On July 26, four men professed vows with the Society of the Divine Word. The event was held in the new Wendelin Hall at Techny. We invite you to get to know our newest members. Today, we feature Antz-Carly Cadet SVD.
Age: 30
Hometown: Cerca-La-Source, Haiti
Languages: Haitian Creole, French, English, basic Spanish
Ministries during novitiate: Minister of care at St. Norbert parish in Northbrook and cooking at Phở Tâm restaurant in Niles, Ill., preparing food for the hungry
Favorite book: “Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End” by David Gibson
Will you tell us about a time when you felt God’s presence?
Though it is not always the same at every given time in my life, as a Christian, I have been feeling God’s presence in every aspect of my life. I feel God’s presence more than ever in challenging times, such as times of despair, loss of friends and family members and the uncertainty of life. Through faith, I believe things will get better and that no bad events, pain, despair or suffering will last forever.
When did you first feel the call to be a missionary?
When I was 13, I jokingly mentioned to my dad that I felt the desire to become a Catholic priest even though I was not yet Catholic. Indeed, years later, this desire grew deeper and stronger to the extent that I asked my parents for permission to become a Catholic. In short, the call to be a missionary began silently when I was only 13. I was baptized at the age of 18, and since then, this significant journey of my life has been unfolding little by little. Believing that God is the author of this call, I humbly set my mind to follow this path, relying on His everlasting guidance.
How has living with the SVD brothers and priests at Techny inspired you?
Living with both the SVD brothers and priests at Techny is a blessing, opportunity and privilege. From each and all of them, I have learned meaningful lessons. Most importantly, I have learned the real meaning of being grateful for life, especially when witnessing the inevitable death of SVDs whom I have gotten to know during my novitiate year. Overall, their presence gives me courage and strength to continue my journey with the Society of the Divine Word as their stories speak loudly to me by indirectly telling me that the world is constantly in need of missionaries. Now, it is my turn to continue what they were doing with passion and love while they pray for us daily.