Society
Of The Divine Word

The celebration was presided over by the Provincial of PNG Province, Fr. José Orathinkal, who received their vows. Among other confreres from PNG, with us was also present Fr D. Miranda from PHC Province who was on his way back from a meeting at DWU in Wewak campus. In his homily, Fr Provincial reflected on St. John’s Prologue and noted that lifelong dedication to God and to the service of the people may seem sheer madness to many people today. The world can laugh at consecrated persons and see their religious life as a waste of many opportunities. Yet, through the deep relationship with Christ, we find the strength and motivation to go against the current and dedicate ourselves to the greater cause. Fr José greeted and thanked the families for the offer of their sons to the Church. 

The celebration brought together many priests and religious from the communities around Bomana. About 200 faithful attended the event, especially from the parishes of Erima and Hanuabada with the outstations of Baruni and Bogi who are cared for by our SVD confreres. The Momase group was dressed in traditional clothing and performed colorful dances during the liturgy. Through the presence and commitment of our lay collaborators in the preparation and celebration of the event, they have shown once again their closeness to the SVDs and that they feel happy being connected to our Society. There was also a numerous participation of the seminarians from the Holy Spirit Seminary; some of them had the chance to witness the profession of the vows first time in their life. 

The newly professed come from the areas where the SVDs were the first to start evangelization at the end of the nineteenth century: Frt. Philemon is from the Madang area and Frt. Brian from the Sepik Region. Instead, Frt. Rafael hails from Bougainville Island. After the Mass they expressed their gratitude and happiness of being members of the Divine Word Missionaries.