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Pilgrims of Hope, Witnesses of Joy: The Arnoldus Family and the Jubilee of Consecrated Life
GMD
The Arnoldus Family, made up of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), and the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP), beautifully reflects the spirit of this Jubilee. Rooted in the vision of St. Arnold Janssen, these three congregations live out the call to be pilgrims of hope and witnesses of joy through their prayer, mission, and community life. Their spirituality, centered on the indwelling of the Holy Trinity, trust in Divine Providence, and a life of missionary service, mirrors the very heart of the Jubilee’s invitation: to renew hope, to build peace, and to live God’s love in the world today.
1. Living in God’s Presence
The heart of consecrated life is living in the presence of God. St. Arnold Janssen, founder of the missionary family of Steyl, expressed this when he prayed, “May the Holy Triune God live in our hearts and in the hearts of all people.”
He and the co-foundresses, Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk and Mother Josepha Stenmanns, believed that God dwells in every human heart and that His presence gives meaning to even the simplest tasks. To live in this awareness is to walk each day as a pilgrim of hope, allowing God’s light to shine through our words and actions.
In this way, the Jubilee reminds us that consecrated life is not a distant ideal but a living witness that God is near, loving, and present in the ordinary moments of life.
2. Trust and Joy in God’s Will
The founders’ lives teach a deep lesson of trust and joyful surrender. Mother Maria Helena found her joy in prayer and in saying yes to God’s plan even when her path was uncertain. She wrote that “the very thought of our vocation should fill our hearts with joy each time.”
Mother Josepha, known for her simplicity, lived with peaceful confidence in God’s care. Her words, “Let us live from hour to hour and leave the future up to God,” reveal a heart free from worry and full of faith.
Their peaceful trust mirrors the Jubilee’s invitation to live with hope and patience. Consecrated life, like theirs, grows strong when it is rooted in prayer, humility, and a quiet confidence that God’s grace never fails.
3. Mission Born of Prayer
For St. Arnold, prayer and mission were one and the same. Every act of service and every prayer offered with love was part of God’s saving work. He taught that all mission begins with union with God and flows out as love for others.
This same spirit shines in the lives of Mother Maria Helena and Mother Josepha, who served the Church and the poor through a mission shaped by prayer, compassion, and community life. Their example reminds us that consecrated life is not just about what we do, but about who we are: people whose lives themselves are mission.
In a world longing for peace and meaning, this witness of loving service continues to be a powerful message of hope.
A Glimpse into Living the Call Today
The Jubilee of Consecrated Life is a time of gratitude and renewal. It calls all consecrated men and women to remember the example of the founding generation, people who lived deeply in God’s presence, trusted His will with joy, and gave their lives for His mission.
Like Saint Joseph Freinademetz, we are invited to walk as pilgrims of hope, to bring peace through patience, and to live as witnesses of joy. Our lives, rooted in prayer and filled with love, continue to proclaim that hope does not disappoint, because God’s love truly lives in every heart.
To close this reflection and the series “Treasures of the Past, Experiences of the Present”, we present its tenth and final episode, an interview with Fr. Henry Barlage, SVD, who served as Superior General from 1988 to 2000.
In his sharing, Fr. Henry reflects on the joys and challenges of living the consecrated life as a priest, religious missionary, and leader of a congregation. His experience shows how the call to consecrated life remains a living journey of faith, trust, and service, a continuing response to God’s love in today’s world.
