SVD

April 23, 2025, was a big day for the members of the Society of Divine Word (SVD) in Myanmar as they celebrated the inauguration of Annunciation of the Lord Church, aka Bawle Kyun parish, in Htantabin Township.

The annual Lenten Retreat for the Chotanagpur Youth Group in Goa, organized by Arnold Seva Kendra (ASK, Goa) in collaboration with the Chotanagpur Youth Group, was held at the SVD Seminary in Raia, Goa, on April 1.

The third day of the SVD General Plenum, March 29, spotlighted the evolving understanding of Missio Dei as a journey rooted in dialogue, intercultural relationships, and synodal engagement.

The second day, March 28, of the Missio Dei: Healing Wounds conference brought together theologians, missionaries, and Church leaders from around the world to reflect on the urgent need for a renewed missionary approach in an increasingly postmodern and post-truth society.

The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) officially opened its three-day International Conference on Mission at the Matteo Ricci Conference Center of the Pontifical Gregorian University, drawing over 250 participants from across the globe.

Under the embrace of the Roman sky and in the symbolic heart of global Catholicism, a moving moment unfolded at St. Peter’s Square.

The India Central Province (INC) of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) marked its Golden Jubilee as a province (1975-2025) with a grand celebration at Seva Sadan, the provincial headquarters on February 27.

As the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) marks 150 years of its existence, it reaffirms its commitment to environmental conservation by rallying religious congregations and local communities to take a stand against ecological destruction.

Philippines retired bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD (Society of the Divine Word), Bishop Emeritus of Sorsogon and of Romblon, 80, passed away at around 6:30 a.m. on World Mission Sunday, Oct. 20, at the house of his brother in Cainta in Rizal, confirmed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) confirmed in a Facebook post.

The SAMMAN unit of Janvikas Society, Indore, successfully hosted a three-day National Children’s Parliament Conference in Bhopal from October 1st to 3rd, 2024. The event had the participation of 78 children from seven different states, who gathered to learn, collaborate, and strengthen their Children’s Parliament groups.

After long years of service with the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Brother Valentin Gruener passed away on September 14 at a hospital in Abra, a province more than 400 kilometers south of Manila.

Fr. Gregorio Buenavista has passed away after a fruitful religious life at the age of 90.

On August 22, the Archdiocese of Ende, Flores, Indonesia, celebrated the consecration and installation of Msgr. Paulus Budi Kleden as its new archbishop. 

Father Raymond Hober, SVD, 92, passed away on August 3, 2024, at 6:45 p.m. at the Techny Residence, as announced on social media by the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) or the Divine Word Missionaries.

The Papua New Guineans were headhunters who practiced cannibalism for many years before the island's Christianization in the 19th century.

The Society of the Divide Word (SVD) capitulars has elected Fr. Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro to the office of the congregation's Superior General at their 19th General Chapter in Nemi.

Pope Francis invited members of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) to become peacemakers and the hope for every culture.

The theme of the Chapter: “Your Light Must Shine Before Others: Creative and Faithful Disciples in a Wounded World.”

The official theme is “Witnessing to the Light from everywhere for everyone.”

Father Takeya Motoi, SVD, worked for the Home for the Homeless in Nagoya City, Japan. He was the founder of ‘Sasashima Kyosei Kai’ (Sasashima’s Solidarity Organization) for and with the homeless in Nagoya City, Japan.