Society
Of The Divine Word

As the first Jesuit pope, Francis brought a unique perspective to the papacy, one that mirrored the Divine Word missionaries’ commitment to humility, service, and dialogue with the marginalized. His life and leadership offer a profound reflection on how faith can bridge divides, a mission he shared with this religious order in ways both subtle and striking.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis was no stranger to the challenges of poverty and cultural diversity. His early years as a priest in Buenos Aires shaped his understanding of faith as a lived experience, not a distant ideal. The Society of the Divine Word, founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, similarly emphasizes living the Word of God among the poor and those on society’s edges. Their missionaries, known as Verbites, work in over 80 countries, often in places where Christianity is a minority voice. Francis’s papacy echoed this ethos, as he consistently called for a Church that goes “to the peripheries,” a phrase that could easily be a Verbite motto.

One of the most compelling connections between Francis and the Divine Word mission was his emphasis on encounter. The Verbites prioritize inculturation, the process of embedding the Gospel within a culture’s unique traditions and values. Francis embodied this in his travels, from the slums of Manila to the war-torn regions of Iraq. His 2015 visit to the Philippines, where Divine Word missionaries have a strong presence, was a testament to this. He did not just preach; he listened, shared meals, and wept with typhoon survivors. This was not performative—it was the Gospel in action, a hallmark of both his papacy and the Verbite approach. His ability to connect with people, regardless of their faith or background, reflected the Divine Word’s belief that God’s message speaks through every human story.

Francis’s commitment to social justice also mirrored the Society’s priorities. The Verbites have long worked with indigenous communities, refugees, and those displaced by economic or environmental crises. Likewise, Francis made headlines for his outspoken advocacy on climate change, migration, and economic inequality. His 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, called for an “integral ecology” that links care for the planet with care for the poor—a perspective that resonates with Divine Word missionaries who serve in regions ravaged by deforestation or conflict. When he washed the feet of refugees or met with prisoners, he was not just making a statement; he was living out the Verbite principle that every person carries divine dignity.

Yet, Francis’s alignment with the Divine Word mission was not without tension. His progressive reforms, like opening discussions on married priests or blessing same-sex unions, sparked criticism from conservative Catholics. The Verbites, too, have faced challenges in balancing tradition with adaptation in their missionary work. Some accused Francis of straying from doctrine, just as Verbites have occasionally been critiqued for their flexible approaches to local customs. But both understood that rigidity can stifle the Gospel’s reach. Francis’s willingness to engage with these tensions—listening to critics while pushing for change—mirrored the Divine Word’s pragmatic yet faithful approach to mission.

His personal simplicity was another point of connection. The Verbites take vows of poverty, living modestly to focus on their work. Francis famously rejected the opulent papal apartments for a modest Vatican guesthouse, drove a Ford Focus, and bought his own orthopedic shoes. These choices weren’t just symbolic; they reflected a deep alignment with the Divine Word’s ethos of being “in the world, but not of it.” His humility disarmed critics and endeared him to millions, much like the unassuming presence of Verbite missionaries in remote villages.

Francis’s interreligious dialogue also paralleled the Divine Word’s mission. The Society has long fostered relationships with non-Christians, recognizing shared values in diverse faiths. Francis’s meetings with Muslim leaders in the United Arab Emirates and his outreach to Buddhists in Mongolia were bold steps in this direction. He famously said, “All religions are paths to God,” a statement that sparked debate but underscored his belief in universal human dignity—a belief central to Verbite work in pluralistic societies.

As we reflect on Francis’s legacy, his connection to the Society of the Divine Word reminds us that faith is not about grand gestures but about presence, listening, and service. His papacy was a living sermon, preached not from a pulpit but in the streets, among the poor, and in dialogue with the world. The Verbites continue this work, carrying the Word to places Francis championed. His death marks not an end but a call to continue the mission of encounter, justice, and humility.

In a world often divided, Pope Francis and the Society of the Divine Word offer a shared vision: that the Word of God is alive, not in abstract theology, but in the messy, beautiful reality of human connection. As we mourn Francis, we also celebrate a life that showed us how to live that Word, one encounter at a time.