Divine Stories
Fr. Adam MacDonald, SVD (left) and a crew of volunteers help repair a local home in Gassaway, West Virginia.
There are two questions that donors never tire of asking charities such as ours. How did you use my donation? Did it make a difference in anyone’s life? We are posting these stories to answer these questions. We think you will like them. They are short and personal. The settings range from the South Side of Chicago to the “hollers” of West Virginia to the poor neighborhoods of Kingston, Jamaica. In every case, your generous support enabled our missionaries to touch the lives of people with the love of God. Thank you!
Grateful for 150 years of service to God's people
On Sunday, September 8th, the Society of the Divine Word also known as Divine Word Missionaries, began celebrating the 150th anniversary of its foundation.
Honorary Degree for Divine Word Musicologist
Father Piotr Nawrot SVD, a musicologist who specializes in Mission Baroque received an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of America (CUA) on May 11, 2024.
Walking With Moms in Need
This past May for Mother’s Day, a local florist donated flowers worth a few hundred dollars to be given to the women of St. Thomas and Risen Lord parishes in West Virginia. The florist recognized the good works being done by Father Thien Duc Nguyen SVD and his parishioners.
Working with the Poor in Brazil
My mission experience here in Brazil reminds me that what makes a church is not a building – it’s a place filled with people of faith.
Mission Meets Medical Anthropology
Fr. Alexander Rödlach is a teacher, a priest, a medical anthropologist – in short, he’s a modern-day missionary.
It's Never Too Late for Religious Life
When Aloysius Aisi Oa told his family about his plans to pursue religious life, they were shocked. “My mother said, ‘Are you joking? You’re a grown man,’” he recalls with a chuckle.
Mission Trip to Jamaica
In June 2023, SVD Vocation Director Fr. Tuan Hoang, SVD led an 8-day service trip to Jamaica. He was accompanied by three young adults who volunteered their time to help serve parishes and people in need on the island.
World Travels and Christianity in the World
“It is not easy being a missionary, but they [the people] animate our members,” said Father General Kleden, who served in Switzerland and Indonesia before his election to the General Council in Rome in 2012.
From Distrust to Awe
From distrust to awe, trucker converts to Catholicism in West Virginia.
Overseas Experience - A Time for Teaching and Learning
Seminarian Brian Junkes, SVD, the Florida native, recently completed his Cross-Cultural Training Program (CTP) in Chad and moved back to Chicago to complete his theology studies and formation towards the priesthood, but first he shared a little more about his time in Chad.
