Sharing the Word, Connecting the Mission

Communication is an essential part of the mission of the Society of the Divine Word. As Divine Word Missionaries, we are called to proclaim the Word of God and to make Christ known and loved. In today’s world, this missionary calling also means communicating the Gospel through the many languages, platforms, and forms of communication available to us.

For us, communication is not simply about providing information. It is a way of building relationships, sharing the missionary experience, giving a voice to our communities, and proclaiming the Gospel. Through communication, we make visible what God is doing through the mission and invite others to participate in it.

Inspired by St. Arnold Janssen

Our commitment to communication has deep roots in the missionary vision of our founder, St. Arnold Janssen. He understood the power of communication in spreading the Gospel and reaching people beyond the immediate missionary community.

St. Arnold used the means of communication available in his time to support evangelization and missionary awareness. Through publications and missionary information, he sought to awaken people to the needs of the Church and to encourage prayer, missionary vocations, and support for the missions.

His spirituality reminds us that the Word of God is meant to be shared. Communication therefore becomes part of our missionary spirituality: we receive the Word, allow it to transform our lives, and then share it with others.

The beginning of the Gospel of John expresses this beautifully: “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). For the Divine Word Missionaries, the Word is not simply a message to be transmitted. The Word is Jesus Christ, who became human and came to dwell among us. Our communication seeks to reflect this same movement: to go out, to encounter, to listen, and to share.

Communication in the Mission Today

The world of communication has changed greatly since the time of St. Arnold Janssen. Newspapers and printed publications have been joined by websites, social media, video, podcasts, newsletters, and many other digital platforms.

These new possibilities offer an important missionary opportunity. People are searching for meaning, hope, faith, and community online. Therefore, the digital world has also become a place where the Gospel can be encountered.

Our communication ministry seeks to use these opportunities responsibly and creatively. We want to tell the stories of our missionaries and communities, share our faith and spirituality, promote missionary vocations, celebrate our achievements, and make known the needs and realities of the people among whom we serve.

Our Communication Projects

As part of our commitment to communication, we are developing and strengthening different projects that help us share the mission of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Website
Our website serves as a digital home for the mission. It provides information about the Society of the Divine Word, our spirituality, missionaries, communities, apostolic activities, events, and missionary initiatives. It also offers a space where people can discover who we are and how they can participate in our mission.

Newsletter
The newsletter helps us remain connected as a missionary family. Through news, stories, reflections, events, photographs, and updates from our communities, we can share what is happening across our mission and strengthen our sense of belonging and fraternity.

YouTube and Video Communication
Video allows us to communicate the missionary experience in a personal and engaging way. Through our YouTube channel and other video projects, we share testimonies, missionary stories, reflections, formation materials, celebrations, and activities from our communities. Video gives people an opportunity not only to hear about the mission but also to see the faces and experiences behind it.

Social Media
Social media provides a direct way of reaching people, especially young people. Through photographs, short reflections, videos, announcements, and stories, we can share the Gospel and make the missionary presence more visible in the digital world.

Communication Formation
Communication is not only the responsibility of a communication office. It is a mission shared by the whole community. We therefore encourage and accompany missionaries, parish communities, and lay partners to develop basic communication skills, particularly in photography, writing, video creation, social media, and digital content.

Communication as Prophetic Dialogue

Our communication is also connected with the SVD commitment to prophetic dialogue. To communicate well, we must first learn to listen. Missionary communication is not simply speaking to others; it is also creating spaces where people can share their stories, hopes, struggles, and experiences.

We seek to communicate with respect for different cultures, generations, languages, and experiences. In this way, communication can become a bridge between people and communities.

Sharing the Mission, Building Communion

Good communication helps us to recognize that we are part of one missionary family. A story from one parish can inspire another community. The testimony of a missionary can encourage a young person to consider a vocation. A photograph can reveal the joy of a community. A reflection can strengthen someone’s faith. A simple video can bring the Gospel to someone who may never enter a church.

For this reason, communication is not an activity separate from mission. Communication is mission.

Inspired by St. Arnold Janssen, we seek to use the means of our time to continue making the Word known and loved. Through our website, newsletter, YouTube channel, social media, and other communication initiatives, we want to share the life and mission of the Divine Word Missionaries and invite others to become part of the missionary journey.

We communicate because we have received the Word, and we are sent to share it.