Divine Stories

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!

Planting Seeds and Reaping the Harvest

By Fr. Adam MacDonald, SVD, Epworth, IA

Fr. Adam is a member of the Tri-Province Vocation Team and writes about challenges of searching and accompanying candidates with missionary vacation.

Almost Heaven, West Virginia

Written by Sam Lollar, SVD, West Virginia

We began our journey to West Virginia at daybreak the Saturday before Spring Break. We desired to feel God's presence and have His blessing for this new experience, so we began by praying the Liturgy of the Hours together.

Sunlights of Serenity

By Fr. Michael Tomaszewski, Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea

What a wonderful and different gift Father Michael Tomaszewski received shortly after his ordination in SVD Chicago Province, on May 21, 2011. A bicycle! He was most grateful to our benefactors for this unique gift. He knew it would come in handy in his first assignment as parish priest along the Sepik River in his new assignment in Papua New Guinea.

He Did Small Things with Great Love

Created by SVD vocations team, Epworth, IA

He had a gift for giving in the small ways that touch your heart, make you laugh or your job easier. His ministry was of small, everyday things—running an errand, fixing a machine, changing a watch battery, making a new staff member feel welcome, brushing snow off cars, helping ESL students with their English, showing them how to count change, writing a sympathy note to a friend or benefactor—so many missionary acts of kindness.

Learning New Lessons

Written by Betenora Bako Liba, São Paul, Brazil

Only few years ago Betanora was part of our Techny, Novitiate community. Now he is in Brazil on his Cross-Cultural Training Program to experience missionary life and return Chicago and continue his Theology studies.

We Ordained Two Missionary Priests

Written by Fr. Mark Weber; Location: Chicago, Illinois

Two men were ordained as Divine Word Missionary priests on May 28th in Chicago.

Pain and Sadness in Ukraine

Ukraine - Society of the Divine Word Parishes

Parishes located in the quieter regions of Ukraine are actively involved in organizing help for those in need. This is the case in Wierzbowiec, in the Southern part of Ukraine, where the Divine Word Missionaries urgently transformed the retreat center into a home for people escaping the war.

I Know I Will Never Be Adandoned

Asbury Park, New Jersey

My experience of emigrating from Colombia to the United States was very good. I had a visa, so I did not have any problems entering the country. I have been a member of the parish for the past fourteen years and have been active in many areas.

A Missionary's Devotion to Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Retired SVD missionary, Father Bill Halvey, arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1961 and served there for 26 years. Read about the community he served.

Parish Language Program Helps a Man Discover He Is Being Cheated at Work

Lakewood, New Jersey - Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community

This story is about three people: a teacher, a student, and a pastor who is an SVD missionary. It is set at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community in Lakewood, New Jersey, which has one of the largest Hispanic communities in the Diocese of Trenton.