is to go out and be that shepherd that you truly wish to be,” he said. “The Christian life is not about leadership but about followership and it’s the Jesus of our lives that we all follow. It’s not about becoming more and more, but it’s about becoming less and less.” Fr Rass said the dual celebration of Cuong’s ordination and the start of the Sesquicentenary Year was a special moment. “On this special occasion of Deacon Cuong’s priestly ordination, the SVDs are launching a year-long celebration towards our Sesquicentennial celebration of 150 years of missionary presence and mission through which the Holy Spirit has placed ourselves at the disposal of the Church to help all accomplish its missionary task,” he said. “We thank the Triune God for his loving dedication as we continue to respond kindly to the needs of the wounded world, guided and trusting in the Holy Spirit.” Speaking afterwards, Fr Cuong said he could not have made it to his ordination without the help and support of many people, including his parents, mentors, and fellow Divine Word Missionaries, as well as the wider community. “I am profoundly grateful to God for giving me this winding journey of faith to prepare myself for the missionary task ahead,” he said.
Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 4 Society Matters Education program helps form young people to become ‘enablers’ in their community The SVD in the Philippines is helping to empower Indigenous Mangyan communities in the province of Occidental Mindoro by providing education and formation for youth to equip them for a stronger future. “The Mangyan Education Center (MEC) program intends to develop the Mangyan youth scholars so they can reach their full potential, equipping them with knowledge, skills, and with the dignity of their heritage, to become leaders in the future,” said Br Willy Vincent Iopam SVD, who is Director of Community Extension Services at the MEC. Br Willy said the program comprises activities responding to five pillars of formation – academics; cultural/ community; spiritual’ moral-psycho-emotional; and livelihood and self-reliance. The MEC says its goals of formation hope to help every scholar to be a person rooted in his or her historical origin, open to the constant changes of the times, yet consciously embracing and promoting the richness of their cultural identity. Since it began in 2017, the program has produced licensed teachers and other graduates who are now enablers in their respective communities. “This has been an inspiration for other Mangyan children to strive for higher education, and for the organisation to continue this formation program,” Br Willy said. In the 2024-25 academic year, the MEC is accommodating 25 Mangyan students for vocational and college courses. The MEC operates under the supervision of Divine Word College of San Jose, a premier Catholic institution in Occidental Mindoro. “Embracing the core values of cultural preservation, dignity, and service, MEC envisions itself becoming a sustainable model community in Occidental Mindoro,” Br Willy said. The project had its beginnings in the late 1980s as a response by SVD missionaries to the request of the Mangyan elders at that time to help them send their children to school, as they saw that education was the key to ending the oppression and discrimination they were experiencing from the lowlanders.
5 Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 Society Matters “Over the years it has catered to more than 200 young Mangyans across grade levels starting from Grade 4 and produced more than 50 college graduates,” Br Willy said. “Most of these scholars, graduates and non-graduates are now serving their community as leaders and teachers.” The students are housed in the MEC throughout the duration of their education program and during their stay they are assisted to finish their course work through inhouse tutorials, reading and communication activities. “Also, there are activities and programs for cultural education, psycho-emotional maturity, livelihood and social-community life, and spiritual development,” Br Willy said. “Through these five pillars, it is hoped that the Mangyan students will stand with the dignity of their heritage and integrity to uplift their communities in the future.” Br Willy said parents maintain regular involvement with their children’s education, with fortnightly meetings at the MEC. “This is an opportunity to visit their child, help in the chores in maintaining the centre and receive updates on the activities of the centre and the performance of their child,” he said. “Also, there is an elder who serves as the matron, and student-staff who are fresh graduates and serve in the centre as a form of gratitude for the scholarship opportunity given to them.” Meanwhile, the Philippines Province of the SVD is also branching out to expand an eco-friendly initiative designed to help the Province become more self-reliant in its operations. The SVD Tagaytay Community decided in 2020, during the pandemic, to convert its 5.8 hectare idle land into what is now known as the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm – a religious ecotourism place found in the heart of the Arnoldus Family compound. Fr Samuel Agcaracar SVD said the rationale of the program is three-fold. “First, as a formation institution, the SVD Farm serves as a concrete response to the call of Pope Francis in his document Laudato Si’ to get involved in the protection of the environment as our common home,” he said. “Second, to generate income for the seminary, thereby responding to the Society’s call for self-reliance. Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, several of our local benefactors have stopped helping the seminary. “And third, to raise awareness among partners and guests about the need to initiate ecological and environmental innovations as concrete expressions of our JPIC characteristic dimension (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation).” From a simple beginning it has evolved into a more comprehensive project through collaboration with local agencies, civic organisations and private benefactors and for the past three-and-a-half years has begun generating meagre revenues to support the SVD mission. Fr Samuel said the Laudato Si’ Farm is now seeking to build greenhouses and improve farm technology to boost the farm’s production. “This plan not only boosts our advocacy for integral and sustainable farming, but also intends to promote awareness to individuals and institutions of the value of organic farming as a response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ call,” he said.
Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 6 Society Matters From Paraguay to Daly River – Fr Daniel gives thanks for all the experiences of missionary life Fr Daniel Polla SVD’s missionary life so far has been one of contrasts, from when he joined the Divine Word Missionaries in his home country of Indonesia to his first assignment in Paraguay and now ministry with Australia’s First Nations peoples in the Northern Territory’s remote Daly River. “I am so grateful for all that I have experienced during my mission,” he says. “The happiness, joyfulness, hard work, and offering myself for mission make me blessed abundantly by God. These are like flowers in my vocation path.” Fr Daniel was born into a Catholic family in Atapupu in West Timor, Indonesia. “My hometown is a small village on the seashore, and it is very close to Motaain, the border of East Timor,” he says. “Mostly the people there are working as fishermen and farmers. However, my father is a businessman.” Fr Daniel says he first felt called to a priestly vocation when he was in primary school, thanks to the example of his former parish priest, who is now emeritus bishop Theodorus Sulama SVD. He joined the SVD in 1997, entering the Novitiate of the Timor Province, making his final vows in the Major Seminary of Ledalero, Flores, in 2006. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2007. His first assignment was to Paraguay where he worked in parishes and in the seminary as a formator. Fr Daniel says one of the toughest challenges was to learn the various languages spoken by the people. “Paraguayan people speak two languages,” he says. “Sometimes people like to speak the Guarani language as their identity. In some parishes at the border with Argentina, people speak Spanish, but it has a different sound. And in some parishes closer to Brazil, they speak a mixture of the Spanish and Portuguese language.” Cultural differences among the people also presented a challenge, along with social problems caused by drug use. “Although I was working in Paraguay, some families came from Brazil, Argentina and Germany, so there was a need to have different approaches,” he says. “Sometimes it was quite difficult to find an adequate method to work with these groups. “There were also social problems. In some places, some people worked using drugs, therefore it was necessary to pay more careful attention in working with them. “There were many challenges there but at the same time it made me become more creative and improved my sensitivity regarding discerning their different needs. “Overall, the people in Paraguay were very hospitable and welcoming when we visited their houses, inviting us to have lunch or dinner with them. Also, there are a lot of volunteers who want to work with the priest in pastoral activities and serve in the church or presbytery.” Fr Daniel says that after working for more than 12 years in Paraguay, he felt the need to have other experiences and Fr Daniel Polla SVD (far left) during his time working as a missionary in Paraguay
7 Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 Society Matters learn to speak other languages. “I got some information about some countries that have a rich culture, including Australia,” he says. “I chose the Australia Province to learn how the mission is carried out there. Also, this country is near to my home country of Indonesia.” Fr Daniel says while his new assignment in Daly River is in many ways very different to his missionary life in Paraguay, there are also some key similarities. “In all areas of mission, there is a need for creativity and sensitivity in raising the initiative to do things,” he says. “This is my principle that I have in my heart and mind whenever I go out for mission.” Daly River, or Nauiyu, is situated 230km south of Darwin and 250km north-west of Katherine. After arriving in Darwin, Fr Daniel learned about life in Daly River, where there are a range of different Aboriginal clans, each with their own identity. “Listening and learning are the ways to start my service in Daly,” he says. “I do my best in order to work with the people in Daly, although indeed it requires different methods of approaching things. “I’ve found that visiting people and speaking with them are the mediums to bring them back to church. I am aware that in Daly River I need more patience. For example, a lot of the people are Catholic but they do not know how to make the sign of the cross. So, we start from the beginning to do the small things of catechesis in this regard. “I’ve also learnt to visit and speak with the people whenever we encounter them, even from the road, because they feel uncomfortable if I want to visit their house. “People come to the presbytery when they need food or a rosary. When they come to the presbytery it is a golden moment to speak with them and invite them to attend Mass.” Fr Daniel says there are many challenges in Daly River, including alcohol and social issues, and inter-clan fighting among the young men and boys. “In these circumstances, I try to speak with the boys, however it remains a challenge because these problems have existed for a long time. One of the consequences of the problem is that it is really hard to