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SVD in Rome Concludes Its 150th Jubilee Year-Long Celebration with Solemn Eucharist and Community Dinner
GMD
The Eucharistic Celebration
The liturgy, held at 5:00 p.m., was presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Concelebrating with him were Monsignor Renato Tarantelli, Vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome and Auxiliary Bishop for the Southern Sector; Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD; Superior General Father Anselmo Ribeiro, SVD; former Superiors General Father Antonio Pernia, SVD, and Father Henry Barlage, SVD; together with numerous SVD priests and clergy friends.
At the beginning of the Mass, Father Ribeiro welcomed all participants and reflected on the meaning of the jubilee. He recalled how Saint Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Society, entrusted the mission entirely to God, confident that any fruitfulness would come only through divine grace. He emphasized that the jubilee year, inaugurated in Steyl in 2024, was not a celebration of human achievements but of God’s work through the missionaries, whose past and future belong wholly to the Missio Dei.
A moving moment during the liturgy was the penitential rite, led by the three former Superiors General—Father Pernia, Father Barlage, and Archbishop Kleden—who invited the congregation to seek God’s mercy in humility and hope.
In his homily, Cardinal Fernández Artime led the assembly in reflection on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, celebrated on this day. He reminded the faithful that Mary’s birth was a sign of new hope for the world, as she became the vessel through which Christ, the Word made flesh, entered history. This story, he said, inspired Saint Arnold Janssen, who trusted in God’s providence when he founded the Society in 1875 on this very feast. Just as Mary’s humble “yes” opened the way for salvation, the Cardinal urged the Verbites to continue offering their own “yes” to mission, carrying Christ’s light into today’s wounded world.
With gratitude, Father Ribeiro invited the congregation to give thanks to the Triune God and to renew their missionary consecration in service to the Church. He expressed special appreciation to Cardinal Fernández Artime and Monsignor Tarantelli, as well as to ambassadors, religious superiors, missionaries, parishioners, collaborators, and friends, noting that their presence deepened the joy of the solemn thanksgiving.
The Community Dinner
The celebration continued with a community dinner on the grounds of the Collegio del Verbo Divino in Rome, hosted by Father Max Wullar, SVD Secretary General. Sister Oonah O’Shia, President of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), delivered a congratulatory message. Guests enjoyed cultural dances from Myanmar and Indonesia, a performance by the Jubilee Choir of the Portugal Province, and the fraternal sharing of stories and meals around the table.
One highlight of the evening was the release of the Mission Conference Book, presented by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, to Father Antonio Pernia, SVD, and Father Mario Zanotti, Executive Secretary of the Union of Superiors General (USG).
In his jubilee message, Cardinal Tagle offered both gratitude and challenge to the missionaries. He emphasized that while the SVDs have given much to the poor, they have in fact received even more from the poor, whose faith, resilience, and generosity have enriched the life and mission of the congregation. He encouraged the SVDs to continue their service with humility and openness, always recognizing Christ present in the marginalized and vulnerable.
Renewed Missionary Spirit
The conclusion of the jubilee year was marked not only by solemn thanksgiving but also by a renewed sense of commitment to the missionary call. Both the Eucharist and the community celebration reflected the SVD’s enduring charism: to bring the light of Christ to places where the Gospel has not yet been fully proclaimed.
As the Society of the Divine Word looks beyond its 150 years, the missionaries carry forward their founder’s vision, confident that the mission remains God’s work, and that their role is to serve faithfully wherever the Spirit sends them.
