Society of the Divine Word

Society of the Divine Word
Societas Verbi Divini (Latin)[1]
AbbreviationSVD (post-nominal letters)[2]
NicknameVerbites
FormationSeptember 8, 1875; 149 years ago (1875-09-08)[1]
FounderArnold Janssen[1]
Founded atSteyl, Venlo, the Netherlands
TypeClerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right (for Men)[1]
HeadquartersGeneral Motherhouse
Via dei Verbiti 1, C.P. 5080, 00154 Rome, Italy[3]
Membership
5,965 (Male religious, includes 4,120 Priests) as of 2020[4]
Superior General
Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro[2]
Ministry
Educational and missionary works
Continent served
Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, Americas[5]
Parent organization
Roman Catholic Church
Websitesvdmissions.org

The Society of the Divine Word (Latin: Societas Verbi Divini), abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. As of 2020, it consisted of 5,965 members composed of priests and religious brothers working in more than 70 countries, now part of VIVAT international. It is one of the largest missionary congregations in the Catholic Church.[6] Its members add the nominal letters SVD after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation. The superior general is Paul Boedhie Kleden who hails from Indonesia.[7]

  1. ^ a b c d "Society of the Divine Word (S.V.D.)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Society of the Divine Word (S.V.D.)". www.gcatholic.org.
  3. ^ "Society of the Divine Word (S.V.D.)".
  4. ^ "Society of the Divine Word (Institute of Consecrated Life - Men)". www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  5. ^ "Mission Impact | Divine Word Missionaries. In Action".
  6. ^ "Chicago Province | Society of the Divine Word". www.divineword.org. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  7. ^ "New General Superior Of The Society Of The Divine Word", Vidimus Dominum, International Union of Superiors General, 6 July 2018