Head of SVD Society ends visit

THE superior general of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) Fr Heinz Kuluke, SVD, has concluded his five-day official visit to PNG.

Fr Heinz arrived at Jackson’s Airport in the early hours of Tuesday, July 22 and was in PNG until yesterday when he left for the Philippines, where he will attend the meeting of the SVD Formators of the Asia/Pacific Zone.

He visited several institutions in Port Moresby, Mt.Hagen, Kundiawa, Goroka and Madang during his stay in PNG.

Fr Heinz was born in Spelle, Germany. He worked as an electrician in Automation technology for some years before joining the German Air force for two years.

He wanted to be a missionary and so joined the St. Augustine’s SVDs seminary in  Germany in 1979. He was ordained a priest in 1989 and was sent to the Philippines as a Missionary in the same year. He was a parish priest in Mindonao and became a lecturer at the San Carlos University.

He got his Master’s Degree in Philosophy in the USA and  later got his Doctorate in Gregorian University, Rome. He went back to the Philippines and worked in many capacities at the San Carlos University.

At the same time, he was also involved in a special ministry to the poor and the marginalised. He was the Provincial superior of the SVDs in the Philippines when he was elected as the Superior General of the SVDs in 2012.

There are 110 SVDs in PNG and 6,000 SVDs working in 71 countries of the world.

Although Fr Heinz is visiting PNG for the first time, has met many missionaries who have worked in PNG and he has knows abit of Pidgin.

“There were 300 SVDs in PNG 30 years ago and now there are only 110 SVDs. The SVDs have to find a new direction and focus in their ministries.

“SVDs of many nationalities are living and working together in communities in PNG and the world. This internationality is a witness to the Internationality of our God,” Fr. Heinz said.