News

The 2025 SVD ordination comes of on the 9th of August 2025 at the St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Kintampo – Bono Region. All are cordially invited.

In a ceremony rich with spiritual significance and cultural vibrancy, eleven young men professed their first religious vows to become members of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) at a solemn celebration held in Kwahu Nkwatia, Eastern Region of Ghana.The profession marks the beginning of formal religious life for the candidates, who now enter into full membership within the international missionary congregation founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen in Steyl, the Netherlands.Presiding over the ceremony was Very Rev. Fr. Cyprian Kuupol, SVD, the provincial superior of the Ghana and Liberia Province of the SVD. Addressing the newly professed, Fr. Kuupol reminded them, “Your vows are a visible witness to the world that God still calls, and young people still respond.” The profession of temporary vows (poverty, chastity, and obedience) marks a significant step in the candidates’ formation journey toward full membership in the international missionary congregation. These vows are renewed annually as the members continue theological studies and pastoral formation, eventually leading to final vows and ordination for those called to the priesthood.Families, fellow confreres, religious sisters, friends, and members of the local Church gathered in large numbers to witness and support the milestone. The liturgy was adorned with vibrant Ghanaian music, dance, and symbols, embodying the SVD’s strong commitment to interculturality and local expressions of faith. Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, the Society of the Divine Word serves in over 80 countries across the globe, with missions focused on evangelization, education, interreligious dialogue, and social development. The ceremony at Kwahu Nkwatia is a testament to the growing strength of religious vocations in Africa and the continued relevance of missionary life today.

On the 15th of June 2025, at Nkwatia in the eastern region of Ghana, the long-awaited hope of having a new bus came to materialization. The Divine Word novitiate received a new 15-seater TOYOTA HAICE to enhance the formation programs. Prior to the presentation of the vehicle, there was mass presided by Very Rev. Fr. Cyprian Kuupol, SVD, the Provincial Superior, of the Ghana-Liberia Province. Rev. Fr. Titus Tuoyintir, SVD, blessed the vehicle, dedicating it to God and committing it use to mother Mary for her consistent intercession. Rev. Brother Charles Ashun SVD, Rev. Fr. Visencious Wanggye, SVD and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Azure, SVD together with all the novices were present to witness this sacred and joyful moment.Rev. Fr. Titus the novice master thanked the provincial superior and his councilors and all stake holders. “I am very grateful to the Provincial Superior and his councilors, The Project and Development Office (P.D.O) Team and all stakeholders who have made this our long-awaited hope to come to light”. The bus will be very beneficial for the day to day running of the novitiate. By. Rev. Fr. Titus, SVD

Founded by Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, SVD, in collaboration with the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, the foundation was created to consolidate and sustain Fr. Campbell’s decades-long charitable work, particularly after his retirement from active pastoral ministry. The Foundation has since become a beacon of hope for many marginalized and vulnerable groups in Ghana. As the Foundation celebrates this milestone, the leadership expresses profound gratitude to all benefactors, donors, volunteers, the media, and board members who have contributed their resources, time, and energy over the past three years.

The Arnold Janssen Spirituality Network (AJSN) marked a major milestone with the successful hosting of its first-ever AFRAM SVD-SSpS Workshop, held at the Arnold Janssen Spirituality Centre in Accra, Ghana. The two-week intensive workshop, from May 18 to 30, 2025, brought together participants from across the AFRAM Zone for a deeply enriching encounter centered on the theme “Interculturality and Spirituality.” The workshop focused on key spiritual insights drawn from the founding generation of the Arnoldus Family. Participants explored the core of SVD Spirituality and Mission, deepening their appreciation for the legacy of St. Arnold Janssen and the congregations he inspired. A major theme was Spirituality and Community Life, where participants engaged in honest conversations addressing common misconceptions surrounding community life in religious congregations. Participants also received formation in: The sessions were both theoretical and practical, empowering the participants to return to their communities as agents of spiritual renewal and intercultural dialogue.As part of the experience, the group made a spiritual-cultural journey to Elmina, where they visited Elmina Castle — a site deeply connected to Ghana’s colonial and missionary history — and enjoyed the natural beauty of Kakum National Park.The workshop concluded with a guided retreat, allowing time for personal reflection, prayer, and recommitment. In the final session, participants were encouraged to share and promote the spiritual heritage of the Arnoldus Family in their communities

