Pope Francis on June 22, 2018, encouraged the Society of the Divine Word (SVD to renew their trust in Divine Providence and proclaim the word of God without fear.
His comments came to members of the order – commonly known as Services – participating in their General Chapter, with the theme “The Love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14). The event was reported in Vatican News.
The Pope said their theme has a “clear Pauline and missionary flavor” and urged the Verbites to return to their roots and origins as envisioned by their founder Saint Arnold Janssen. He encouraged them to trust in Divine Providence, to proclaim the Word of God and to be a community of brothers.
The Holy Father reminded the participants that proclaiming the Word of God to all people, in every time, place and culture, using every possible means, is their charism. Besides being a legacy it is also a challenge that awaits them today, especially in their mission to those who don’t know Christ as yet as envisioned by their founder.
He told the Verbites that going back to their origins is not an abstract spirituality but are roots that give life, for which they must be cared for and loved. And he said they should do this as a community of brothers united in their mission.
“The world, like the Church,” he said, “needs to feel this fraternal love despite its diversity and interculturality,” where “everyone is at the service of others and no one more than the other.”
