Biblical Pastoral Ministry is very active in Botswana-South Africa Provine. All the confreres are engaged in this min- istry in our own parishes/ Missions and Institutions.

Celebration of Sunday of the Word of God:

The Sunday of the Word is celebrated by all our parishes faithfully every year. We are guided by the materials pro- vided by the Generalate Biblical Coordinator. Each confrere adds his own creativity to highlight the importance of Word of God in our personal life and families.

Bible Study Course

SVDs run two Pastoral Centers in South Africa: 1. Mater Dei Pastoral Centre, Mokopane in the diocese of Polokwane 2. Ave Maria Pastoral Centre in Tzaneen Diocese. Bible study course, Biblical Preaching course and Bible based retreats are some of the regular programs offered at these pastoral centres. About 650 students have graduated from Mater Dei Bible Study Course since 2010.

Mater Dei Bible Ministry team offered a two -weeks bible study course program for a group of 30 lay people from the diocese of

Francistown at Kanamo Pastoral Centre in 2023. This was the initiative of our late Bishop Anthony D’Mello SVD.

A Visual Journey through Scripture

Mater Dei Pastoral Centre developed a new program in Biblical Ministry in 2022 which is called A Visual Journey through Scripture. It is a vibrant space of learning and faith-sharing. This program aims at presenting the entire story of salvation history-from crea- tion to redemption. Graphic illustrations and dynamic visuals help simplify complex theological themes and historical contexts, making the Bible more approachable and relevant to people. In two years’, time we have organized this workshop in four of our SVD parishes in South Africa and three parishes in Polokwane Diocese and the response has been overwhelming.

Bible Quiz Competition

In 2025, April, Biblical Ministry Team organized a Bible Quiz competition between two of our SVD Parishes (Rust-ter-vaal and Walk- erville) in Johannesburg archdiocese. This year the host parish was Divine Mercy Parish, Walkerville. A short introduction to the Bible was given to the people in the church before the Bible Quiz Competition. Similar Bible Quiz was conducted in Maun deanery, in Francistown Diocese for Maun, Ghanzi and Gumare parishes in March 2025.The purpose of such activities in the parishes is to motivate people to read Bible.

Ongoing Formation for the Confreres

Almost every three years we have workshop on Bible facilitated by the Generalate Bible Coordinator. In this way, the confreres in

the province are also equipped in this Biblical Pastoral Ministry.

The Society of the Divine Word in Botswana-South Africa Province continues its mission of evangelization and faith formation pro- grams through Bible Study courses, workshops including visual presentation of Bible and Bible based retreats etc. They are proving to be vital tools in helping lay communities grow in their knowledge and love of the Word of God.