As Jesus walks the Way of the Cross, we place ourselves behind him, following in his footsteps. As we walk with him, we contemplate his passion for the sake of humanity, his broken heart, and his life as a gift of love, said Pope Leo XIV in his homily for Palm Sunday.
We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms around him. He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence. He offers himself to embrace humanity, even as others raise swords and clubs. He is the light of the world, though darkness is about to engulf the earth. He came to bring life, even as plans unfold to condemn him to death.
The diversity of the SVD Australia Province was on full display over the past month as Provincial, Fr Boni Buahendri SVD was welcomed by confreres and faith communities in the South Island of New Zealand, Central West Queensland and the Tiwi Islands.
The visits were part of Fr Boni’s initial tour of the Province, in which he said his primary goal was to simply “be with” the missionaries and listen to their experience.
Two young SVD seminarians have arrived in Australia to begin their Overseas Training Program, spending time in several ministries of the Divine Word Missionaries in the Province to deepen their lived experience of missionary life.
Yulles Vitoria is from Brazil and Felix Infant is from India and both have arrived at the SVD’s formation house, Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, looking forward to being immersed in new cultures, languages and missions.
Fr Satheesh Voora SVD has arrived in Wellington, New Zealand to take up his first overseas missionary assignment, following his recent ordination in India.
He said his arrival in the Australia Province has been met with warm hospitality from both SVD confreres and the parishioners of the Te Awakairangi Parish in Lower Hutt, to which he has been assigned as assistant priest.
Three young SVD seminarians professed their final vows as Divine Word Missionaries this month and were ordained as deacons as they continue their journey towards the priesthood.
Agustinus Buu Araujo Siga, SVD (Gusty), Antonius Kristanto Papalesa, SVD (Krisna), and Anthony Khanh Ngoc Nguyen, SVD (Khanh) made their final profession at St Paschal’s Chapel, Box Hill, in Melbourne on Saturday, March 21, before being ordained to the diaconate in the same chapel the following day.
This is one of the very few occasions that we have two gospels in one Mass. And I have often said how contrasting these two are.
Today is a very meaningful Sunday for me, as I have just begun my first mission here in this parish. I am still learning your names, your stories, and the life of this community. Thank you very much for your kindness and warm welcome.
Karma is something that a lot of people ask me about, as to whether it is a Christian belief or not. Well, I would politely say that it is not. For us Christians, we believe that retribution or judgment will be happening not in this life but in the next.
The gospel for this week, which is pretty long, is about knowing who Jesus is from the efforts of the woman at the well. And as we read along the gospel, we will learn that the woman at the well slowly discovered who Jesus was - from a Jew, to a prophet and then a Saviour.
If one single word is used to describe the foundation upon which the whole Christian life is based, it is HOPE. Hope is the main theme running throughout the heart of the Bible, from Genesis down to Revelation.
