The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) was founded by St. Arnold Janssen, a German, in steyl, Holland in 1875.
- Arnold’s desire was to send out missionaries to the places where the good news of salvation was not preached at all or scantily preached.
- Today more than 6000 SVDs carry out missionary activities in more than 73 countries.
- SVDs arrived in India in 1932, making Indore in Madhya Pradesh their first base.
- Other than sending out missionaries, Arnold wanted to recruit local vocations. Hence the early missionaries from Indore reached out to other parts of India, including Mangalore, in search of vocations.
- SVDs set foot on the soil of Mangalore in 1960, fully backed by the local Bishop and clergy.
- Fr. Peter Verhaelen, a German SVD is the pioneer in setting up SVD presence in Mangalore.
- In 2012, SVD house Kirem marked its Golden Jubilee.
- The seminary has given birth to about 150 SVD missionaries. Others who studied here have become priests for various congregations and dioceses.
- Currently the seminary hosts 16 candidates and four staff members.
- SVD also has Lay-partner groups of men and women who in their own life-setting strive to live out our SVD spirituality and partner with us in carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ.
- Our contact: Mobile: +919480144054 email:
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Home for the aged
St. Arnold Nivas
SVD House Campus
Damaskatte
Aikala-574141
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