SVD
Generalate

As we step into the new year of 2025, we seek God’s abundant blessings to guide us as faithful and creative disciples of the Divine Light. This year, in accordance with Pope Francis’ call to rekindle hope in the Jubilee Year, we also embark on the 150th anniversary of our history, reaffirming our commitment to bring hope to all people. Pope Francis, during his special audience with us last year at the 19th General Chapter, called us to be peacemakers, prophets of hope, and missionaries of Synodality. His message emphasized the importance of embodying hope before offering it and embracing synodality in our communities, ensuring that every member is heard and accepted.

The 19th General Chapter document reiterates our mission to be hope for every culture, highlighting that, as Divine Word Missionaries, we are called to be witnesses of God’s will, transforming vulnerable people into beacons of hope. In a world rife with suffering, we are urged to embody hope, being agents of transformation for others. The Church looks to us with trust and high expectations as we carry forward 150 years of mission, during which we have expanded, founded missions, and become the sixth largest male congregation in the Catholic Church. Our influence and reach have grown, and with it, our responsibility to respond to the signs of the times.

In addressing the challenges and opportunities of the modern world, we recognize that the new generation, known as the Beta generation, will grow up in a world profoundly shaped by artificial intelligence and automation. This generation will live in a digital and real world seamlessly intertwined, and their experiences will differ drastically from those who lived through the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is rapidly evolving, presenting both challenges and opportunities for our religious and missionary life.

The 19th General Chapter has also brought attention to the wounds of the world, including social and cultural injustices, economic inequalities, political turmoil, and environmental crisis. While we empathize with the wounded, we must also confront the reality that we can be agents of harm, and thus, a journey of renewal and conversion is necessary. The pain and wounds within the Church and society call us to work towards healing and transformation, with the Holy Spirit guiding our efforts.

In recent months, the leadership team, tasked with guiding the Society from 2024 to 2030, has discussed how to live out the vision of the 19th General Chapter while responding to the universal Church’s call. A Generalate Planning Session held in January 2025 in Rome involved key members of the Society, including the general council, secretaries, coordinators, and others. The session marked the beginning of our collegial leadership for the upcoming years and was rooted in the biblical inspiration “Your Light Must Shine Before Others” (Mt 5:16). This commitment will accompany us as we fulfill our service to the Society over the next six years.

Our vision for this period is grounded in the belief that, called by the Father, guided by the Holy Spirit, and rooted in the Divine Word, we can become faithful and creative disciples of the Light in a wounded world. To be faithful disciples, we must deepen our Trinitarian and missionary spirituality, embracing the gift and responsibility of our vocation to heal wounds and bring light to the world. As creative disciples, we are called to be innovative, active, and vigilant, seeking new paths and answers to the challenges of the world. Our creativity is a participation in God’s ongoing act of creation, and we are invited to collaborate with God’s transformative work in the world.

A key aspect of our leadership approach for 2024-2030 is the promotion of collegiate and synodal leadership. The 2006 General Chapter emphasized that leadership within our Society involves three essential roles: animation, coordination, and administration. Leaders inspire and challenge us to grow in our vocation, help plan and organize our missionary work, and serve the community, taking care of our resources and properties. Synodality, a path of mutual listening, dialogue, and discernment, is central to this approach. It enables the Church to be more participatory, missionary, and responsive to the needs of all people, radiating the light of Christ.

The Synod on Synodality calls us to renewal and commitment in our relationships and leadership. It addresses themes of communion, participation, and mission, and it offers a model for leadership that we are called to embrace. As a congregation, our collegial leadership and governance structure align with the Church’s vision, and we are encouraged to draw from the Church’s experiences to enhance our mission.

As we continue our journey, we pray that Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, will guide us in becoming truly faithful and creative disciples. May He help us bring light and hope into the wounded world, as we respond to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Fr. General Anselmo Ribeiro, SVD
and the Leadership Team