get volunteers to work together on things. “It’s also hard to communicate with some leaders from other communities because in some communities they do not have mobile phone signal.” Fr Daniel’s ministry, with assistant priest Fr Rius Salu SVD, not only includes Daly River but also some of the smaller outlying communities, some of which are a four to five hour round trip away. “In the rainy season we cannot visit them because the water blocks the road,” he says. “Some of these challenges we need to face calmly and with a big heart in order to keep the mission sustainable into the future.” While Fr Daniel says he is grateful for all the experiences of his missionary life and feels blessed by his vocation, he hopes he too can be a blessing for others. “I do really hope that everything I have done in mission will be a blessing for the people, the Church, and the SVD,” he says. “May God be glorified now and forever.” Fr Daniel Polla SVD with parishioners in Daly River, NT
Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 8 Society Matters named after him, the Society of the Divine Word,” he said. “Impelled by the love of Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15), St Arnold Janssen, our Founder, dreamt of a missionary movement capable of freeing people from the darkness of sin by the light of the Word and spirit of God’s grace. “Since Christmas day almost 2000 years ago, the Word became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth to proclaim the kingdom of his Father’s love. Today we continue the same mission to bring the Good News to all nations and proclaim his father’s liberating love.” The SVD Jubilee Year will run from September 8, 2024, to the 150th anniversary of Foundation Day on September 8, 2025, and will feature a range of celebrations in the Australia Province, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Myanmar, and around the world. SVD parishes around the Province marked the opening of the 150th Jubilee Year with a similar liturgical ritual, according to their own situation and celebrations have been planned throughout the Province during the anniversary year. Four important webinars are being held, focusing on the four characteristic dimensions of the SVD – Biblical Apostolate, Communication, Mission Animation, and Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. Society of the Divine Word celebrates 150th Jubilee Year The Divine Word Missionaries Australia Province launched the Jubilee Year for the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word in September, the first of many Sesquicentenary events to be held throughout the year. The occasion in Melbourne was a double celebration, also featuring the priestly ordination of Cuong Quoc Dang SVD, who will continue the missionary legacy when he takes up his first assignment to Angola. Bishop Tim Norton SVD presided at the Mass. He was joined by the Australian Provincial Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, other SVD priests and students, diocesan and visiting clergy. The Mass, at St Martin de Porres Parish in Melbourne’s Avondale Heights, featured the presentation of four key symbols for the Jubilee: The Word of God, representing St Arnold’s dedication of his missionary religious congregation to Jesus, the Divine Word; the Globe, highlighting the fact that SVD members come from 76 nationalities and serve in 79 countries; the 150th Anniversary Logo which represents the 150 years of journeying as witnesses to the light of the Divine Word; and the Jubilee Candle, symbolising the Light of Christ. As the Jubilee candle was presented to Fr Rass and lit, emcee Christopher Boss said: “Called by God, we are sent to witness to the Light in the wounded world.” “The lighting of this candle is to remind us of our universal call to witness to Christ, the Light of the World. And especially today, we the SVD of the Australia Province officially open the Jubilee of the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word under the theme, ‘Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere for Everyone’.” After lighting the candle, Fr Rass led the congregation in praying the official 150th Anniversary Jubilee Prayer, before the ordination Mass continued. Later, he addressed the congregation, saying The Society of the Divine Word is the 6th largest missionary order in the Catholic Church, with members working in all continents except Antarctica. “One hundred and forty-nine years ago, on the 8th of September 1975, a ‘child’ was born in Steyl, Netherlands, during the height of European colonialism, and an antiChristian and anti-human totalitarian system in the 20th century. The ‘child’ was dedicated to the Divine Word and www.divineword.org.au A Newsletter of the Divine Word Missionaries Inc - Australia Province Donations to the SVD AUS Province Overseas Aid Fund can be made online at www.divineword.org.au or by mailing to Divine Word Missionary Appeal Office, Locked Bag 3, Epping NSW, 1710, Australia. +61 2 9868 9015 @svdaus Society Matters Globe and 150th anniversary logo are presented at the Jubilee inauguration Mass Thailand - Opening of Jubilee Year and 25th anniversary - logo procession
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