THE PRESIDENT Fr. Tom Ascheman, SVDIn This Issue:

Birthday Corner

COVID Dashboard 3Spring Registration 3Where Are They Now? 7Mission Sunday Reflection addendum

October27 Fr. Saint-Gilbert Nortilus28 Fr. Thinh Ngo, SVD31 Fr.JimBergin,SVD

November1 Sr. Van Hong Nguyen, LHC

1Address: 102 Jacoby Dr SW, Epworth, IA 52045 Phone: (563) 876-3353 or info@dwci.edu

October 26

2021Vol. 41 No. 11

Mission Sunday Homecoming

continued next page

Mission Sunday was a HOMECOMING celebration for DWC. Many SVDs from Chicago and Techny, and some alumni and friends of the College came home to help us celebrate. We didn’t have a football game to draw us together, but the food in the “Taste of DWC” banquet was as good, or better than the food at tailgating gatherings at almost every other college across the country. We had fancy dress, and songs, and dancing, and abundant joy.

During the liturgy, Bro. Brian McLauchilin shared reflections on the theme, Think Global, Act Local. He started by reminding us of the purpose of the feast:

Mission Sunday is a day when we can celebrate the beauty of people and cultures. It is a day when we can hold our heads up high and proclaim the WORK we do around the WORLD. Mission Sunday is a way of letting the universal church know that all people, cultures, and religions matter and that all people are loved by God.

Bro. Brian commented on the Gospel of the day, the restoration of sight to a beggar named Bartimaeus. Hearing that Jesus was near, Bartimaeus called out, begging for help, and begging to be recognized.

Jesus is faced with a big problem, one that is both global and local. On the global level, he is faced with the problem of marginalization, a problem that humanity has likely faced since the dawn of civilization. People who do not fit into the rest of society are placed at the bottom rung of the social ladder – maybe due to poverty, mental illness, or physical disability.

(Some think that) since they do not contribute to society, then they should not enjoy the same rights as others. Jesus is also faced with a local problem. What should he do??? Here is this man begging

2

on the side of the road, making all kinds of noise and not shutting up when others tell him to keep quiet. Bartimaeus continues to beg – continues to shout out so that Jesus will notice him. Please see me as an equal member of society.

What Jesus did in healing the blindness of Bartimaeus, still has consequences both locally and globally.

Like our friend Bartimaeus, how many marginalized people are begging at the roadside, waiting for US to notice them? We are faced with a similar problem as Jesus--How can we think globally and act locally? How can we see the global problem of human rights abuses--poverty, environmental destruction, human trafficking, right to life from conception to natural death--and do something on the local level?

The SVD General Chapter of 2000 called for an organization through which SVDs and the SSpS could work together with other religious congregations to effect change around the world. In November of 2000, after consulting with the Holy Spirit Sisters, VIVAT International came into being. VIVAT is Latin for “may there be LIFE” and echoes the prayers of the Arnoldus family: “May the Heart of Jesus LIVE in the hearts of all, “ and “May the Holy Triune God LIVE in our hearts, and in the hearts of all people.”

Bro. Brian described the purpose of VIVAT International.

VIVAT aims to help foster a world society in which all peoples, cultures, and religions are able to experience justice, harmony, and understanding. By working with the grassroots efforts of the SVDs and SSpS, VIVAT tries to think globally, while acting locally.

When we work together with others for a more just world, for greater LIFE, we are doing the work of VIVAT. Bro. Brian concluded:

“On this Mission Sunday, may we dedicate ourselves to help solve global problems by working locally for justice: protection of human rights, eradication of poverty, and protection of biodiversity. Anything we do on the local level has positive consequences on the global level. May we all work together for justice for all peoples, cultures, and religions.”

All of us are on the way to our Forever Home. It is fabulous to have a little foretaste of that great homecoming each year on Mission Sunday. (The full text of Br. Brian’s remarks is attached to the LOG.)

