History of Society of Divine Word

Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, the Society of the Divine

Word is the largest international missionary congregation in the Catholic
Church. Today, our steady growth and our unique multicultural emphasis
embody the vision and charism of the young German diocesan priest who
planted the seed of our mission over a hundred and twenty-five years ago.
Take a few moments to read these highlights of our societys history
and learn more about us.
A high school teacher of math and science, Fr. Arnold also had a keen
interest in prayer, the printed word and the missions. These things combined
to promote interest in and the establishment of a German mission-sending
society one that would prepare young men to serve the Church globally in
areas where the Gospel had yet to be preached.
From a humble beginning on September 8, 1875, in Steyl, Holland, our
Society of the Divine Word grew quickly. In less than four years, Fr. Arnold
sent the first two SVD missionaries to China: Fr. Joseph Freinademetz (now St.
Joseph Freinademetz) and Fr. John Baptist Anzer, who later became a bishop
in China. Our society accepted its first Brother candidates in 1877; within six
years they also went to China as missionaries.
In 1889, realizing the need for missionary Sisters, Fr. Arnold co-founded
the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), together with Mother Maria
Helena Stollenwerk and Mother Josefa Hendrina Stenmanns. Later, in 1896,
they also founded a cloistered congregation, the Sisters Servants of the Holy
Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP). Mother Maria Helena Stollenwerk was
later declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II. Both of these religious orders
contribute greatly to the mission of the Society of the Divine Word.
In 1895, Br. Wendelin Meyer, SVD, came to the United States, and was
soon joined by others in the societys mission endeavors. By 1897 they had
settled on a farm north of Chicago, in Illinois, which came to be known as
Techny. In 1909, the first Society of the Divine Word Seminary in the United
States was established there for the purpose of training candidates for the
priesthood and Brotherhood to serve in overseas missions. In 1923, the first
seminary in the United States for African-American men studying for the
priesthood was established at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, by the Society of the
Divine Word.
From 1888 to 1913, our society experienced rapid expansion, with new
European mission centers established in Rome, Austria and Germany. During
the years from 1889 through 1936, SVD missionaries arrived in Argentina,

Africa, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and India to spread the Word of God.
1946 marked the consecration of the first Chinese Cardinal, Thomas Cardinal
Tien Ken-sin, SVD, Archbishop of Beijing. And in 1966, Bishop Harold Perry,
SVD, became the first African-American Bishop in the United States. Fr.
Joseph Tri Vu, SVD, was the first Vietnamese priest to be ordained as an SVD,
in 1985.
In addition, the first SVD house was established in Russia in 2003. That same
year, on October 5, Frs. Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz were
canonized by Pope John Paul II.
The year 2008 marked another first when Fr. Urey Mark, SVD, became
the first Liberian to be ordained as a Divine Word Missionary.

Submited by: Martinez, Chiara Maine L.

Date: 2015, 08, 14
Course: BS Architecture-1