Gratitude and Appreciation for 150 Years of Collaboration and Support
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.
Message from Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD, of the Archdiocese of Ende, Indonesia, and former Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word, on the occasion of its 150th anniversary
I join you and all the confreres in raising up our hearts to praise the goodness of the Lord who has inspired and guided Saint Arnold, our Founder, to start our Congregation 150 years ago. Filled with gratitude we look back on what that small beginning in Steyl has brought until now: a missionary congregation with thousands of members, partners ready to share the mission, services rendered to so many people in many countries, …
A message from Fr. Heinz Kulüke, former Superior General, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word
Watching the various celebrations for the SVD’s 150th Jubilee unfold across all continents has filled me with deep gratitude. The cultural diversity and richness of these events are genuinely moving. My gratitude goes out to the Triune God, as well as to our confreres, sisters, lay partners, members of other congregations, dioceses, Vatican Dicasteries, collaborators, and benefactors throughout these 150 years. We should also give special thanks to our own families, who prepared us for this mission and allowed their sons to dedicate their lives to God.
Father General Anselmo Ribeiro Visits Poland
Fr. Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro SVD visited Poland again, but this time his trip held particular importance. It was his first visit as Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). The centerpiece of the journey was the July 13 reopening of the Missionary and Ethnographic Museum in Pieniężno, restored after several years of extensive renovation. The event stood out as a key highlight in the Polish Province’s celebrations of the congregation’s 150th anniversary.
Born of Water and the Spirit: Pentecost at the St. Gabriel Mission House
It was with the community of St. Gabriel in Austria that I celebrated Pentecost during the SVD Jubilee Year.This year, the main church of the Mission House also marked 125 years since its consecration by Bishop John Baptist Anzer. In this context, I had the opportunity to take part in the community retreat held before the liturgical solemnity of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
United by the Spirit: Diversity that Enriches, Interculturality that Transforms
The Pentecost Homily delivered by Fr. Anselmo R. Ribeiro, Superior General of the SVD, at Missionshaus St Gabriel, Austria.
The Holy Spirit does not erase our differences but speaks through them. On this Pentecost, we celebrate a Church born not in uniformity, but in diversity. Interculturality is not a challenge to overcome—it is a gift that enriches and transforms. United by the Spirit, we are sent as one.
Witnesses of Hope: A Conversation with the Superior General on the 103rd USG Assembly
In this reflection, Father Superior General shares his insights and experiences from the 103rd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General (USG), held from May 21 to 23, 2025, under the theme “Witnesses of Hope.” He explores how the call to be witnesses, not just pilgrims, of hope resonates deeply with the mission of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), especially in the context of a new pontificate and the Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Francis.
Witnesses of Hope: Superiors General Reflect on Interculturality at 103rd USG Assembly
From May 22 to 24, 2025, the 103rd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General (USG) took place at Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, near Rome. The central theme of the gathering was “Witnesses of Hope”. The assembly brought together Superiors General from around the world for a time of prayer, reflection, and fraternal exchange on how consecrated life can be a credible sign of hope in today’s world.
A Story for Us This Easter
Let me share a story—one we all know well, but one that continues to unfold in new ways among us. It’s the morning of that unforgettable day. Mary of Magdala, full of sorrow but moved by something stronger than grief, walks in the darkness toward the tomb. She doesn’t fully know why she’s going. Perhaps she simply wants to be near the one who changed her life forever.
Chad: A Young Church and Fertile Ground for Evangelization
My expectations for visiting Chad were shaped by curiosity about our mission in this vast, desert-like country—or at least that’s how it appears on Google Maps. Over the past six years, I’ve heard that Chad is undoubtedly our most challenging mission, due to the climate conditions and lack of infrastructure.
