Monday, August 26, 2013

New provincial head of Divine Word Missionaries Australia

Fr Henry AdlerFr Henry Adler SVD has been appointed as the Provincial-Elect of the Australian Province of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Fr Henry, who is currently the Mission Secretary for the Province, will take up his three-year term as Provincial in January. Outgoing Provincial, Fr Tim Norton SVD, said Fr Henry was elected to the position in a vote of his provincial confreres and the appointment was formally approved by the SVD Generalate in Rome.

'This is wonderful news for the Australian Province and we receive it joyfully,' Fr Tim said. 'I’m sure everyone joins with me in congratulating Henry and wishing him every blessing for the future.'

Fr Henry grew up with both German and Polish cultures in post-war Poland, and after joining the Society of the Divine Word, completed his initial formation in Poland and Germany, taking his final vows as a brother. 

He worked for some years in Germany and Papua New Guinea, before undertaking his priestly formation in Melbourne and being ordained in New Zealand.

Fr Henry then returned to Papua-New Guinea for five years, before coming back to Australia to work, first in formation of SVD seminarians, and then as Mission Secretary for the Province.