First Divine Word Brother elected Provincial Superior in Ecuador

Roberto Duarte has been named provincial superior of the Province of Ecuador by the Society of Divine Word, also known as SVD (Societas Verbi Divini).

He will be the first SVD religious brother to hold this post in the history of the congregation.

The SVD general office in Rome announced his appointment on December 9. 

A native of Argentina, Brother Duarte has worked in Ecuador for almost 30 years. Since professing vows 35 years ago, he has served as the PANAM Zone [South and North America] Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) coordinator. 

Brother Duarte was a formator before he became the first person in charge of the brothers' education and formation for the Society of the Divine Word.

Earlier, Pope Francis altered a portion of the Canon Law to allow laypeople to lead religious orders with clergy members (RVA News, May 25).

He officially changed the second paragraph of Canon 588 of the Code of Canon Law, which says that only priests who have been ordained can run clerical institutes.

Because of the canonical reform, lay religious superiors can now give priests and deacons in their care sacramental powers and take them away.

Saint Arnold Janssen founded the congregation of divine word missionaries in Steyl, Netherlands, in 1875. Since then, its priests and brothers, who numbered 5977 in 2022, have served in over 80 countries.

The congregation has been in Ecuador for more than 60 years, served by 40 missionaries. They focus their work on helping the poor and work with other organizations that do the same.

The divine word priests and the brothers have done many kinds of missionary work, including pastoral work in parishes, pastoral work with native and Afro-American people, and pastoral work with migrants.

Their missionary work has been done in four main ways: biblical apostolate, mission animation, communication, justice, peace, and integrity of creation (JPIC).-Kasmir Nema