MISSION POSSIBLE
BE A MISSION PARTNER
With His help and yours
SVD Lay Mission Partnership (DDW)
HIS Mission our Mission
Where Hands Meet, Hope Begins
Dear Friends,
A handshake is a simple gesture. Yet, it has the power to communicate what words often cannot. It speaks of welcome, trust, friendship, and hope. The cover of this edition of The Frontiers captures one such moment—a child reaching out with innocence, and the Missionary, SVD Superior General, Fr. Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro, SVD, responding with warmth and compassion. Between those two hands lies the essence of our missionary calling.
Every day, across the world, Divine Word Missionaries encounter people whose lives are marked by uncertainty, struggle, and longing. Whether in classrooms, hospitals, villages, parishes, social centres, or among migrants and the marginalized, our mission begins not with programmes or projects, but with presence. It begins with listening, accompanying, and extending a hand that reassures another person: “You are valued. You are loved. You are not alone.”
As we celebrate 8 September, the birthday of the Society of the Divine Word, we remember the courageous dream of St. Arnold Janssen. He believed that God’s Word must reach every person, especially those on the peripheries. More than 150 years later, that vision continues to inspire thousands of missionaries and collaborators who cross boundaries of language, culture, and circumstance to proclaim the Gospel through lives of humble service.
The stories in this issue reflect that living mission. They are stories of children discovering new opportunities, families finding hope, communities growing stronger, and ordinary people becoming extraordinary witnesses of God’s love. They remind us that mission is not measured by the size of our achievements, but by the depth of our compassion and the sincerity of our encounter.
The child on our cover may one day forget this brief exchange, but the kindness experienced in that moment can leave a lasting imprint. Such encounters are at the heart of every missionary journey. They remind us that lasting transformation often begins with a simple act of human connection.
May this edition of The Frontiers inspire each of us to become people who extend a hand in friendship, stand beside those in need, and carry the light of Christ wherever we are called to serve.
For wherever hands meet with love, hope is born—and the mission of the Divine Word continues.
Divine Word Missionaries
What Can You Offer?
About Us
Making a Difference in the World
The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) was founded by St. Arnold Janssen on September 8, 1875 in Steyl, a small village in Holland, just across the German border. The members of the society are called the missionaries of the Divine Word and are commonly known as SVDs. “God’s loving grace has gathered us from various peoples and continents into a religious missionary community dedicated to the Divine Word and named after him the Society of the Divine Word” (Prologue of the SVD Constitutions). The members are also known as Styler Missionaries. From the humble beginning the Society of the Divine Word has proliferated and today there are more than 6000 members from different countries spreading the Good News in more than 84 countries in all five continents.
OUR SPECIALIZATION AND CHARISM
- Primary Evangelization
- Education
- Health care
- Biblical Pastoral Ministry
- Mass Media Communication
- Socio-Economic Development
- Ministry to the migrants, street children and differently abled children and more….
- Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
Testimonials
What Do They Say About Us?
Our World Mission
Explore the details of our World Mission
Through our love of Christ and our commitment to mission, we live among the poor and marginalised and work to bring healing, hope and dignity to those in need.
