Society
Of The Divine Word

The Bible Sunday fell on January 26 – the 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – and was celebrated as such at the Arnold Janssen Parish at Laramanaye, St Francis of Assis parish at Boro (both in the diocese of Goré), Sts Peter and Paul parish in Moundou as well as the St John Bosco parish at Maïbo (Sarh). Similar celebrations were repeated on February 2^nd and 9^th, in four other outstations of these same parishes – the said-outstations comprise large communities of faithful, numbering anything around 200 to 400 people, without counting the children! 

In preparation for the celebration, five chapters from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 6 – 10) were chosen for study, highlighting key moments in Jesus’ ministry, miracles, and teachings. This deep reflection prepared parishioners for the interactive Bible quiz during Mass.

The quiz questions and study materials were distributed in advance to all the other 16 diocesan parishes within the Moundou diocese, too, encouraging local clergy to actively engage in Bible Sunday celebrations. Encouragingly, reports indicate that many local parishes also embraced the celebration, reflecting a growing devotion to the Word of God in Chad. The event was marked by a solemn Bible procession and enthronement, special liturgical prayers, a Bible quiz with prize distribution, beautifully composed hymns performed by the choir, and the blessing of personal Bibles brought by parishioners—all of which made the celebration deeply meaningful and memorable.

The Bible Sunday celebration in Chad was a testament to the growing love for Scripture in the SVD-run parishes. Through prayer, study, and community engagement, parishioners were reminded of the transformative power of God’s Word. Looking ahead, the SVD Mission in Chad aims to deepen biblical formation and encourage ongoing Scripture engagement among the faithful, thanks to several activities throughout the year under the Biblical Pastoral Ministry (BPM) umbrella.

Joseph Kallanchira, SVD