Society
Of The Divine Word

For many of the lay associates—and even some of the confreres—this was their first-ever visit to Steyl. In addition to Steyl, the pilgrims visited other places associated with the life of our founder, such as Goch and Kevelaer. They also stopped at the flower gardens of Keukenhof and visited the cities of Amsterdam and Cologne.

Alongside sightseeing and regular prayer, the pilgrimage included daily celebrations of the Holy Mass. On Wednesday, May 7—the day the conclave began in the Sixtine Chapel—the Eucharist was celebrated at the tomb of Arnold Janssen, and prayers were offered for the election of the new Pope. The following day, Thursday, May 8, while stopping in Cologne, the pilgrims were overjoyed to learn that a new successor to St. Peter had been elected. One of the pilgrims remarked:

“Our prayer has borne fruit, and our pilgrimage was a success, as we now have a new Pope. When we return home, we can say that we bring not only beautiful experiences, memories, and souvenirs from the pilgrimage, but also the Holy Father. He is a gift from St. Arnold to us.”

The pilgrims were also pleased with the name chosen by the new pastor of the Church: Leo XIV. By choosing this name, he sought to follow the example of Pope Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903 and personally met our Founder on several occasions. Arnold’s biographer, Fr. Bornemann, writes that in 1888 Arnold wanted to name his house in Rome Leoninum in honor of Pope Leo, but the Roman Curia opposed the idea, perhaps because it was only a small house. Instead, he named it after the Archangel Raphael.

Pope Leo XIII is also well known for his 1891 social encyclical Rerum Novarum, in which he advocated for workers’ rights and fair wages, earning him the title “Pope of the Workers.” Less known is his 1893 encyclical Providentissimus Deus, in which he emphasized the importance of Sacred Scripture in theological studies.

For us SVDs, Pope Leo XIII’s decision regarding the name of our missionary congregation is also of great significance. Cardinal Satolli objected to Arnold’s proposed name—Society of the Divine Word—suggesting it be changed to Society of the Adorers of the Divine Word. However, the theological commission ultimately resolved the matter with the conclusion “Stet titulus ut stat”—let the name remain as it is—a decision confirmed by Pope Leo XIII. Thanks to him, we were able to remain Socii Verbi Divini—companions of the Incarnate Word—and not merely His adorers.

The pilgrimage fulfilled its purpose. Though the pilgrims returned home a bit weary after two sleepless nights on the bus, they were spiritually enriched by the program and uplifted by the atmosphere of communion they experienced during these few days. The words of Br. Reiner, the Rector of Steyl, in his farewell wish were also fulfilled: “I wish you such a profound experience in this place that you will leave it with the desire to come back again.”

As this pilgrimage will be forever linked in our hearts with the election of the new Holy Father, we hope that, just as our founder St. Arnold was inspired by Pope Leo XIII, his successor, Leo XIV, will also inspire us on our journey of consecration and missionary commitment.