The Provincial Chapter was a positive, hopeful time of deliberation on the future priorities of the SVD Australia Province, with a focus on personal and communal renewal for mission, says Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD.

The outcomes included a reaffirmation of the priority given to ministry in indigenous communities, as well as a renewed commitment to multicultural parish ministry and interfaith dialogue.

Recently we marked the one year anniversary of my presence in the Archdiocese of Brisbane as an auxiliary bishop – a good time to reflect on the year that was, writes Bishop Tim Norton SVD.

Over that time I’ve come to know a lot more about life and ministry here as I have taken up opportunities to visit some of our parishes, schools and communities. Time has gone quickly, however there are many memorable moments that I savour.

We are about to head into Holy Week, which culminates in the Paschal Triduum, those holy days where we enter into the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Christians are a resurrection people, but all of us in our life can expect to walk the road of Calvary in some way on our road to Easter joy.

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD and Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC, both members of the Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) Council and leaders of religious congregations in ministry with indigenous communities, have outlined their support for the Voice to Parliament.

CRA has long been a vocal supporter of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and an advocate for a constitutionally protected voice, truth-telling and treaty and last year made a submission to the Indigenous Voice Co-Design Process calling for enshrinement of the Voice in the Australian Constitution through a referendum.

The official visitators to the SVD Australia Province have given positive and constructive feedback on the ministries being undertaken across the Province, while also encouraging confreres to continually return to their foundation of Trinitarian spirituality.

Fr Jose Antunes da Silva SVD, who is Vice Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word and was previously the provincial superior of Portugal was one of the visitators appointed by the General Council. He was joined by Fr Yosef Masan Toron SVD, who is currently serving as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Biblical Institute.

Religious are uniquely placed to lead the way on Pope Francis’ path of synodality, because they are already living a synodal life within their religious communities, Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv told the SVD Provincial Chapter.

Bishop Vincent was the keynote speaker at the Chapter, and he said that despite religious life being “fundamentally at a critical point in our country” due to many ageing Congregations, there was still scope for Religious to have a prophetic voice leading into the future.

Last year I had finished a school Mass and after these Masses I always stand at the Church entrance and say goodbye to the pupils as they leave the Church, reflects Fr Clement Baffoe SVD. On this particular day, a prep student who was with his mother asked me an important question. The little boy looked at my face when leaving the Church and asked: “Are you Jesus?” I hastily replied: No! But Jesus is my friend. Both the mother and I had a laugh and they left.

The boy's question left me with many questions than answers. What has the little boy heard about Jesus? What did he see in me to then ask if I was Jesus? Is the boy searching for Jesus? And perhaps for the boy, who is this Jesus he’s been told about?

Divine Word Missionaries who attended the recent Oceania Bishops’ Assembly in Fiji have described it as a hopeful, joyful experience of collegiality and synodality, where bishops listened to the cry of the earth and oceans along with the hopes and desires of Catholics across the region for the future of the Church.

Six SVD members attended the meeting – five bishops from Australia and Papua New Guinea and one priest, the AUS Province Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, who helped facilitate the gathering.

Faith communities in Alice Springs are working together with local elders to respond in practical and spiritual ways to the growing youth street crime crisis in the Central Australian city.

Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Fr Prakash Menezes SVD, says the first step in responding to the situation is to understand the deep-seated social issues at play.

The SVD Australia Province is hosting two General Visitators over the next month, who will make their way around the various districts in Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand to spend time getting to know the confreres and observing our ministries in action.

Fr Yosef Masan Toron SVD, who is currently serving as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Biblical Institute, is one of the Visitators appointed by the SVD Generalate in Rome. He is joined by Fr Jose Antunes da Silva SVD, who is Vice Superior General and was the provincial superior of Portugal.