Archbishop Kaboré encouraged SVD members in Ghana and Liberia to continue embracing the Holy Father's invitation “to always turn to the Verbum Dei, the Word of God, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who is the light of the nations (Lumen Gentium) and the face of the Father’s mercy.”
“From Jesus Christ flows the vitality of your mission. Remaining with him, dwelling in his love, and bearing witness to him, this is the source of your authenticity and fruitfulness,” he said, echoing the words of the late Pope Francis, who also highlighted two essential dimensions of missionary life: fidelity and creativity.
He explained, “To be a faithful disciple means to live in fidelity to baptismal grace, to persevere in daily conversion and joy, to let the Gospel illuminate our faces so that others, through our witness, may encounter the love of God.”
“Such fidelity,” he emphasized, “demands both courage and humility, the courage to endure trials and temptations, and the humility to acknowledge our sins while trusting in God’s mercy.”
The Holy Father's representative in Ghana since June 2024 reminded the SVD members in Ghana and Liberia that “missionary creativity does not arise from strategies only, but also from a deep communion with Christ in his Word and in spirit.”
“Missionary creativity is not produced only by mere human ingenuity, but the fruit of abiding in him who is the source of all life,” he said.
He encouraged SVD members to follow the example of their founder, “to discern with docility the promptings of the Spirit, to approach with humility the challenges of our time, and to proclaim with joy the saving Word of God.”
“Be peacemakers in the world scarred by violence, injustice, corruption, ecological wounds. To be bearers of hope in societies marked by uncertainty and fear, expressing the charism of inculturation,” he said, and underscored the importance of approaching “every culture with respect, and openness.”
He further urged the SVD members to embody sincerity in their mission, building communities where attentive listening, open dialogue, and collective discernment under the guidance of the Spirit help form a Church that is hospitable, missionary in nature, and genuinely evangelical.
The 150th anniversary, he said, is a moment “of profound thanksgiving for the countless graces bestowed upon the Society of the Divine Word: missionary zeal, intercultural witness, service of the poor, promotion of justice and peace, and care for our creation.”
