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SVD Lay Partners – Disciples of the Divine Word

Author: Susan Noronha
Subject: SVD Lay Partners, Disciples of Divine Word
Language: English, Spanish
DDW Group
Disciples of Divine Word (DDW) Group
The Beginning

The Disciples of the Divine Word (DDW) began in 1999 as a small group of lay volunteers, initiated by Fr. Gregory Pinto, SVD who is also our present Spiritual Director.   In October 2014, DDW was officially recognized as a Lay Associate Group of the Society of the Divine Word, India Mumbai Province (INM). Currently, around 50 dedicated members coming from varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds are committed to continue the mission of Jesus and St. Arnold Janssen.

Spirituality and Mission

DDW identifies itself with the Trinitarian and Missionary spirituality of the SVD.  This motivates us to be rooted in the communion of the Triune God and from there discover our call to carry forward the mission of God.  In our interactions with SVD confreres in different provinces here in India, it is our joy to discover a common platform of our spiritual orientation, which makes collaboration and working together easy.

Bible and life sharingOur regular meetings, Bible and life sharing sessions, recollections, retreats and reach-out programs are geared to form us as a committed community and to be with the SVDs. We seek to emulate the ministry of Jesus through compassionate service and sharing the Word with others.

Through the years, members have learned to appreciate the wonderful ways God worked in the life of our founder St. Arnold Janssen, and in the SVD congregation. In this communion of mind and heart, members have discovered God’s gifts in their own lives and have generously shared them with others.

DDW members reach out not only to India Mumbai Province (INM) but to all four SVD Provinces and Region in India, addressing social, economic, educational and developmental issues, with a special focus on women and children.

“Feed the Hungry” Project

Feed the Hungry slumsDistribution - slumsUnderstanding the context of the poor in Mumbai and realizing their needs, DDW launched the “Feed the Hungry” project on September 8, 2019, the SVD Foundation Day. This project aims at not only providing food to the poor but also spending time with them. Our belief is simple: cook a little extra food in our homes and move in small groups to feed the hungry. A smile, a conversation, a simple hot meal is enough to make a difference in someone’s day.  We find the poor around street corners, traffic signals, in the slums, and in our own neighbourhood.  This gives us an opportunity to encounter God and to be faithful to the Gospel values. Even during the pandemic, we continued this project in the initial months. After a short break during the lockdown, the project is resumed now.

Feed the Hungry - Collaboration with SSpS - Superior General (SSpS) and Sr. Jessie Mary from Holy Spirit Community Centre, Mumbai

Collaboration with SSpS

DDW has collaborated with the SSpS through their Community Health Centre, Holy Spirit Hospital, Mumbai. Through this office, food essential kits and hot lunch packets are distributed to the poor in the neighbouring slums and also to patients suffering from mal- nutrition, tuberculosis, HIV, and so forth.

“Feed the Hungry COVID-19” Project

Feed the Hungry - Government Hospital (with Susan)

In March 2020, the Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown limiting movement of the 1.3 billion people of India, as a preventive measure against the coronavirus pandemic. The decision, though necessary, did not consider the plight of the daily wage labourers, the migrants, slum-dwellers, and many others. Unfortunately, the poor and the marginalized sections of the society are always an afterthought.

Feed the Hungry Covid-19 team with volunteers

Around end of March, a few SVD confreres and SVD lay partners (DDW) initiated a plan to form a small volunteer group to ease the distress of helpless people during the lockdown by providing the families with essential food grains.

What began as a simple idea of helping the poor with food grains pressed us to take “transformative action”. Beginning in mid-April, we were able to reach out to around 8000 families with the family grocery package. The package had food essentials – 5 kgs rice, 5 kgs wheat flour, pulses, cooking oil, sugar, tea and some basic essential items enough for a family for about 15-20 days.  This project is still ongoing.

Responding together

Feed the Hungry - Mumbai street children at the traffic signal.The COVID-19 pandemic has been an opportunity.  We are grateful to our benefactors –the people who came together in the most extraordinary ways to lend a helping hand.  We are fortunate to have our beneficiaries – the people who gave us an opportunity to experience the hope of Christ in this crisis.  Sincere gratitude to our volunteers, especially the self-help-group (SHG) leaders from the slums – humanity is alive!

A call to be a missionary is a call fr

om Christ to deepen our love relationship with Him as well as to deepen our own faith.  Pope Francis in his encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’ emphasises that, we are all called – just like the Good Samaritan – to become neighbours to others (81). May this call energize us to share the love of Christ with the people around us.

———–
Susan NoronhaSusan Noronha, SVD lay partner from INM (India Mumbai Province), president of the group. She is married to Leo Chettiar and a self-employed. Participated in the First International SVD Lay Partners Workshop in Nemi, Rome, 18th SVD General Chapter in 2018 (representing ASPAC), and the SVD-SSpS joint workshop on Spirituality and Interculturality in Steyl in 2020. She is the Editor-in-chief of the International SVD Lay Partners Newsletter, published in English and Spanish.

7 Responses

  1. The Article on” SVD Lay Partners. Disciples Of The Divine Word”written by Susan Noronha was well written. It gave one an idea of what the Vision and Mission of The DDW Members is. The Article contained a detailed reporting of the most recent Outreach Program Starting onSept 8,2019″Feed The Hungry”which is very commendable. I liked the reference made to Pope Francis encyclical FratelliTutti ,where we are called to be like The Good Samaritan, to Become Neighbors To Others. Thanks Susan. May God Bless you

  2. Dear Susan,
    Your article on Disciples of the Divine Word (DDW) Mumbai, is informative and can be a guideline to some groups of SVD lay partners.
    Thanks for your able and effective leadership as the president of the group.
    Gregory Pinto, SVD

  3. Dear Susan,
    Congratulations on your article about DDW and the present status as a very committed lay Patner,s group. Thanks for your able leadership and the way you are reaching out to the hungry during the covid19 pandemic. What I see is a miracle of miracles. Continue to touch people,s lives and make a difference. Every blessing.

  4. congratulations dear Susan and all the members along with Fr. Gregory Pinto. Your committed Service and sacrifice Is commendable. May God bless you and your families abundantly.

  5. Dear Susan,
    It is great to read and to see, how you feed the hungry in the spirit of the gospel in collaboration of the SVD-Family. My prayer from Switzerland strengthen you to continue this wonderful work! Philipp Hautle, SVD-laypartner

  6. God is in deed good all the time. As I can see my fellow lay associates from other countries are doing charity work and may your pockets never be dry at all cost so that you can reach more and more. Well wishes from Kenya’s Sts. Joachim and Anne Soweto parish.

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