Latest News
Meet our new director
The Society of the Divine Word, in aggreement with the leaders of the Holy Spirit Sisters, has appointed Fr. Thien Nguyen to be the fifth director of the Janssen Spirituality Centre. Fr Thien specialises in Comparative Theology of Religions and has been involved in interreligious dialogue and cross-cultural relations in Australia for over two decades. He is also interested in working with young people and photography.
Fr. Gilbert's 40th Vows Anniversary
This year marks the 40th Anviversaryof religious missionary of Fr. Gilbert Carlos, SVD. Fr. Gilbert is one of the staff members of Janssen Spirituality Centre. He specializes in Christian meditation. This year he offers courses of Meditation on Jesus. (Please check our website for more information)
Speaking about the anniversary, he said: "This year I completed 40 years in vows in the Society of the Divine Word.I amproud of my Arnoldus family which supported and encouraged me in every way to grow and use my talents to proclaim the Word of God." Congratulations to you, Fr. Gilbert!
Meditation on Jesus
Celebrating the Thanksgiving with the SVDs and SSpSs
New superior general of the Society of the Divine Word
New superior general of the Society of the Divine Word named, comes from Indonesia
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July 4, 2018
Contact: Father Modeste Munini SVD
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Nemi, Italy -- On July 4, 2018, the capitulars of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) gathered at the Centro Ad Gentes in Nemi, Italy, for the 18th General Chapter, today elected Father Paulus Budi Kleden SVD as the 12th Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word.
Father Kleden was born in Indonesia in 1965. He joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1985. He made his first profession of vows in 1987 and perpetual vows in 1992. He was ordained a priest in 1993. He studied theology in San Gabriel, Austria. He was first assigned to Switzerland from 1993 to 1996, then in a formation house in Ledalero, Indonesia. He was member of the Provincial Council in the ENDE (Indonesia) Province from 2005 to 2008. In 2012, he was elected general councillor. He will continue in that capacity until he assumes the office of the superior general in a few months.
Fr. Heinz visiting JSC
The Janssen Spirituality Centre warmly welcomed Fr. Heinz Kuluke, the Superior General of the Societry of the Divine Word, to visit the Centre in the morning of the last Saturday, 21 october 2017. The staff, volunteers and friends shared with Fr. Heinz their experiences that they have had at the Centre. Fr. Heinz thanked each and all for their collaboration with the staff and their dedication to this “very unique ministry and missionary endeavor” at the Centre. The gathering went on for two hours with many stories over a “Cuppa” and a great variety of home-baked cakes and delicacies prepared by many good hands. This special visit of Fr. Heinz reaffirmed the commitment that the SVDs and SSpSs have made at this Centre since its opening in 2008.
Farewell to Fr. Nick
On Saturday 14 July 2018, the community of Janssen Spirituality Centre (JSC) and friends farewelled Fr. Nick who has finished his ministry as the director of JSC after his six years of dedicated services.
In his reflection given at the farewell prayer service, Fr. Nick shared that his six years at the Centre was a challenging, yet enriching time. He was assigned to this ministry without much preparation for the tasks required. However, with his open mind and heart he has become tremendously enriched as he journeyed along. Fr. Nick thanked all the JSC staff members and friends who have supported him with his tasks and asked everyone to pray for him as he is undertaking new ministries elsewhere in the SVD Australia Province.
After his reflection, many of the staff members and friends shared their personal experiences that they had of Nick. It was a touching moment to hear from many who expressed how Nick has toughed their life and their hearts.
We concluded with an Australian BBQ and with tasty multicultural food, drinks and deserts prepared by many hands. It was a heart-warming farewell event in a mid-July cold Winter day.
Fr Nick shared his experiences and thanked JSC staffs and friends
Di presented a shawl to Fr. Nick on behalp of the Shawl Prayer Group
Fr Aloysius presnted a token of gift to Fr Nick on behalf of JSC community
Fr Nick with JSC friends
Fr Nick's Farewell Mass at St Joseph's Parish, Boronia
Fr Nick with parishioners of St Joseph's
French Sufi Imams praise Pope after Vatican Audience
By The Editor - On Oct 20th 2013 - in EuropeWorld
Recently, a group of eight French imams became a part of the general audience with Pope Francis recently, and thereby claiming that they observed the Catholic leader as a figure of peace and reconciliation.
“We feel something strong with this pope. We, the minorities need him,” said Hassen Chalghoumi, a Tunisian imam in Drancy, a suburb of Paris. “Moderates should be supported. We should not be grouped with extremists who burn churches,” he said.
The visit was facilitated by Marek Halter, a French writer of Polish Jewish origin, who had a brief meeting with the pope during the audience in St Peter’s Square. Out of the eight imams who were all “Sufis”, seven hailed from Paris and suburbs and one from Marseille.
Tarak Ben Ammar, Tunisian cinema and television tycoon brought the imams on his private plane stating that the visit would improve inter-religious dialogue. “We have a problem to resolve ourselves. Christians had this in the Middle Ages. Political Islam is winning the upper hand,” Ben Ammar said. Halter said that Francis “can do what Benedict XVI never managed to do: reconcile Christianity and Islam”.
Credit: http://theliteral.com/french-sufi-imams-praise-pope-vatican-audience/