3

Number of Tests

Tested Positive

Number Self-Isolated

Number Recovered

Vaccination Completed

2020-2021 913 50 50 50 129

August 1- Sept. 4 231 0 0 0 4

Sept. 5 - Oct. 2 78 0 0 0 2

Oct. 3 - 9 35 0 0 0 0

Oct. 10 - 16 20 0 0 0 0

Oct. 17 - 23 34 0 0 0 0

Vaccine BoostersVarious members of the faculty, staff, and SVD community have been getting booster shots for their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccinations. A recent study has shown that the COVID vaccines all have a significant impact on reducing hospitalizations and mortality rates. The booster for Pfizer has also shown a rather dramatic increase in protection against breakthrough infections. In a study of 10,000 persons who were already full-vaccinated, half of the group was given a booster and the other a placebo. There were 109 breakthrough infections among the 5000 who received a placebo; there were only 5 among the 5000 who did receive the booster!

At present, booster shots are mostly available to those over 65 years of age and to those who have some immune deficiency. (https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-phase-3-trial-data-showing)

Sights and Sounds of Mission SundayCheck out the links below to enjoy a video of the liturgy and photos of the entire day.

Liturgy video: https://youtu.be/ZRO6gD9Q47kPhotos of preparation, liturgy and Taste of DWC: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1DHMGGbjTCJMnX9v7 **Special thanks to Sr. Francisca and Frt. Tin Vu, SVD for your photos!

DWC COVID-19 Dashboard

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Fr. John Szukalski, SVD

Registration For Undergraduate Spring 2022 SemesterNovember 3-5, 2021Undergraduate student registration will take place from Wednesday 3 November through Friday 5 November 2021. All undergraduate students should schedule an appointment with their academic advisor to review academic progress and to prepare for the upcoming Spring 2022 Semester registration. Be sure to register before the deadline; registration closes promptly on Friday, November 5 at 3:00 p.m. Consult the Spring 2022 Semester schedule published by the Registrar and plan your course registration accordingly.

Students must complete a Student Course Over/Under Load [S-LOAD] Form at the time of registration whenever students are requesting a course overload (19 credit hours or more) or a course underload (14 credit hours or less). The S-LOAD Form and Academic Program Checklists are available on the DWC website at DWC Community > Student Forms.

4

Commission On English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) Self-Study SubmissionDr. Mark Garton—CEA Accreditation Coordinator—and Dr. Seo Hyun Park—IELI Director—officially submitted the ESL Program Self-Study Document on 26 October 2021, ahead of the scheduled deadline. The document represents the hard work of ESL faculty and administrators under the dedicated and able leadership of Dr. Garton and Dr. Park. The Self-Study document is 144 pages long comprised of 45,246 words in response to 269 questions, not counting substantial evidentiary files. Congratulations on completing this important milestone on the way to CEA specialized accreditation!

Presidential Inauguration At College Of Mount Saint VincentDr. Susan Burns, a member of DWC’s Board of Trustees, was inaugurated as the sixth president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV) in the Bronx, New York on Sunday, October 17, 2021. CMSV was founded by the Sisters of Charity in 1847 as the first institution of higher learning for women in New York City. Today, CMSV is a Catholic coeducational institution comprised of 1,850 undergraduates as well as graduate and adult learners dedicated to fostering understanding of our common humanity, a commitment to human dignity, and a full appreciation of our obligations to one another in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Fr. John Szukalski, SVD, VP for Academic Affairs, participated in the Mass and Inauguration ceremony as one of twenty-five delegates from colleges and university around the nation. Congratulations, President Burns!

St. John’s University In Collegeville, Minn.Ms. Donelle Poling, Admissions Director from St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville Minn., will be visiting Divine Word College on Tuesday, November 9, 2021. Ms. Poling will be available throughout the afternoon to speak with any students interested in the possibility of attending St. John’s University for graduate studies. She will help address any questions about degree programs, the application process, accommodations, and scholarship opportunities.

5

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FORMATIONDEAN OF STUDENTS Fr. Long Phi Nguyen, SVD

Gratitude and ThanksOn behalf of the Formation and Student Life Committee, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the students, kitchen staff, faculty, staff, SVD members, and administrators for all the hard work you put into making our Mission Sunday celebration so successful, meaningful and enjoyable. The multicultural liturgy with joyful music and dance was indeed a foretaste of the heavenly kingdom that waits for us. Special thanks to musicians, cantors, dancers, flag bearers, altar servers, ushers, sacristans, the chefs, and those who helped to decorate the chapel and the gym. A big round of applause to all! Many thanks to Ms. Jill, Dr. Evelyn, Fr. Paul, and Fr. Sonny who worked so hard to plan and coordinate the beautiful liturgy.

