Father Mingyo Daniel Lee SVD brings a rich journey of faith, cultural experience and missionary zeal to his new role of associate pastor at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Sint Maarten.

Born and raised in Gwangju in the far southwest corner of South Korea, Father Lee first encountered the joy of service as a young altar server at age nine. He also received his First Holy Communion that year and sensed a deep desire to serve the Church.

In 2009, he began his seminary studies at Suwon Catholic University, where his path took a defining turn in 2012 after meeting members of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). Father Dennis Callan SVD, former provincial of the Korean Province, invited him to join the SVD community for a meal.

At that dinner, Father Lee was deeply moved by their international community—American, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Korean missionaries who shared one mission and all spoke the Korean language. That “Pentecost moment,” as he describes it, inspired him to join the Society of the Divine Word and embrace the call to become a missionary priest.

Father Lee entered the SVD formation program in the Philippines in 2020, completing his novitiate and Cross-Training Program (CTP) there. He professed his first vows in Tagaytay, Philippines, and later served in San Jose, Mindoro, ministering among the indigenous Mangyan people. His time in the Philippines deepened his love for humble, practical service.

From 2022 to 2023, he worked at the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm in Tagaytay, a serene environment dedicated to ecological awareness and spirituality. He farmed, cooked and welcomed guests at the restaurant, café and retreat house—serving with a joyful heart and embodying the SVD spirit of hospitality and environmental conservation.

When asked about his new position, he said he is excited to undertake practical ministry and learn about the people whom he will serve in Sint Maarten.