Coordinators of the Four Characteristic Dimensions of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in the Africa Madagascar Zone (AFram) gathered in the Capital Democratic Republic of Congo, for their triennial meeting. This meeting took place from the 1st to 7th June 2025 in Kinshasa. It was a moment of solemn reflection, development of strategies and a time to renew the missionary zeal of all the coordinators present. The four characteristic dimensions namely, Biblical Apostolate, Mission Animation, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), and Communication are foundational to the SVD’s charism and pastoral mission. The meeting saw representatives from various provinces and regions within the Afram Zone came together for days of deep dialogue, planning, and mutual support. In his opening remarks, the Provincial Superior of the Congo province emphasized the need for greater unity and contextual responsiveness in addressing the spiritual and social challenges of the time. “I invite all of you present to reflect taking into consideration the times we are in,” he noted. The meeting featured presentations on the current state of each dimension, the success stories of each dimension, the challenges and finally the way forward to making the dimensions visible and helpful for the people the SVD serves. In attendance was also the General coordinators of the various Characteristic Dimensions of the SVD from Rome. A highlight of the gathering was the adoption of a Final Statement, which outlines the major priorities for the next three years across the Afram Zone. These include: 1.            Strengthening the Biblical Apostolate by deepening Scripture engagement at all levels of society, especially among the youth and marginalized communities. 2.            Collaborating with VIVAT International and implementing Laudato Si’ to promote justice, peace, and care for creation through concrete grassroots actions. 3.            Enhancing collaboration with the Lay Partners of the SVD, recognizing their growing role in shared mission and leadership. 4.            Educating and making use of digital media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to innovate evangelization efforts and connect more effectively with the modern world. The host SVD Province in Congo provided generous hospitality and an enriching cultural environment, including visits to their parishes and institutions and also to places of apostolates where the SVD’s work is visibly transforming lives. The meeting concluded with a solemn Eucharistic celebration, led by the general coordinators from Rome.

The SVD Ghana Media (Verbo Media) has been facing a series of alarming security breaches, with repeated attacks by robbers and hooligans threatening its mission of evangelization and media outreach.The wave of incidents began when a supposed customer requested to use the facility’s washroom, only for staff to later discover that a hard drive had gone missing. This was followed by multiple robbery operations targeting the media center on different occasions, leading to substantial losses.The most devastating of these incidents occurred in January 2025 when robbers forcefully entered the facility by destroying the electrified burglary-proof window. They looted various pieces of essential media equipment, further crippling the center’s ability to function. As if the thefts were not enough, an act of pure vandalism soon followed. In a nighttime attack, an unidentified hooligan used a large stone to shatter the facility’s big glass display window. While nothing was stolen in this particular incident, the act sent shockwaves through the community, raising concerns over the safety and security of the center. Items stolen and destroyed are ranging at about 80,000 Ghana cedis. The director of Verbo media, Rev. Fr. Rex A. Vegbey, SVD express the extent of the damage these vandalism and robberies have caused to the operations of the institution. “These robberies have reversed our efforts in equipping the centre with the necessary gear. We have lost a chunk of the province files including videos and photos which were on the Hard drives as we could not afford back-up drives”, he said. He added that due to fear of the return of the robbers, the workers of the facility are living in fear, this has even affected how customer are served at the facility. “We are scared at the facility as we suspect the robbers may return during the day since the night did not give them the money they were expecting. This has made us to shut the door to the shop and serving customers through a pigeon hole. As a result, customers have no access to see the items displayed in the shop. We are confused as to what to do. The scare has heightened with the recent killings of momo cashiers as reported in the media. About a week ago two motor riders attacked a ‘koko’ (Ghanaian local porridge) seller in front of our facility and made away with her morning sales. Only last week, a hooligan destroyed our sign-post.’. The management of the facility are appealing to the general public to help the facility in anyway they can to help improve their security and also restock the place.