SVD founder – a fool or saint

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LONDON unbeliever sat watching an Irish shoeshine boy polishing his shoes. The man noticed a medal on the boy’s neck and asked, “What is that you’re wearing around your neck, Pat?”

“A medal, with the Mother of Christ on it!” Pat answered.

“Why do you honor her? She is just like my mother.”

“Ahh... but there’s a hell of a difference between the two sons!” Pat replied.

The story might well illustrate the difference in attitude between Catholics and nonCatholic Christians towards the Blessed Virgin.

Catholics regard the Virgin Mary as Mother of God while other denominations consider her as an ordinary woman.

Note that when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, she condescendingly uttered: “Why should I be honored with a visit from the MOTHER OF MY LORD?” Lk 1,43.

The Society of the Divine Word (SVD), to which I belong, marked its 143rd foundation anniversary yesterday. German founder St. Arnold Janssen had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother; thus, he chose to launch his mission congregation on Mother Mary’s birthday on September 8, 1875.

When Arnold Janssen approached J.A. Paredis, bishop of Roermond, Germany in December 1874 to present his ambitious plan of establishing a mission foundation, the bishop said to one of his priests: “Can you imagine! He wants to found a mission house -- and hasn‘t a penny to his name. He is either a fool or a saint!”

When asked where to look for the much-needed fund, he said in jest, “There’s a lot of money but they’re still in the pockets of the people.”

With so much faith in God and people who believed in his noble undertaking, Arnold put up his first mission house in Steyl, Holland, outside the border of Germany to elude the anti-Church Kulturkamp of Chancellor Bismarck

He went on to establish the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) for clerics and lay brothers in 1875, now the 6th biggest male religious congregation world wide.

In 1889 he put up the Missionary Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit followed by the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (popularly known as “Pink Sisters”) in 1896.

To date there are 137 Filipino SVD priests and brothers working in 45 countries, making the SVD the biggest missionary-sending congregation in the Philippines.

SVD priests and brothers in the Philippines, who comprise the biggest number among the male religious congregations, are involved in the apostolates of parishes, seminaries, justice and peace, mass media, schools like the Divine Word Colleges, University of San Carlos in Cebu, Holy Name University in Bohol, evangelization of the indigenous and ethnic Filipinos like the Chinese-Filipinos studying in Divine Word Dagupan and St. Jude Catholic School in Manila. Readers are requested to pray for the Society of the Divine Word and its various mission apostolates. JOKE ONLY. A Jesuit and a Dominican were quarreling about whose religious order was the greater. The Jesuit insisted theirs, of course; so with the Dominican. They could not resolve the issue so they elevated the matter to the Lord.

A note reached both parties with the message: “Stop quarrelling. All of you are great. Besides, I do not favor any religious congregation.” Signed: “Jesus Christ, SVD.”

Jesus is, indeed, an SVD. Read this: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord SVD” (is with Thee).

LADY OF GUADALUPE PILGRIMAGE. If you’re thinking of going to the USA, it’s your opportunity to make a side trip pilgrimage to the miraculous Shrine of Our Guadalupe in Mexico City scheduled on Nov. 7-17, 2018. I will serve as chaplain.

For inquiries, call Fe Buenviaje at 09178194509 or e-mail: mailbox@ broadwaytravelph.com.

There’s a lot of money but they’re still in the pockets of the people. — SVD Founder Arnold Janssen