- svd-generalate
- / Leadership /
- June 24, 2026
New PRM Superiors Reflect on the Foundations of SVD Leadership
Generalate Media Department
The first two days of the workshop focused on the foundations of SVD leadership. Through four presentations and accompanying discussions, participants explored leadership as a ministry rooted in mission, spirituality, service, collegiality, and communal discernment.
The workshop opened with a presentation by Superior General Fr. Anselmo Ribeiro, SVD, who reflected on the foundations of leadership in the Society of the Divine Word. Drawing on the teachings of the XVI General Chapter and the SVD Constitutions, he emphasized that leadership in the Society is not simply a matter of authority or administration, but a shared responsibility exercised through animation, coordination, and administration in service of the mission.
Fr. Anselmo reminded the provincials that every form of leadership in the SVD must be grounded in the Missio Dei. Mission does not belong to us; rather, we are entrusted with participating in God’s mission through the charism received from Saint Arnold Janssen. Consequently, leadership must foster co-responsibility, communal discernment, attentive listening, and synodality. He encouraged the new superiors to see themselves not as isolated decision-makers but as servants who accompany their confreres in following Christ and living the missionary vocation faithfully. Leadership, he noted, becomes fruitful when authority is exercised as service and when leaders cultivate trust, participation, and communion within their communities.
The second presentation, facilitated by Sr. Anna Damas, SSpS, and Fr. Dennis Manzana, SVD, of the Arnold Janssen Spirituality Network, invited PRM leaders to explore leadership through the lens of Arnold Janssen’s spirituality. Using examples from the lives of Saint Arnold Janssen, Saint Joseph Freinademetz, Bishop Johann Baptist von Anzer, Blessed Helena Stollenwerk, and Blessed Hendrina Stenmanns, the Sr. Anna and Fr. Dennis highlighted the importance of seeking and discerning the
The session emphasized that effective leadership requires intellectual humility, openness to learning, and confidence in God’s providence. Participants reflected on the dynamic relationship between spirituality and leadership, recognizing that authentic leadership begins not with strategic planning but with a discerning heart attentive to the movements of the Holy Spirit. Through dialogue and practical exercises, the presenters underscored the importance of communication, teamwork, and collaborative decision-making as essential elements of leadership rooted in the spiritual heritage of Saint Arnold Janssen.
On the second day, Fr. Wojciech Szypuła, SVD, General Coordinator for the Biblical Apostolate, presented a biblical vision of leadership under the theme “Leader as Servant.” Drawing from the lives of Moses, Esther, Huldah, Saint Paul, and above all Jesus Christ, he illustrated how God repeatedly calls imperfect and ordinary people to become instruments of extraordinary service.
Fr. Szypuła emphasized that leadership in the Christian tradition is fundamentally servant leadership. Rather than seeking status or privilege, leaders are called to empower others, foster communion, and place their gifts at the service of the community and mission. Reflecting on the example of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve,” participants were invited to embrace humility, courage, and compassion as essential qualities of missionary leadership. The biblical narratives presented throughout the session highlighted how authentic authority emerges through service, fidelity, and trust in God.
The final presentation of the two-day formation was offered by Fr. Hugo Calis, SVD, under the theme “Faithful and Creative Servant-Leaders of the Word: Collegial Leadership and the Directives of the XIX General Chapter.” Reflecting on the Society’s most recent General Chapter and the Church’s call to synodality, he emphasized that leadership must be exercised within a framework of communion, shared responsibility, and collaborative discernment.
Grounding his reflections in the image of the Holy Trinity as a communion of persons united in mission, Fr. Calis presented collegial leadership as a concrete expression of the Society’s commitment to synodality. He highlighted the importance of listening, dialogue, interculturality, accountability, and transparency in governance. At the same time, he reminded participants that leadership today must respond to the wounds and challenges of both the Church and society, including issues of safeguarding, abuse of authority, financial accountability, intercultural tensions, and ecological responsibility. The XIX General Chapter, he noted, calls SVD leaders to become faithful and creative disciples capable of guiding communities through discernment while remaining attentive to the signs of the times.
Across all four presentations, a common vision emerged. Leadership in the Society of the Divine Word is not primarily about managing structures or exercising authority. Rather, it is a spiritual and missionary service rooted in the Gospel, nourished by prayer, guided by discernment, and exercised in communion with others. The SVD leader is called to animate, coordinate, accompany, and serve, helping communities remain faithful to Christ and responsive to the demands of mission in a rapidly changing world.
As the workshop continues in the coming days, participants will deepen their reflection on additional dimensions of leadership and governance. The foundation established during these first sessions has already made clear that effective SVD leadership begins not with power, but with listening; not with control, but with service; and not with individual achievement, but with a shared commitment to the Missio Dei and the missionary charism entrusted to the Society by Saint Arnold Janssen.
will of God amid changing circumstances and missionary challenges.
