When Bishop John Dolan needed to staff St. Augustine Parish in Phoenix almost three years ago, he knew where to turn.
The author of the Diocese of Phoenix’s bold seven-year pastoral plan, whose broad themes are tied together through evangelization, contacted the Society of the Divine Word’s (SVD) Western USA Provincial Superior, Fr. Jon Kirby, SVD.
Having become good friends with Fr. Kirby while serving in the Diocese of San Diego, where SVD serves a number of California parishes, Bishop Dolan became familiar with their robust pastoral interaction. He also knew their mission: to “proclaim the Word of God in diverse ministries, focusing on the poor and marginalized. Committed to unity in diversity, we are bridges among peoples.”
So, the bishop reached out.
Three years later, the pair led the diocese’s celebration of not one — but three parishes — under SVD leadership as part of the Society of the Divine Word’s 150-year Foundational Jubilee Mass.
“I grew to know them in San Diego, and we are grateful they are here in the Diocese of Phoenix, representing the call to be proclaimers of the Word of God to all peoples,” Bishop Dolan told a filled Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix Sunday.
“We are very happy to have them here with us.”
In his homily, Fr. Kirby responded, “We rather thank [Bishop Dolan] for being so generous to offer this opportunity to do our mission here in Phoenix and in Arizona as we are doing it in California.”
One of several orders serving the diocese, the Society of the Divine Word began its work here at St. Augustine Parish in July 2023, when Fr. Jesús Zamarripa, SVD, became parochial administrator of the heavily Hispanic community in west Phoenix’s Maryvale area. A year later, Fr. Zamarripa was installed as pastor.
Around that same time, Bishop Dolan installed Fr. Krzysztof Pipa, SVD, as the new pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Prescott, Ariz., and welcomed Fr. Biju Thomas, SVD, and the order’s Phoenix District superior, as parochial vicar. The pair succeeded priests from the Claretians, who had served the diocese’s oldest parish for 100 years before moving out of that role.
“For me, [the SVD Jubilee] is 150 years of love and thanksgiving,” Fr. Biju said before Mass.
“We are so grateful to God and all those missionaries; that [the order] has made such progress and such an impact on the world. It is a time for us to celebrate and look to the future with hope,” he said.
Frs. Biju, Pipa, Zamarripa and four fellow SVD members took part in Sunday’s Mass.
The others included: parochial vicars Fr. Giresse Etung, SVD, and Fr. Yori Soda Nango, SVD, parochial vicars at St. Augustine; and Fr. Long Phi Nguyen, SVD, and Fr. Predheep Sathiyanathan, SVD, the pastor and parochial vicar, respectively, at Holy Spirit in Tempe, Ariz. — the diocese’s newest parish staffed by the order.
“We have celebrated [the order’s jubilee] in different parts of the world throughout the year, and for the seven of us, it is an honor to be recognized at the diocesan level,” Fr. Biju said.
Together, the three parishes represent the diverse population served by SVD.
The worldwide order includes a variety of races, cultures and ethnicities. Many of its more than 6,000 members serve in poor, underdeveloped countries.
Founded in 1875 in Steyl, Netherlands, by a German priest, St. Arnold Janssen, the Society is the largest Catholic order that focuses on missionary work. It encompasses 60 provinces worldwide, including the Western USA. Its first U.S. missionary, Br. Wendelin Meyer, arrived in Hoboken, N.J., in 1875.
The Western USA Province, which includes 72 priests, began in 1964.
Its seven Arizona priests come from Mexico, Poland, India, the Congo, Vietnam and Indonesia. Flags from each country, along with the U.S. flag and the Society of the Divine Word’s Foundational Jubilee flag, were carried up the cathedral’s center aisle along with the bread and wine during Sunday’s offertory and placed in standards to either side of the main altar.
The day’s recognition extended beyond the order and its priests.
The Mass was celebrated on the Church’s Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Sept. 14.
The feast commemorates the discovery of the True Cross, upon which Jesus died, by St. Helen, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine in 320 in Jerusalem, and the dedication of the basilica and shrine built on Calvary by Constantine.
In his homily, Fr. Kirby mentioned the order’s vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, noting priests are sent wherever they’re assigned by their superiors. They have no personal bank accounts and share the order’s resources.
“We hold no personal possessions,” he said.
Focused on individual relationships and daily interaction through the sacraments, the order seeks to develop the same missionary mindset among those it serves.
“We see all of you as our co-workers; co-missionaries,” Fr. Kirby said.
Referencing the day’s second reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, he said that Jesus, even in His divinity, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but rather humbled Himself “to become one of us.
“His life showed our vocation as human beings is to grow continually in the range and depth of relationship with God and with others.
“We are…continuing His mission in our modern world. We take our lead and inspiration from His message of love and freedom that was shown by a life of continual growth and self-emptying, and going beyond the limits we set for ourselves,” he said.
He then focused on the laity.
“Our mission is made possible by your support, time, professional services and donations. Without you, our efforts…would not be possible.”
Sacred Heart Parish Manager Jim Wren, speaking after Mass, said the SVD priests have had a tangible impact there.
“They bring a profound sense of reverence to the Eucharist. The parishioners are very inspired by their devotion to the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of reconciliation and the anointing of the sick. They will drop everything to go to see a sick person, and they inspire me because of their devotion,” he said.
St. Augustine parishioner Andre Castaneda echoed those thoughts.
“They work so hard, and they minister a sense of unity,” she said.
Sr. Bonnie Wolff, a member of the Legion of Mary lay ministry at Sacred Heart, also hailed SVD’s inclusive approach.
“They really believe in the value of each person, each life, no matter who they are,” she said. “It’s very much like Jesus. It is such an inspiration.”
Fr. Biju said that today’s world culture and social atmosphere have people reaching out for accompaniment.
“Whether it is the elderly or children, what we need is to be heard,” he said.
“[People] want to share their struggles, their pain and their loneliness. The world today is in such a rush. No one has time to listen to one another. People want to be listened to and to be understood.”
