Holy Name University

About the SVDs

SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE WORD

ST. ARNOLD JANSSEN
Founder of the SVD

The Society of the Divine Word is an international congregation of Catholic missionary priests and Brothers in over 55 countries around the world. Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, the Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) has grown to over 5,000 members worldwide. SVD missionaries work primarily where the Gospel has not been preached at all, or only insufficiently, and where the local Church is not yet viable on its own.

The SVD's membership reflects the international nature of the congregation and representative of the areas of the world they serve. The SVD missionaries serve according to the needs of the local Church and the particular expertise they bring to the task.

In Asia, the SVDs are involved in education, especially in the Philippines and Japan. They are also involved in pastoral and developmental work, and other specialized ministries such as Bible apostolate, the youth, communications, and refugee apostolate in Africa and South America. Their work in the United States involves the minority communities, especially African-American and Hispanic communities, as well as, poor areas such as Appalachia.

The Society of the Divine Word is the only major congregation of religious men which has shown steady growth over the last 30 years.

Divine Word Missionaries work in:

EUROPE

Italy, Germany, France, Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, the former republics of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Belarus, Siberia, Ukraine, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.

NORTH AMERICA

The United States, Mexico and Canada

CENTRAL AMERICA

Nicaragua and Panama

CARIBBEAN

Antigua, St. Kitts, Anguilla, Montserrat, Cuba and Jamaica

SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay

ASIA

China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, East Timor, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand

OCEANIA

Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji

AFRICA

Angola, Botswana, Chad, Ghana, Togo, Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Benin, Zimbabwe and Madagascar

SVD SCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Divine Word College of Bangued — Bangued, Abra
Divine Word College of Calapan — Calapan, Oriental Mindoro
Divine World College of Legaspi — Legazpi, Albay
Divine Word College of Laoag — Laoag, Ilocos Norte
Divine Word College of San Jose — San Jose, Antique
Divine Word College of Urdaneta — Urdaneta, Pangasinan
Divine Word College of Vigan — Vigan, Ilocos Sur
Divine Word College Seminary — Tagaytay City, Cavite
Divine Word Mission Seminary — Davao City, Davao del Sur
Holy Name University ― Tagbilaran City, Bohol
University of San Carlos — Cebu City, Cebu