Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on 14 April 2007, appointed National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Hungary for a five year term (2007-2012), Rev. Benvin Sebastian Madassery, of the Missionaries of the Divine Word (SVD).
The new National Director was born in Kottamam, Kerala, India, on 12 March 1974 to devout Catholic parents. He attended local Catholic schools in Kottamam. In 1992 he entered the Society of the Missionaries of the Divine Word and started his formation at St. John’s mission seminary in Changanacherry. Later he studied at St. Philomena’s College in Mysore. In June 1997 he began his novitiate at a Indore, Khurda, Madhypredesh. He was ordained a priest on 7 May 2003 in his home parish. On 9 October 2003 he reached his mission in Hungary. After taking a course in the local language he served for 18 months as chaplain in a parish in the suburbs of Budapest. Since 1 January 2006 he has been in charge of Bible Apostolate in the Hungarian Province of the Divine Word Missionaries and a member of the provincial team for missionary animation. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 11/6/2007 - righe 14, parole 187)
