PilgrimstaysThe Divine Word Centre, popularly known as Muthangi church, is a powerful retreat centre and frequently cited as having worked miracles for those seeking a job, peaceful family lives, financial stability and good health. It is conveniently located on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Inspired by Saint Arnold Janssen, Fr Christuraj a young and aspiring priest, was saddened by the struggles of men and was determined to reach out to them. He fixed his eyes on Jesus his Master and with prayer and fasting, headed towards his goal, his vision. He worked and visited various parishes and other places where he found the people everywhere in search of something. “Yes Lord, I will go!” said Fr Christuraj and took up the mission of healing, deliverance and reconciliation. He went around spreading the Good news of Jesus on a two-wheeler. “Give us souls Lord! Give us India!” was the cry in the hearts of few more lay people who joined him over the years. Their goal being that the gifts and fruits of Holy Spirit should empower everyone on this earth. In 1994, Fr Christuraj started his mission on a piece of the land in remote Muthangi, a village 35 kms from Hyderabad. It was an abandoned site, filled with thorns and stones, with a dilapidated structure that presented a sorry picture. The plot measuring about an acre, had no takers as it had earned an unsavoury reputation for being a hide out for thieves. For the zealous Fr Christuraj and the three young men who assisted him, this place was good enough to begin their mission. Not looking back, only believing in the promise of the Lord, they began clearing up the land infested with snakes and scorpions. With great love for the Lord and with the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was always with them, they began building the broken house. Every day was a miracle and the Divine Providence of God began to flow in as helping hands increased day by day. As a result of sacrifices and prayers, awareness of their presence there was spreading. Friends and faithful began visiting the little known Muthangi church initially named as St Mary’s Church. On September 8th 1995 an informal inauguration with a Mass was celebrated for the first time. The church was later renamed Divine Word Centre on January 26th 1996. Fr K Sahaya Cyril Doss, a great visionary joined in as a blessing. In his ministry of reconciliation and healing through the Calvary love of Jesus, thousands of families are being saved and many young hearts have found a meaning in life. The Lord inspired Fr Cyril to build the youth called Divine Word Young Apostles and spread the Good News along with them. The Lord has specially given him the anointing of leading the faithful into inner healing and repentance with the Calvary love of Jesus.
The Divine Word Centre, popularly known as Muthangi church, is a powerful retreat centre and frequently cited as having worked miracles for those seeking a job, peaceful family lives, financial stability and good health
Inspired by Saint Arnold Janssen, Fr Christuraj a young and aspiring priest, was saddened by the struggles of men and was determined to reach out to them
On September 8th 1995 an informal inauguration with a Mass was celebrated for the first time
In his ministry of reconciliation and healing through the Calvary love of Jesus, thousands of families are being saved and many young hearts have found a meaning in life
The Lord inspired Fr Cyril to build the youth called Divine Word Young Apostles and spread the Good News along with them
The SVD community chapel — where the Divine Office is prayed daily and the Eucharist is celebrated — has the character of a religious community's prayer life: disciplined, regular, and centred on the Word. The lectio divina tradition within the SVD makes Scripture the primary focus of prayer at this centre.
The formation retreats — for SVD seminarians and novices — are among the more distinctive offerings, providing a window into the interior life of the religious formation process. Lay retreatants joining in directed retreat programmes receive guidance from the SVD's experienced spiritual directors.
The SVD's global ministry has always included media — newspapers, radio, and now digital platforms — as instruments of evangelisation. In Hyderabad, the SVD's media presence is part of the broader context of the Divine Word Centre's work.
The Divine Word Centre operates within the Archdiocese of Hyderabad — one of the most geographically extensive Catholic sees in India, covering Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The SVD's retreat and mission work is an important component of the archdiocese's pastoral strategy.
The SVD is present in 75 countries — one of the most internationally diverse religious congregations in the Church. The Hyderabad community includes members from Germany, India, Korea, Nigeria, and elsewhere. This global diversity is part of the richness of a retreat experience at a Verbite centre.
The Society of the Divine Word was founded with a simple conviction: God's Word, preached clearly and persistently, is the instrument of conversion and renewal. St Arnold Janssen started a missionary society in 1875 with no money and one seminary student. Today the SVD is present in 75 countries with 6,000 members. The Divine Word Centre in Hyderabad is one small expression of that conviction: that the Word, proclaimed and prayed, does what it was sent to do.
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Read in full on Bible Gateway →The Divine Word Centre, popularly known as Muthangi church, is a powerful retreat centre frequently cited as having worked miracles for those seeking a job, peaceful family life, financial stability and good health. It is conveniently located on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Inspired by Saint Arnold Janssen, Fr Christuraj, a young and aspiring priest, was saddened by the struggles of people and was determined to reach out to them. He fixed his eyes on Jesus his Master and, with prayer and fasting, headed towards his goal, his vision. He worked and visited various parishes and other places, where he found people everywhere in search of something. “Yes Lord, I will go!” said Fr Christuraj, and he took up the mission of healing, deliverance and reconciliation. He went around spreading the Good News of Jesus on a two-wheeler.
“Give us souls, Lord! Give us India!” was the cry in the hearts of a few more lay people who joined him over the years, their goal being that the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit should empower everyone on this earth.
In 1994, Fr Christuraj started his mission on a piece of land in remote Muthangi, a village 35 km from Hyderabad. It was an abandoned site, filled with thorns and stones, with a dilapidated structure that presented a sorry picture. The plot, measuring about an acre, had no takers, as it had earned an unsavoury reputation for being a hideout for thieves. For the zealous Fr Christuraj and the three young men who assisted him, this place was good enough to begin their mission.
Not looking back, only believing in the promise of the Lord, they began clearing up the land, which was infested with snakes and scorpions. With great love for the Lord, and with the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was always with them, they began building the broken house. Every day was a miracle, and the divine providence of God began to flow in as helping hands increased day by day.
As a result of sacrifices and prayers, awareness of their presence was spreading. Friends and faithful began visiting the little-known Muthangi church, initially named St Mary’s Church. On 8 September 1995, an informal inauguration with a Mass was celebrated for the first time. The church was later renamed Divine Word Centre on 26 January 1996.
Fr K Sahaya Cyril Doss, a great visionary, joined in as a blessing. In his ministry of reconciliation and healing through the Calvary love of Jesus, thousands of families are being saved and many young hearts have found a meaning in life. The Lord inspired Fr Cyril to build the youth, called Divine Word Young Apostles, and spread the Good News along with them. The Lord has specially given him the anointing of leading the faithful into inner healing and repentance with the Calvary love of Jesus.
