Mission Statement

In the light of St. Arnold Janssen’s vision for periodic religious missionary renewal, the Centro Ad Gentes aims to serve as a venue for ongoing formation for Divine Word Missionaries, members of the Arnoldus Family, their mission partners, and for lay people, religious, and clerics, as a Church called to share in the mission of Jesus, the Word Incarnate.

The SVD team understand that the Centro Ad Gentes is An International Missionary Formation Center. We understand Ad Gentes both in the sense of Vatican II and also as being inclusive of all people. Since it is for all we stress the need for dialogue and witness. The Centro is not just Church centered but open to non Catholics and people of other religions. “God loved ad gentes so much that he sent his only Son”, it is the Missio Deo.

Those who come to the Centro should feel an intercultural atmosphere and intercultural respect. The Centro wishes to promote a prayerful atmosphere through silence, the Word of God, symbols,  and the green area as a sign of God’s love for creation.

The Centro was dedicated to the Holy Spirit (21 October 1962) who is the driving force of all formation and spirituality. The Spirit breaths forth the love of the Triune God. Those who come here for workshops, courses, retreats, chapters come to deepen their involvement in mission.

The SVD community strives to work as a team at the service of international activities, retreats and workshops. The focus is that of being a family and witness. We must live what we preach. The team at the Centro sees its own role as a service for others through hospitality, availability and solidarity.

The Centro Ad Gentes specifically wishes to promote approaches which are considered important challenges at present: International/Intercultural living, formation for renewal as an ongoing process, gender related issues, the need for tolerance, promotion of justice and peace, outreach to youth and the centrality of the Word.