Vocation Mass The formation group of St. Teresa of Calcutta will organize a vocation Mass on Wednesday, October 27. Please come to support and pray with Fr. Stephen Kha Nguyen, SVD, and members of St. Teresa of Calcutta for the growth of vocations in religious life and for the work of missionaries all around the world.

Formation Group Annual RetreatsThree groups will make their annual weekend retreats, beginning Friday, October 29, until Sunday, October 31. The Colossians will make their retreat in East Troy, Wisconsin. The Ephesians will go to the Barn House in Epworth while the sisters of St. Teresa of Avila will be at St. Columbkille Retreat Center in Dubuque. Please remember them in your prayers that they may have a spirit-filled retreat.

Assessment consists of six steps:

1. Developing realistic and relevant Learning Objectives that reflect your program, institution, and mission

2. Checking for and ensuring alignment between the existing curriculum and created objectives

3. Developing a realistic and institution-specific Assessment Plan 4. Collecting Assessment Data (signature assignments and assessment via faculty evaluators) 5. Using the collected data results to create data-driven recommendations that will improve a

program 6. Routinely reexamining the process, plan, data, and so forth to ensure program effectiveness

and assessment plan efficiency.

6

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMISSIONS Mr. Len Uhal

Come and See VisitorsThank you to everyone for helping to host our last three Come and See visitors. Brandon, Andrew and Hoa all said they enjoyed their visit to Divine Word College and their time here was helpful as they continue to discern their vocations. We are hopeful that one, two or all three might apply to attend Divine Word College and enter SVD formation. Please keep them and all our inquirers in your prayers. We look forward to next month when we will host five more visitors for a visit.

The Word Among UsThe November issue of The Word Among Us has arrived. Copies of the booklet will be placed in student mailboxes by Thursday of this week in preparation for November 1 next Monday. A few extra copies will be available in the SVD lounge. If you would like a copy in Spanish, please stop by the vocation office to get a copy. We are grateful to a generous benefactor who makes this resource possible for our community.

JUSTICE, PEACE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION COUNCILThe JPIC Council will be sponsoring its FIRST conversation in a new series called Food for Thought. Join us on Wednesday, October 27 at 11:45 (or right after your 11:00 a.m. class) in the Pourhouse. Food will be provided OR you can feel free to go to the dining room and pick up something to take to the Pourhouse. The topic for our first conversation will be Caring for our Common Home. Join us for lively and interesting conversation on this topic. The JPIC Council looks forward to seeing you there.

Halloween Party“Eat, Drink, and be Scary” reminds us of Halloween Day. The Student Senate will organize a Halloween party on Friday, October 29, 2021, beginning with evening prayer at 5:15 pm in the main chapel. There will be activities prepared in the dining room followed by the supper. More information will be posted on the Student Board. Be alert! Happy Halloween!

All Souls DayA reminder from the chaplain, Fr. Sonny De Class, SVD, that for the celebration of All Souls Day on Tuesday, November 2, Divine Word College Community will pray for the souls of our loved ones. Please write down their names and put them in the urn placed at the front door of the main chapel.

7

DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTAll Souls Day November 2Our annual All Souls Day Mass will be at 8 am Tuesday, November 2. Many friends of Divine Word College will attend. There will not be a reception after Mass this year.

The All Souls Day Mass is a special way for all who attend to remember a loved one who passed away during the previous year. Remembering a loved one with a Mass can be a very helpful part of the grieving process. With that in mind, we want to make this a very special day for all who attend.

Pamela Avellanosa In 2013 Pamela’s life-long dream of studying abroad came true when she received an opportunity to deepen her connection with the SVD by enrolling in Divine Word College. After leaving Epworth in 2015, Pamela attended Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and earned a master’s degree in pastoral studies in 2017. Since then, Pamela has moved back to the Philippines and is currently teaching theology at a local university. Pamela is somewhat “famous” in the Arnoldus family of SVDs, SSpS and SSpSAP because at the age of 14, after a serious bicycling accident, she was miraculously healed of a massive brain injury through the intercession of Arnold Janssen. This healing was one of the miracles that led to the canonization of St. Arnold Janssen SVD.

