Most Rev. J. Terry Steib, bishop emeritus of Memphis, ordained four Divine Word Missionaries to the priesthood on Saturday, May 25 at Church of the Holy Family in Chicago.
Fathers Roger Kyaw Thu SVD, John Kofi Nkum SVD, Zachary Lee Andrew Smith SVD and Boromeo Shwe Pyi Soe SVD became the newest priests in the Society of the Divine Word.
For their ordination, the four men chose the theme “Go and Make Disciples of All Nations.” (Mt. 28:19)
Years of studies and training have prepared them for their first assignments.
Father Kyaw Thu earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Loikaw University in his home country of Myanmar. In 2014, he moved to the United States for studies. He graduated from Divine Word College in Epworth in 2018 and professed vows in 2019. Father Kyaw Thu fulfilled his Cross-Cultural Training Program (CTP) in the Appalachia District of the Chicago Province and graduated from Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago in May. He has been assigned to the Australia Province.
Father Nkum, who grew up in Ghana, earned a degree in agricultural engineering before entering the Society of the Divine Word. He professed vows in 2018 in Ghana and arrived in the United States to continue studies in 2018. He fulfilled his CTP in San Diego and graduated from CTU in Chicago in 2023. Father Nkum has been assigned to Botswana in Southern Africa.
Father Smith, who grew up in a suburb of Detroit, joined the Society of the Divine Word after studying microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh. He entered the Society of the Divine Word in 2012 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa. He professed vows in 2016, fulfilled his CTP in Japan and graduated from CTU in May. Father Smith will return to Japan for his first assignment.
Father Soe from Myanmar holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Loikaw University in Loikaw in Myanmar. He arrived in the United States in 2014 and professed first vows with the Society of the Divine Word in 2019. Father Soe fulfilled his CTP at St. Joseph the Worker parish in Wheeling, Ill., and graduated from CTU in May. He will remain in the Chicago Province.
The Society of the Divine Word is the largest Catholic religious order to focus on missionary work. Almost 6,000 members work in more than 80 countries.