The Society of the Divine Word, abbreviated Societas Verbi Divini from it’s Latin form is one of the largest religious Catholic congregations consisting of Priests, Brothers and two congregations of Religious Sisters (SsPS and SsPAS) who serve as missionaries in almost 79 countries.
It was founded by St. Arnold Janssen on 8th September, 1875. Presently, the SVD congregation has 49 Bishops, 3997 Priests, 457 Brothers, 133 Deacons, 864 Fraters and 255 Novices. 76 nationalities which make up the SVD Society speaks volumes of the global impact the spirituality of their Founder, St. Arnold Janssen has had upon those who enter their mission to serve God.
With complete surrender to the guidance of the Trinitarian God, we aim to be harbingers of the mission statement of Jesus as mentioned in 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚’𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡 4:18 “
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. “
This mission is being carried out by praise and worship, prayer, preaching, teaching, counselling, healing, deliverance, family animation and out reach programs in religious houses and educational institutions.
With complete surrender to the guidance of the Trinitarian God, we aim to be harbingers of the mission statement of Jesus as mentioned in 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚’𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡 4:18 “
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. “ This mission is being carried out by worship, prayer, preaching, teaching, counselling, healing, deliverance and family animation.
At DWRC, we welcome everyone to experience God’s love and grow in faith. Join us in worship, community support, and service as we walk this spiritual journey together.
Superior General
Fr. Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro, has been elected Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) capitulars, gathered at the 19th General Chapter in Nemi, Italy, have elected the new Superior General, Fr. Ribeiro, Anselmo Ricardo, who becomes the 13th Superior General of the congregation.
Fr. Ribeiro joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1998. He made his first vows in 1999 and his perpetual vows in 2004. He was ordained priest in 2005. He has served successively as Provincial Councillor in the Province of Brazil North, Rector of Juiz de Fora Residence in Brazil, Provincial Superior of the Province of Brazil North, member of the Executive Committee of the PANAM Zone and currently as General Councillor in Rome. He is elected for the next six years.
Arnold Janssen was born on November 5, 1837, in Goch, Germany, the second of ten children. His parents instilled in him a strong devotion to religion.
With support from bishops, Arnold founded the Divine Word Missionaries in Steyl, Holland, in 1875. The first two missionaries went to China in 1879.
Ordained as a priest on August 15, 1861, he taught natural sciences and mathematics in Bocholt. He was a strict but fair teacher.
He established a printing press to support missionary work, with thousands of volunteers helping to distribute magazines and raise awareness for missions.
Deeply devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he became the Diocesan Director for the Apostleship of Prayer, promoting ecumenism and the church’s universal mission.
In 1889, Arnold founded the Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) for women to serve as religious sisters in missionary outreach. The first group went to Argentina in 1895.
In 1873, Arnold resigned from teaching and founded The Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart, a monthly magazine that encouraged German-speaking Catholics to support missionary work.
In 1896, Arnold established a cloistered branch of the order, dedicated to perpetual adoration and prayer for the church and missionaries.
During the Kulturkampf (anti-Catholic movement in Germany), Arnold proposed sending expelled priests to foreign missions. Despite doubts, he felt called to start this mission work.
Arnold Janssen died on January 15, 1909. His work has flourished, with over 6,000 Divine Word Missionaries, 3,800 Servants of the Holy Spirit, and more than 400 members of the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration serving in many countries.
Born on April 15, 1852, in Oies, Italy, Joseph came from a family with a strong, simple faith. He was baptized on the day he was born.
He embraced Chinese culture and identified deeply with the people, even expressing his desire to die and be buried among them.
While studying theology, Joseph felt called to missionary work. He was ordained as a priest on July 25, 1875, and served near his home.
After falling ill in 1898, Joseph briefly rested in Japan but returned to China, still struggling with his health.
In 1878, Joseph joined the mission house founded by Arnold Janssen in Steyl, Netherlands, with permission from his bishop.
In 1907, he managed the diocese in the bishop’s absence. During a typhus outbreak, Joseph tirelessly helped the sick and became infected himself.
He received his mission cross in 1879 and traveled to China, arriving in Hong Kong before moving to South Shantung in 1881, where he worked with few Christians.
He died on January 28, 1908, from typhus. His grave became a pilgrimage site. His motto, “The language that all people understand is that of love,” encapsulated his life of service and love for the Chinese people.
Joseph focused on forming lay catechists and wrote a catechetical manual in Chinese. He also helped train Chinese priests and missionaries.
Joseph dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel, forming Chinese Christian communities, and inspiring Chinese Christians to become missionaries.
The Society of the Divine Word (Latin: Societas Verbi Divini), abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. As of 2020, it consisted of 5,965 members composed of priests and religious brothers working in more than 70 countries, now part of VIVAT international.
It is one of the largest missionary congregations in the Catholic Church. Its members add the nominal letters SVD after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation.
The Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, also known as Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, or simply Holy Spirit Sisters (Latin: Congregatio Missionalis Servarum Spiritus Sancti, SSpS) is a religious congregation within the Catholic Church. The group has 3,000 members in 46 countries. The congregation was founded by Arnold Janssen in 1889 in Steyl, the Netherlands. Janssen had previously founded in 1875 a male missionary congregation called Divine Word Missionaries. Janssen chose Maria Helena Stollenwerk, called Mother Maria (1852–1900) and Hendrina Stenmanns, called Mother Josepha (1852–1903) as co-foundresses.
Helena Stollenwerk was born on 28 November 1852. At a very young age she developed an interest in joining the missions and going to China, but was unable to find a convent that sent missionaries abroad. In 1882 she met Arnold Janssen and worked as a kitchen maid at St. Michael Mission House in Steyl. In 1884, she was joined by Hendrina Stenmanns.
The congregation was founded in 1896 in the Netherlands by Arnold Janssen, a German diocesan priest who had first founded in 1875 the Society of the Divine Word in the Dutch border village of Steyl, and in 1889 the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit. Later, Janssen formed the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration congregation so that the missionaries that he had already formed could be supported by prayer. Also they were known as the Pink Sisters which refers to the colour of their habits. Mary Michael was Janssen’s first Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration Superior of the convent in Steyl.
The first convent abroad was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States in 1915 by Mary Michael (Adolfine Tönnies)[3] (1862–1934), upon the invitation of Edmond Francis Prendergast.
Mary Michael grew the convents in many locations, where they continued to grow after her death on Feb. 25, 1934 in Steyl. On Feb. 25, 2015 the Holy See gave approval for the beatification process for Mary Michael. The motherhouse was later moved from Steyl to Bad Driburg, Germany. Currently, there are 22 convents located in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, India, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Togo, and the United States. They are supported solely by donations from visitors and other private parties.
The SVD Hyderabad Province was carved out of the SVD India South Province in the year 2002 on April 2nd and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
SVD INH comprises of the 2 Telugu States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and neighboring Tamil Nadu.
It carries out a multi faceted mission in fields such as Parish ministry, Spiritual renewal and Formation ministry, Health, Education and Social Work ministries with a strong presence of almost 98 Priests and Brothers and the 2 Religious Congregations of Sisters (SsPS and SsPSA)
The Provincial Superior is Rev. Fr. Santhu Raj SVD and the Vice Provincial is Rev. Fr. Nagothu Anand Raju SVD
