Society of the Divine Word
The Society of the Divine Word, abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. As of 2020, it consisted of 5,965 members composed of priests and religious brothers working in more than 70 countries, now part of VIVAT international. It is one of the largest missionary congregations in the Catholic Church. Its members add the nominal letters SVD after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation. The superior general is Paulus Budi Kleden who hails from Indonesia.
Arnold Janssen (1837-1909), founder of the Society of the Divine Word
Countries and territories where the Divine Word Missionaries are present (2018) with years of foundation in each mission and some statistics (2020).
Divine Word College Seminary in Epworth, Iowa, United States.
The Divine Word Theologate in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Steyl is a village in the Tegelen district of the municipality of Venlo, the Netherlands. The village on the river Meuse is mainly known for its monasteries. In 2004, a section of the village including four monasteries was made a conservation area under protection of the Dutch heritage agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed.
Village square with statue of Christ as Verbum Dei. To the left: the ferry and the ferry house. To the right: St. Michael's Monastery
The "Pink Sisters" in the chapel of their motherhouse in Steyl
Tomb of Saint Arnold in the lower chapel of St. Michael's Monastery
St. Michael's Monastery