About Us

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The SVD is an international religious missionary community with more than 6,000 members including those who are in temporary vows. It was founded by St. Arnold Janssen in Steyl, Holland on September 8, 1875. We are INTERNATIONAL. The SVD is a modern congregation counting among its number men from 65 different countries. In any country we are present, members from different nations work together. We are MISSIONARY. Primary evangelization is our priority. We go to places where the Gospel has not yet been heard or least known. We are RELIGIOUS. We take the vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obidience; and we live in community. Most SVDs are PRIESTS, some are BROTHERS. Together they form a missionary team.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

SVD in the World


Inspired by St. Arnold's motto... the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief may vanish before the light of the Divine Word..., missionaries were sent to non-Christian countries like China, Japan, New Guinea and some parts of Africa. Likewise, they were also sent to some Christian countries in South America through urgent appeals from bishops.

The conditions of the blacks in the US convinced the founder to start the mission there. The SVDs, wherever they are assigned, promoted development of the local clergy both secular and religious. One of the first Chinese SVD priests was the late Thomas Cardinal Tien. The first local priests of our mission in Indonesia were SVDs. The first US SVD seminary for the colored was established at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Through all these apostolates, the SVD became an international religious missionary society. At present, more than 6,000 SVD priests, brothers and scholastics are scattered in 65 countries on every continent. This gives us reason to say:


"THE WORLD IS OUR MISSION"
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