By Nirva Delacruz
How does a group of religious men stay relevant 150 years after their foundation? According to the outgoing Provincial of the SVD – Philippine Central Province (SVD – PHC) Fr. Jerome Marquez, SVD, it will happen only through “a renewal.”
As the SVD – PHC anticipates the 150th anniversary of the foundation of its congregation, Societas Verbi Divini (Society of the Divine Word), in September 2025,
the province gears up to enflesh the chosen theme “Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere for Everyone” in the third quarter of 2024. “Definitely, [the 150th anniversary] is a call for renewal. Every jubilee is a celebration of who we were in the past, our beginnings; where we are now; and where we’re going,” explained Fr. Marquez, who is not completing his term as Provincial because of his recent election as one of the General Councilors of the congregation, which will require him to be based in Rome.
While concrete details of events and initiatives for the celebration have yet to be finalized, Fr. Marquez said the activities would focus on spiritual and cultural programs that are meant to renew the congregation and inspire “more zeal [among the SVD religious] as missionaries.”
According to the priest, activities could be anything from an outreach to vocation animation, or a missions conference.
“Whatever that may be it will be a renewal, a celebration and a challenge in the advent of AI and technology,” he explained.
Founded By St. Arnold Janssen, a German priest, on September 8, 1875, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the SVD today boasts of 5,754 priests and religious in 79 countries.
The SVD has been at the forefront of the missionary efforts of the Church since its inception, sending missionaries all over the world.