Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tai Pei (Agenzia Fides) – Three Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) took their vows on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, as part of celebrations marking 135 years since the founding of the congregation. One made his first vows and the other two renewed their temporal vows. "Continue to follow the will of God," was the exhortation of Father Frank Budenholzer, SVD Chinese Provincial Superior, to all the members of the Divine Word spiritual family who attended the Holy Mass celebrated on September 8, which included the ritual of taking vows. According to the Catholic Weekly, a weekly newsletter of the Archdiocese of Tai Pei, the SVDs that work on the island of Taiwan gathered in the Diocese of Chia Yi, headquarters of the SVD provincial administration, where they shared a day of family gathering and participated in the religious profession of the congregation's "stars of tomorrow."
The Societas Verbi Divini, SVD, founded by St. Arnold Janssen (1837-1909) 135 years ago, works on the island of Taiwan with two priority commitments: the pastoral zone of A Li Shan (Mount A Li) and higher education, for example the Fu Ren Catholic University. Furthermore, the SVD also deal with the apostolate of parish ministry, prison, and migrants. Today, the SVDs of Taiwan, present in the Archdiocese of Tai Pei and in the Dioceses of Chia Yi and Kaohsiung, come from 15 countries worldwide. They are also a congregation with many young, local vocations. “ONE WORLD Community Services Center” is one of the main instruments the SVDs use in carrying out their pastoral service to Taiwanese society. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 09/23/2010)
