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IN THE FACE OF NEED, WE ACT.
Through our love of Christ and our commitment to mission, we live among the poor and marginalized and work to bring healing, hope and dignity to those in need.
Divine Word Missionaries preach the Gospel and share the Word of God by living, working, teaching and sharing with others in many areas of global ministry. We are the largest international missionary congregation in the Catholic Church.
Areas of Mission.
We Serve The
Global Church.
We Serve the Global Church.
The Church on earth is one, holy, catholic and apostolic as we hear every Sunday in the Creed. Divine Word Missionaries spread and promote the unity of the Christian faith on earth through their work. Our missionaries dedicate their lives to things like:
- Parish life
- Evangelization and scripture study
- Counseling
- Formation of seminarians and catechists
We Offer
Education.
We offer Education.
The power of education cannot be underestimated. Divine Word Missionaries have made education a central part of their ministries throughout the world. Our call to educate is made manifest in the following ministries:
- Schools, universities, and seminaries
- Basic literacy programs
- Vocational schools
- Communication through books, printed materials, social media, and radio
We Tackle
Poverty.
We Tackle Poverty.
Our missionaries are committed to relieving poverty for the people they serve. Our efforts to fight the forces of poverty take on many forms around the globe. We tackle issues like:
- Hunger
- Housing and Homelessness
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Medical Care
- Disaster Relief
We Bring
Peace & Justice.
We Bring Peace & Justice.
Our missionaries work to bring Christ's peace and justice to life in the communities they serve. We advance the cause of the marginalized and defenseless in our society by working on these causes:
- Orphanages
- Human trafficking
- Refugee and migrant crisis
Where We Serve.
AFRICA
“Our God is a God of relationships. God wants us to be involved with each other.” — Father Jerome Marquez SVD
EUROPE
“Love of neighbor finds its highest expression in spreading the Gospel. For such a cause, no sacrifice is too great.” — St. Arnold Janssen
THE AMERICAS
“The language that all people understand is the language of love.” — St. Joseph Freinademetz SVD
AFRICA
“Our God is a God of relationships. God wants us to be involved with each other.” — Father Jerome Marquez SVD
EUROPE
“Love of neighbor finds its highest expression in spreading the Gospel. For such a cause, no sacrifice is too great.” — St. Arnold Janssen
THE AMERICAS
“The language that all people understand is the language of love.” — St. Joseph Freinademetz SVD
Our History.
1830 - 1869.
November 5, 1837: St. Arnold born in Goch, Germany, to devoted Catholic parents with 10 children.
August 15, 1861: St. Arnold ordained a priest for the Münster Diocese.
1870 - 1879.
January 1874: St. Arnold begins publishing Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart, a magazine aimed at communicating mission news and encouraging Germans to support mission activities.
September 8, 1875: St. Arnold opens the Mission Seminary in Steyl, Holland, founded The Society of the Divine Word, also known also as Societas Verbi Divini (SVD).
1877: St. Arnold opens the Mission House for retreats and promoted the lay retreat movement.
March 2, 1879: St. Arnold sends the first two SVD missionaries to China, Fr. Joseph Freinademetz, SVD and Fr. John B. Anzer, SVD.
1880 - 1889.
December 8, 1889: St. Arnold co-founds the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, a congregation of religious sisters serving the missions.
1889: Missionary work expands to Argentina.
1890 - 1899.
1892 - 1909: Missionary work expands to Togo, Brazil, New Guinea, Chile, U.S.A., Japan, Paraguay, and the Philippines.
December 1896: St. Arnold co-founds of the cloistered sisters, Sister-Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.
1900 - 1919.
January 15, 1909: St. Arnold dies at Steyl, Holland, at the age of 71.
November 5, 1909: Fr. Nicholaus Blum elected second superior general of the Society.
January 20, 1913: Arrival of Fr. Noyen in Timor.
December 2, 1919: Mozambique missionaries arrive at Steyl.
1920 - 1949.
March 25, 1923: Arrival of the first missionaries in South Honan, China.
October 10, 1938: First missionaries arrive in Ghana.
September 22, 1947: Opening of the seventh general chapter.
1950 - 1969.
March, 1 1954: First men arrive in Taiwan.
June 1962: First men arrive in Mexico.
1970 - 1999.
October 12, 1970: General assembly of generalate and provincials begins in Nemi.
October 19, 1975: St. Arnold beatified in Rome by Pope Paul VI.
November 12, 1977: Fr. Henry Heekeren elected eighth superior general.
February 24, 1981: Mission starts in Botswana, Africa.
2000 - Present.
October 5, 2003: Saint Arnold canonized in Rome by Pope John Paul II; Divine Word Missionaries establish first house in Russia.
2019: Divine Word Missionaries launches Mission Impact in order to encapsulate their founder’s mission with the tangible missionary impact from across the world.
1830-1869
1870-1879
1880-1889
1890-1899
1900-1919
1920-1949
1950-1969
1970-1999
2000-Present
SiGN Up for The Impact Update.
