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This library consists of several thousand theological books and journals to meet the needs of the SVD seminarians for their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The library is accessible to YTU and MCD students by appointment. Subjects covered are: scripture; spirituality; theology; pastoral ministry; ecclesiology; church history; interreligious dialogue and comparative religion.

The specialist Missiological books and some bound journals purchased by the Divine Word Missionaries are housed on the main YTU campus in St Paschal Library to be more readily available to all students.

Since 1992 the cataloguing is on-line. The library is a participating member of the YTU Union Catalogue database established in 2005 and accessible on the internet. There is a card catalogue of books purchased prior to 1992. Significant journal articles are indexed on-line to facilitate students’ research.

The Library Manager is Siobhan Foster, B.A., B.Theol., Dip.Lib.

Accessing the Library catalogue, please click the link below:

Patrick Murphy Memorial Library Catalogue

The OTP programme is an integral part of the initial formation programme of the Divine Word Missionaries Australian Province.

The ordinary length of the programme varies from eighteen months to three years. Two years, however, would be average.

The first stage of the programme in the host country involves language and cultural studies. Such studies should normally take no more than half of the total time spent in the country. The language learned is the one used in pastoral ministry in that country or area where the student will undertake his supervised pastoral ministry.

The second stage consists of an in-depth, supervised pastoral experience. As such, it is something lived and not only learned. OTP is not an exposure programme. The activity should be a genuine religious ministry and so serve as an introduction to the specific pastoral role of ordained priests or brothers in final vows. To become an effective learning situation the ministry must be supervised. This involves a personal learning relationship with an experienced missionary. The activity must be such that it involves the student with the people of the area.

The Australian Province of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) is part of the SVD International Community and seeks to carry out in its life the vision and commitment of the Society.

In our formation programme we seek to promote this vision and their values at each stage of the formation program so that candidates can internalize and personalize them. The missionary mandate that is our charism determines the form of our religious life and the spirit of the evangelical counsels which are the foundation for religious life permeates our missionary work.

For a vocation to develop fully, formation must be balanced and holistic. It must be rooted in one’s own culture, be community oriented, and be directed towards apostolic service with an openness to the needs of the world today.

Our formation program is multicultural by design and aims to prepare our candidates for working internationally/multiculturally.

Attention is also given to the basic spirituality that our Founder, St. Arnold Janssen, had lived and passed on to his congregations.

Dorish Maru College is the Divine Word Residence for seminarians who are pursuing their theological training in preparation for ordination and for SVD priests who come to do post-graduate work in Melbourne. The principle tasks of the College are to prepare Divine Word seminarians for the service of the local Church and the Church overseas and provide a supportive community for those doing post-graduate studies.
The College is under the patronage of St. Joseph Freinademetz, one of the first SVD to serve in China.

Dorish Maru College is located on the campus of Yarra Theological Union. In 2013 we have five seminarians preparing for ordination and three seminarians preparing to do their Overseas Training Program in Australia. We also have two SVD priests doing ;ost-graduate studies

Besides studying the required courses for ordination and for the awards of Bachelor of Theology and Master of Theological Studies, every student is involved in pastoral ministry in the city, mainly with the poor, homeless and marginalized people. They also carry out active music ministry in three parishes on the weekends. The students are also responsible for preparing the liturgy, including daily Mass and morning and evening prayer, in the College.

The seminarians do their education and training in the MCD University of Divinity and attend most of their courses at Yarra Theological Union (YTU), one of the Recognized Teaching Institutions of the MCD University. YTU is known in the University for its community spirit and its hospitality. Thanks to the SVD, Yarra Theological Union has always had a reputation for offering a strong program in Mission Studies; they have provided full-time lecturers in this field for the staff as well as visiting lecturers with mission experience. Currently Jacob Kavunkal is the coordinator of this program for YTU.