Divine Word Missionaries

Divine Word College

Most candidates’ first step on the journey to becoming a Divine Word Missionary (SVD) is to attend Divine Word College (DWC) located in Epworth, Iowa. Divine Word College has the distinction of being the only free-standing mission college seminary in the United States. This in itself makes it unique, but so does its cross-cultural living experience.

To become an SVD you need to be well-rounded and educated. To help accomplish this, Divine Word College offers a background in English, literature, math and science, history, speech, psychology, the arts, a second language, and theology. You choose your major in Cross-Cultural Studies or Philosophy. If you major in Philosophy, your minor is automatically in Cross-Cultural Studies. If you major in Cross-Cultural Studies, your minor is in Philosophy. These majors are of critical importance to becoming an SVD. Philosophy is a foundation for theology and the pastoral life of a priest. Cross-cultural studies prepare you to live with, enjoy, and understand people from other cultures. It also helps you understand the world view you have based on your own culture. Through a very rigorous academic formation, you come to live more reflectively in the Catholic intellectual tradition. This equips you for future ministry as a leader in the Church in whatever culture you might eventually work.

If English is not your first language, the Intensive English Language Institute at Divine Word College offers an excellent program in English as a Second Language (ESL). Before you enter the college’s regular academic program, you need a command of the English language sufficient to do college-level reading, speaking and writing. Depending on your language skills, this preparation could take one to two years.

Even though the thought of a demanding academic program might have you wondering if you can really meet the requirements, keep in mind the small size of Divine Word College allows for plenty of personal help and interaction with our very qualified faculty.

In addition to the academic formation at Divine Word College, there are also personal formational activities to help you

develop skills to live in community life
develop in your religious missionary vocation
develop a deeper more self-motivated spirituality and deeper relationship with Christ

Participating in the cross-cultural community life of the college allows daily interaction not only with your peers, but also with Divine Word Missionaries as your mentors. You attend daily Mass, join in small group prayer and bible sharing, take part in community service and work study, and enjoy sports in the gym, pool, weight room, or athletic fields.

The formation program also helps you reflect on your vocation through sharing in weekly formation group meetings which are directed by a Divine Word Missionary. Individual conferences with your formator help you mature in your vocation. Spiritual direction with your own Spiritual Director helps you develop a deeper relationship with Christ and understanding of your vocational call. Twice a year you participate in a retreat away from the College for prayer and reflection. Cultural events such as Mission Sunday, Lunar New Year, fine arts performances and exhibits, and the College lecture series help you grow in many ways.

To learn more about what it is to be of service to others, at Divine Word College you participate in Apostolic service in local communities. This service might be ministry to the elderly in nursing homes, tutoring at a local Catholic school, visiting and working with the physically or mentally impaired, participating in a local RCIA program, helping the homeless or poor through the Catholic Worker or Dubuque Rescue Mission just to name a few of the sites where students spend some time each week.

Of course life at Divine Word College is not all work and no play. There is much to enjoy in Dubuque, Iowa 15 miles away. However, many students find there is plenty to keep them busy right here in the beautiful rural setting of the Divine Word College campus.

There is much more to tell you about what goes on at Divine Word College. Find out for yourself by talking to one of the vocation directors of the college. Once you are a seminarian at Divine Word College, time flies and before you know it, it is graduation time and you are looking forward to the Novitiate Year. Click here to find out what the Novitiate is all about!

Thanks for spending a little time reading about Divine Word College, a special place. For more information about Divine Word College, visit the College website at: www.dwci.edu .

Click here to return to the Home Page