Last week after Mass, a young man approached me with a thoughtful question. He said, “Father, I know there are Ph.D.s, M.D.s, and Psy.D.s—but when I saw the abbreviation S.V.D. after your name, I wondered: what kind of doctorate is that?”

I smiled and thanked him for thinking so highly of me! But no, I am not a doctor of any kind. S.V.D. does not stand for a degree—it refers to the religious congregation to which I belong: the Society of the Divine Word (Societas Verbi Divini in Latin), commonly known as the Divine Word Missionaries.

The Society was founded in 1875 by Saint Arnold Janssen in Steyl, the Netherlands. Just a few years later, in 1879, he sent the first two missionaries—Fr. John B. Anzer, SVD, and Fr. Joseph Freinademetz, SVD—to China. Both men became pioneers of the Society’s missionary work. In 2003, Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Arnold together with Saint Joseph Freinademetz.

Saint Arnold’s vision soon expanded. In 1878, he welcomed religious brothers into the Society, and later co-founded two congregations of religious women: the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) in 1889, and the cloistered Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP) in 1896.

When Saint Arnold died in 1909, his missionary family already numbered more than 1,500 priests, brothers, and sisters working in 10 countries. Today, that vision has borne remarkable fruit: over 6,000 Divine Word Missionaries serve in more than 80 countries across every continent—except Antarctica! Wherever we go, we strive to share the Word of God, live among the people, and become one with their cultures, especially serving the most vulnerable and forgotten.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Divine Word. It is truly a significant milestone—a moment of gratitude and reflection. We give thanks and praise to God for the missionaries who have carried the Gospel across the world, and for the countless benefactors, friends, and lay partners whose prayers, generosity, and support have made our mission possible.

Fr. Predheep and I also want to thank all of you here in the parish for the warmth, hospitality, and prayers you have shared with us since our arrival. Please continue to pray for us, for one another, and for our parish community as we strive to build a vibrant community of faith.

Over the next few weeks, I look forward to sharing more about the spirituality, charism, and mission of the Divine Word Missionaries. If you would like to explore further, I encourage you to visit the Society’s website. My hope is that by learning more about the SVD, you will not only get to know me better but also deepen your sense of how God calls each of us to participate in His mission today.

May the Triune God bless you and your loved ones abundantly.

Fr. Long Phi Nguyen, SVD
Pastor

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