Volume 35 No. 1 | Autumn 2025 4 Society Matters New Provincial and Provincial Council appointed to lead Province for next triennium The SVD Australia Province has a new Provincial and Provincial Council to provide collaborative leadership over the next three years. Fr Boni Buahendri SVD has been appointed as the new Provincial Superior of the SVD Australia Province for the next triennium, succeeding Fr Asaeli Rass SVD. He took up his new role in January. Fr Boni, who was parish priest of St Mark’s Parish, Inala, when he learned of his new appointment, said that while the role of Provincial has many challenges, he accepted it with humility and hope and looked forward to working together as a team with members of the Province, the communities that they serve, lay collaborators and friends. Fr Boni was born and raised on the island of Flores in Indonesia and joined the SVD after high school, making his final vows in 1997. He was ordained a priest on October 10,1998 in Flores and arrived in Sydney on July 6, 1999, having been assigned to the SVD Australia Province. Since then he has worked in parish ministry as well as in missionary formation. Fr Boni has also served a total of eight years on the Provincial Council at different times, under the leadership of provincials Tim Norton, Henry Adler and Asaeli Rass, giving him broad experience over a significant period of time. “It has given me experience in terms of leadership and governance, and insights into how the Province is growing and changing,” he said. Overall, Fr Boni said he saw the role of Provincial as one of “listening and learning and working together”. “I am not working alone. I am a team player,” he said. “I would like us to move forward working as a team, whether that be in the Provincial Council, with the Coordinators of the Four Characteristic Dimensions, the rectors of our houses, those in Indigenous ministry, parish ministry, chaplaincy, formation – to work together. “My job is to empower people and to support them because when we stand together, we are united. “I have my limitations, but I hope that whatever small gifts I have can be used as part of the team, all working together to promote the vision and mission of our Province and the life of the Gospel.” The new Provincial Councillors who will be assisting and supporting Fr Boni in leadership are Fr Prakash Menezes SVD (Vice-Provincial), Fr Elmer Ibarra SVD and Fr Bill Burt SVD. Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD (Admonitor) will serve a second term on the Council. Fr Boni said he was delighted with the composition of the Provincial Council, and he was looking forward to collaborating with them in the leadership of the Province. Fr Prakash is from India, and, after completing his formation at Dorish Maru College in Melbourne, has been assigned to Central Australia since his ordination more than a decade ago and also holds leadership roles Volume 36 No. 1 | Autumn 2026
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