Bishop Terry Steib, SVD After studies at three Divine Word collegiate seminaries, Terry Steib was ordained a priest 1967. Father Steib served first at seminaries and then as provincial of the Divine Word Southern Province until he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis 1983. He was ordained a bishop 1984, and also served as vicar general of the St. Louis Archdiocese. In 1993, He was appointed fourth bishop of Memphis in Tennessee, holding the position until 2016 when he retired. Reflecting on his episcopal appointments, Bishop Steib wrote: “They were strange avenues to me, but through it all, I found out one thing: God’s grace was sufficient for me, and my God did not let me down!”

8

October 27 ESL Field Trip - Vesperman Farm, Lancaster, Wisc.

November 3-5 Registration – Undergraduate Spring 2022 Semester

November 5 ESL Field Trip - Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa

1

MISSION SUNDAY

OCTOBER 24, 2021

Happy Mission Sunday everyone!! It is one of the highlight celebrations for Divine Word Missionaries and the entire Arnoldus Family.

It is a day when we can celebrate the beauty of people and cultures. . . it’s a day when we can hold our heads up high and proclaim the WORK we do around the WORLD. Mission Sunday is a way of letting the universal church know that all people, cultures, and religions matter and that all people are loved by God.

In today’s Gospel for Mission Sunday, we hear about Bartimaeus, a blind man, who was begging on the roadside, waiting for someone to notice him, waiting for someone to recognize his personhood, to acknowledge him as a member of the human family.

When he heard that Jesus was close-by, Bartimaeus begged for Jesus to recognize him and take pity!!

Bartimaeus was a man marginalized by society because of his physical disability. He was blind and as a result, was not seen as a fully contributing member of society. Because of his marginal status, the society of his day deprived him of his human rights. He was placed at the bottom of the social order, a place where others can look down on you and remind you every day that you do not matter.

According to St. Mark’s account of this incident, as Bartimaeus becomes more vocal in calling out to Jesus, others are telling him to keep quiet. They do not want him to disturb the social order. Those who are on the margins, should remain on the margins!! People cannot challenge the system, because if they do, then the social order has to change. Those who are in power may have to lose their social position and they do not want that to happen!!

Jesus is faced with a big problem, one that is both global and local. On the global level, he is faced with the problem of marginalization, a problem that humanity has likely faced since the dawn of civilization. People who do not fit in to the rest of society are placed at the bottom rung of the social ladder----maybe due poverty, mental illness, or a physical disability. Since they do not contribute to society, then they should not enjoy the same rights as others.

Jesus is also faced with a local problem. What should he do??? Here is this man begging on the side of the road, making all kinds of noise and not shutting up when others tell him to keep quiet. But, Bartimaeus continues to beg--continues to shout out so that Jesus will notice him. PLEASE SEE ME AS AN EQUAL MEMBER OF SOCIETY.

As I see it, Jesus solves both the global and local problem by restoring Bartimaeus’ sight. In a metaphorical sense, he not only restores his sight, but also calls him back into the human family. Jesus restores Bartimaeus’ human dignity and upholds his human rights. Through Jesus caring action, Bartimaeus becomes a full-fledged member of the human family.

2

In my personal meditation on this, I like to think that Bartimaeus’ has a special role in following Jesus. His job is to restore human dignity to others who live on the margins. He makes a special effort toward upholding the human rights of those placed at the bottom of the social order.

Through Jesus’ action of recognizing Bartimaeus, restoring his eyesight, and calling him back into the human family, Jesus similarly did for all marginalized people around the world. Jesus’ loving action of advocating for Bartimaeus, had consequences for marginalized people around the world. By acting locally, Jesus was thinking globally.

Like our friend Bartimaeus, how many marginalized people are begging at the roadside, waiting for US to notice them?

We are faced with a similar problem as Jesus--How can we think globally and act locally?

