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Volume 25 No. 3 | Spring 2015
Mission Mass League
– a deeply spiritual gift
On any given day at the Catholic Ashram Palda, in Indore,
India, it is not unusual for Divine Word Missionary priests
to be found praying at Mass for the special intentions of
Australian families.
Indeed, such prayers would be prayed in SVD churches
and chapels at places all around the world.
This spiritual link across the oceans is known as the
Mission Mass League, the prayer association of the
Society of the Divine Word.
SVD AUS Provincial, Fr Henry Adler, says the Mission Mass
League was canonically established by the Divine Word
Missionaries in 1910.
“Its purpose is to help serve people’s spiritual needs and
support the ministry of the Divine Word Missionaries,” he
says.
“We invite our faithful mission partners and donors to
participate in the Mission Mass League by enrolling the
names of their loved ones and their special needs.
“In this way, they are linked spiritually to the masses and
prayers of more than 6,000 Divine Word priests, brothers
and seminarians around the world, ensuring their special
intentions are remembered.”
Membership enrolments are available in four categories
– One year or Perpetual for both individuals and families.
Donors receive a special membership certificate.
Numbers of masses in different countries are expressly
celebrated each day for Mission Mass League members.
Enrolments in the Mission Mass League might be
appropriate in times of illness or death, or they may also
be in recognition of birthdays, anniversaries of deaths or
other notable occasions.
Fr Nicholas Martis SVD, Rector of the Catholic Ashram
Palda (SVD formation house) in Indore, India, recently
wrote to AUS Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD
to thank the AUS Province and its generous partners in
mission for funding a project to build basic housing for
staff at the formation house.
He assured Fr Truc that he and his confreres regularly offer
Masses for the intentions of those enrolled in the AUS
Province Mission Mass League.
“I am ever grateful to the AUS Province for supporting
this project,” Fr Nicholas said.
“From this Province, I have often received the Mass
Intentions which we celebrate for the intentions of the
donors.
“I sincerely thank the donors for their great help. Without
your help, these families would be just on the side of the
road.”
In promulgating the establishment of the SVD Mission
Mass League in November, 1979, Saint John Paul II said
he highly recommended it.
“It is our ardent desire and hope that it will be a source of
support for the Church in her missionary work. To all who
are enrolled and to those who spread the Mission Mass
League, I give my Apostolic Blessing,” the promulgation
read.
Fr Henry says the Mission Mass League has always been
popular with people in the AUS Province.
“It is a deeply spiritual gift to remember loved ones
or special needs and intentions in the form of Mass
Intentions,” he says.
“In a special way, it links our partners in mission, our
friends and donors, with the many wonderful works of
SVD missionaries around the world, but also with our
prayer life. And, together with God’s blessing, this forms a
deep, living and active communion.”
House yet to be built