- svd-generalate
- / Celebration / SVD@150
- / Fr. Xavier Thirukudumbam / Vice Superior General
Jubilant Kloosterdorp-Steyl Celebrates Pentecost in Style
Fr. Xavier Thirukudumbam, SVD
Vice General
The two-day jubilant celebration in Kloosterdorp was monumental in the sense of the prodigious preparation and participation of the local people, the parishioners of Tegelen, the GER province and the community of St. Michael’s Mission House. The extensive celebration consisted of creatively promoting mission awareness, of sharing one’s personal understanding and experience of the mission, and of reliving the intercultural and multilingual experience of the first Christian community of the first Pentecost.
What stood out explicitly is the impressive sense of belonging and commitment that the people of Steyl exhibited in celebrating the 150 Years of Steyler Mission. In an increasingly secularized context of the Netherlands, it is amazing to see every house in Kloosterdorp adorned with huge flags with the logo “150 Kloosterdorp Steyl”, proudly proclaiming the modest village’s mighty missionary accomplishments. The enormous, elated and illuminated Cross over the water tank is a towering symbol of their “light shining before others”.
The inclement weather did not dampen their spirit and quality of preparation and participation. Be it in cleaning the surroundings, or in decorating the roads, or in extending hospitality to the guests, or in participating in the solemn liturgical celebration, the enthusiastic involvement of the entire village, efficiently organized into groups and committees, working unitedly, day and night, in wind and rain, was awe inspiring.
As I was delighted to see the zealous participation of the community of St. Michael’s Mission House and our mission collaborators, I felt that my words of gratitude to Kloosterdorp-Steyl were insufficient in expressing the eternal indebtedness of the Society of the Divine Word. Their total participation in the Solemnity of the Pentecost gave me a powerful message that they share St. Arnold Janssen’s conviction that the Holy Spirit is the guiding force of the Steyler Mission from its humble beginnings in Kloosterdorp to creating a phenomenal transformative impact in the entire world.
The occasion of the twin celebrations of the Pentecost and 150 Years of Steyler Mission renders itself to acknowledge the wonderous ways in which the Triune God lead the SVD congregation in times of trials and triumphs. A soul-searching and thought-provoking question, “What is My Mission?” in the broader context of the Missio Dei, provided a conceptual platform for storytelling, particularly for our accomplished veteran missionaries of the community of St. Michael’s Mission House who shared their experiences and insights through multimedia exhibits and video interviews.
The most fascinating aspect of this platform is the participation of the school children, who confidently and individually responded to the same question, “What is My Mission?” It was an innovative way of involving school children and creating mission awareness among them with a futuristic perspective. Listening to their sharing was a learning experience for me and an evident sign of hope. Thanks to Dr. Krien Clevis, Br. Roland Scheid SVD and their team which creatively conceptualized this project and executed it excellently.
Participation in the celebration was truly a Pentecostal experience for me. Since I was asked to preach at the solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the GER provincial superior Fr. Peter Claver Kwame SVD, and concelebrated by the several priests, including the Tegelen parish priest Fr. Anu Antony, I wanted someone among them to interpret my English homily into German. I was dissuaded by a prominent organizer of the celebration saying, “80% of the people here understand English, and the other 20% will ‘hear’ you in their own tongues!”
The Eucharistic community of that day, numbering over 700, resembled indeed the first Pentecostal community. It was intercultural and multilingual. The celebration was a fine blend of several languages and cultures of East and West that included singing, praying, reading, preaching, offering, dancing, eating, drinking, greeting, etc. The atmosphere was charged with jubilation, fellowship, gratitude and missionary zeal. I returned better-informed by the Steyler mission tradition, enriched by the Pentecostal experience, inspired by the participation of the people and equipped with optimism and hope. Thanks to Br. Reiner Theisen SVD and the community of Kloosterdorp-Steyl for making a place for the SVD Generalate representation in the splendid celebration.
