On Aug. 4, four men professed vows with the Society of the Divine Word. Provincial Father Quang Duc Dinh SVD presided at the ceremony in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Techny. The newly professed members join more than 6,000 priests, brothers, seminarians and brother candidates who serve the spiritual and humanitarian needs of people in 84 countries. We invite you to meet our newest members.

Name: John Cho

Age: 38

Birthplace: South Korea

Hometown: Placentia, Calif.

Languages: Korean
                    English

Ministry track: Priesthood

Ministry during novitiate: Visiting the homebound and delivering the Eucharist

Favorite book: The Bible

When did you first feel the call to be a missionary?

When I heard that the Society of the Divine Word serves the poor. My parish’s annual retreat was held at the Divine Word retreat center at Riverside [Calif.]. A missionary priest gave a presentation about Ecuador. His teaching was so interesting. That’s when I made the decision.

Tell me about a time when you felt God’s presence:

In my 20s, I was a member of a charismatic Catholic group. I was involved with young adult ministry, prayer meetings and serving as a cantor. At the time, I couldn’t make up my mind. I was praying, and people were praying over me. I wanted a clear call.

A sister suggested that I visit the Benedictines. I like the environment of the religious community. I identified five religious orders to visit. During those visits, I felt called to serve the poor.