How can we see the global problem of human rights abuses--poverty, environmental destruction, human trafficking, right to life from conception to natural death--and do something on the local level?

How can we advocate for the marginalized? How do we think globally and act locally?

Back in November 2000, the SSpS Sisters and Divine Word Missionaries decided to collaborate with one another by forming a non-governmental organization--also called an NGO--that has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. Thus, Vivat International was created.

Since its foundation, Vivat International currently includes several catholic religious congregations that share the vision of promoting human rights, sustainable development, eradication of poverty, and protection of biodiversity.

Vivat aims to help foster a world society in which all peoples, cultures, and religions are able to experience justice, harmony, and understanding. By working with the grassroots efforts of the SVDs and SSpS, Vivat tries to think globally, while acting locally.

One of the ways in which grassroots efforts can make a difference on a global level is through the Universal Periodic Review. the Universal Periodic Review is a process of reviewing the human rights efforts of each member state of the United Nations.

We’ve been talking about assessment a lot at DWC lately. In fact, it has become quite the buzzword among faculty and students frequently hear about it in their classes.

In many ways, the Universal Periodic Review is a way of assessing a country’s human rights records. How are they treating their citizens or for that matter, all people within their borders? If a country is not up to standards in their human rights record, this is a time for organizations, such as Vivat, to step in and report about any abuses. It is a UN framework for holding countries accountable to human rights for all people.

3

It is a way of bringing up the sub-standard conditions that Haitian refugees have had to face on the US/Mexico border. It is a way to bring up families who have been divided. There are cases where children are still waiting to be reunited with parents or other family members.

Some years back, I was able to work with a Comboni Missionary on submitting a report for the Universal Periodic Review, so that the United Nations could know about abuses that many families have had to face.

Why is this process even important? How can the Universal Periodic Review effect change on both the grassroots and the global levels? Through UN frameworks of accountability, these processes can improve the human rights situation of the marginalized. It is important that we try to work for systemic change by our local grassroots efforts and changing them on a global level.

What does the work of Vivat International have to do with Divine Word College??

It is a way of saying our grassroots efforts at DWC do make a difference on the global level.

Each time DWC students and SVDs do roadside cleanup once per semester, we are doing a local action that has a positive effect on the global problem of environmental degradation. Each time the Seminarians for Life pray to end abortion or plant crosses in front of DWC, we are having a positive influence toward realizing the rights of the unborn and human rights for all people.

A few years ago, DWC installed new lightbulbs, an effort that is saving a considerable energy during the course of a year. Again, it is a local action that is having a global effect. Each time we act on behalf of the human rights of the marginalized or protect biodiversity, we are doing local actions that have global consequences. We are thinking globally and acting locally.

We have also donated money to various causes, money toward relief efforts on the border to some of the countries where Divine Word Missionaries live and serve. Today’s collection, for instance, is for Myanmar and the crisis of human rights abuses that many are facing right this moment.

Again, this is a local effort that tries to solve a global problem. Think globally, act locally.

By bringing our grassroots efforts to organizations like Vivat International, we do create CHANGE on the global levels. Vivat collaborates with other like-minded non-governmental organizations. They also collaborate with many other Catholic religious congregations. By pooling ideas and best practices for solving local problems, we do create change. Sometimes change can be very slow, but we do see change. For example, violence against children and adolescents did improve in Bolivia by submitting a report through the United Nations. Human Rights abuses have improved in West Papua.

Such change can happen through the grassroots efforts of concerned citizens. By reporting our efforts to Vivat International, we pool ideas and share resources with other NGOs. These efforts get recognized at the UN level. This is a way for civil society to share stories. One good idea or best practice begets yet another good idea. This is how change occurs.

4

This is not about patting ourselves on the back for the good efforts we have done thus far. This also serves to encourage us to do more, to challenge ourselves toward more focused efforts. How can we do more for the environment--how can we live up to Pope Francis’ challenge of caring for our common home?

On this Mission Sunday, may we dedicate ourselves to help solve global problems by working locally for justice: protection of human rights, eradication of poverty, and protection of biodiversity. Anything we do on the local level has positive consequences on the global level. May we all work together for justice for all peoples, cultures and religions.