Volume 24No. 2 |Winter 2014
8
SocietyMatters
ANewsletterof theDivineWordMissionaries Inc -AustraliaProvince
Donations to theSVDAUSProvince
OverseasAidFund
canbemadeonlineat
to
DivineWordMissionaryAppealOffice,
LockedBag3,EppingNSW, 1710,Australia.
svdaus
@svdaus
country’smetropolitanareas, aswell as in the remoteareas.
Brazil alsohas a seriousproblemwithcrime, gang violence,
robberyandkidnapping.
“It’sgoing tobeagreat challenge towork in this context.
Thefirst important step is to learn the languageand
culture. I’mexcited tobegoing thereand I am looking
forward tomeeting, learning fromand serving thepeople
that I amministering to.”
PrakashMenezes SVD
Assigned toAustralianProvince
Prakashwasborn in1983 ina town
calledShirva in theUdupi (thenSouth
Canara) district of South-West India
intoa familyhedescribes as “apraying
family”.
He sayshisparents, FedrickandBenedicta, have supported
him inall hisdecisions andhaveallowedhim topursueall
hisdreams andaims.
“Weareapraying family,”he says. “Wegather together for
eveningprayer and for dinner everyday. Thisgave rise in
me the loveofGodanda senseof belonging toGod,who
lovesmeasmyparents. In fact, I can say that I have seen
God inand throughmyparents.”
Prakashdidhisprimaryandsecondaryschooling inhis
home townandat theageof 16, he joined theDivineWord
MissionariesatKirem, about30kmaway fromhome.After
completingYear12, hewassent for further training to Indore,
acity inCentral Indiaand later toChennai forhisgraduation.
“But I felt I needed time for discernment and so I asked for
abreak from the seminary trainingand Iwent backhome
formygraduation,”he says. “Alongwithmygraduation,
Iwas actively involved in theparishministryby teaching
catechism to the school kids, guiding thealtar serversetc.
Thishelpedme tokeepupmy faithandhelpedme to
knowmoreaboutmyself.”
After completinghisgraduation, Prakash re-joined
theDivineWordMissionaries andwas sent formission
experience toa school inRamagundam in the stateof
AndhraPradesh,wherehe learnt the local language
and spent a year in schoolministry. A year ofNovitiate
followed, and thenhe took thedecision tomakehisFirst
Vows in theSocietyof theDivineWord.
After further formationand studies, Prakashwas selected
topursuehis theological studies andoverseas training in
Australia.Hearrived inFebruary2010and says academic
andpastoral life inAustraliapresentedbothchallenges and
opportunities.
“But itwas funand in thecompanyofmybrothers in the
DorishMaruCollegecommunity, I felt elated. I didn’t feel
lonelyor home sick. I always felt that Iwas in safehands.”
Prakash says a visit toCentral Australiawherehe spent time
with theSVDministries inAliceSprings andSantaTeresa,
ledhim toapply tohavehis firstmissionaryassignment in
theAUSProvince.Hewill takeup theassignment following
hisordination to thepriesthood, later this year.
“AUS ismyfirst choice formymissionappointment,
basicallybecause I didmyfinal formative years in this
provinceand I hada vast experienceof theministryand
the life in theprovince. I treasure the internationalityof
theprovince, especiallyexperiencing it first hand inDorish
MaruCollege,”he says.
“The trip toCentral Australiawas aneye-opener tome,
as I saw the lifeof theAboriginal peopleofAustraliaand I
decided then toworkamong them.”
Prakashsayshe is thankful thathisapplication tohavehisfirst
missionaryassignment inAUSProvincehasbeenaccepted.
“I am reallyexcitedaboutworking in thisProvince, as
thereare variousopportunities tousemy talents andbe
helpful tomy confreres and thewider societyofAustralia,
NewZealandandThailand.Mymotto formypriesthood
ordination is ‘TobewithHimand tobe sent out’. I feel I am
called todo just that.”
