SVD

St. Arnold Janssen

Founder of the SVD

The Society of the Divine Word is an international congregation of Catholic missionary priests and Brothers in over 55 countries around the world. Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) has grown to over 5,000 members worldwide. SVD missionaries work primarily where the Gospel has not been preached at all, or only insufficiently, and where the local Church is not yet viable on its own.


The SVD's membership reflects the international nature of the congregation and representative of the areas of the world they serve. The SVD missionaries serve according to the needs of the local Church and the particular expertise they bring to the task.


In Asia, the SVDs are involved in education, especially in the Philippines and Japan. They are also involved in pastoral and developmental work, and other specialized ministries such as Bible apostolate, the youth, communications, and refugee apostolate in Africa and South America. Their work in the United States involves the minority communities, especially African-American and Hispanic communities, as well as, poor areas such as Appalachia.


The Society of the Divine Word is the only major congregation of religious men which has shown steady growth over the last 30 years.