History of the Soceity in India
The Society of the Divine Saviour (SDS), known as the Salvatorians, is an international, religious congregation of priests and brothers in the Catholic Church, founded in Rome, December 8, 1881, by Blessed Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan.
“The purpose of the Society is to strengthen, to defend and to spread the Catholic faith everywhere in so far as this is committed to it by Divine Providence. Therefore, by exercising this ecclesiastical teaching function in word and writing, it intends to achieve the end that all people might know more and more the one true God and Him whom He sent, Jesus Christ.” – Rule from 1882.
We are part of the Salvatorian Family that include Fathers, Brothers (Society of the Divine Saviour), Sisters (Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour) and Lay (International Community of the Divine Saviour).We are present in the continents of Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Europe and Oceana. We are engaged in Evangelization, Parish ministry, Health care, Social work, Education etc.
The Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide, which has charge of the spread of the faith among the people who have not heard of the faith, thereupon concurred most willingly with the wishes of our Venerable Father Francis Jordan the Founder and Superior General. Hence, the Propaganda Fide came to the decision to give as prefecture apostolic to ‘The Catholic Teaching Society’ (Later known as Society of the Divine Saviour) the former kingdom of Assam, the kingdom of Bhutan, and the kingdom of Manipur; in order that it may there spread the light of Christianity. This territory heretofore belonged to the diocese of Central Bengal and has now been separated from the same as an independent prefecture because this vicariate with sixteen million pagan inhabitants was too extensive.
On 13 Dec 1889 the Apostolic Prefecture of Assam was erected and handed over to the Society of the Divine Saviour by a Decree of the Propaganda Fide. Hence, the first 4 German Salvatorian Missionaries set foot in Assam 1890, under the direction of Very Rev. Fr. Otto Hopfenmüller, who was also the first Mission Superior of the Catholic Mission of Assam.
The moment they arrived in Assam, their sole aim was to make known the Saviour to the people of the land. There was not a single soul converted to Christianity by then. The zeal and enthusiasm and the hard labour of Fr. Otto and his companions could be seen in the amount of works they undertook during that very short time. The foundation was laid, though Fr. Otto (20-08-1890) and Br. Marianus (30-08-1890) had to lay their life for the mission due to disease and hard work after six months of their untiring labour. However, more men and women were sent to the mission by Fr. Jordan and mission was flourished.
Unfortunately, after 25 years of untiring missionary activities the German Salvatorian Missionaries had to leave the Indian mission due to the First World War which began in 1914.
In 1989 the Salvatorians re-established the Society in India, at Carmelaram (Bangalore, Karnataka), under the dynamic leadership of Fr. Andrzej Urbanski SDS (the then Mission Superior of Tanzania Mission) and Fr. John Vallomprayil SDS (an Indian from the British province of the SDS) along with other missionaries, who took turns to assist the initial ministry of formation. At this initial stage, the society also took over the Mission in Assam. Later the Indian Foundation was brought under the leadership and care of the Generalate. During this time, new foundations in different parts of India were established.
In December 2003 the first General body meeting of the Indian SDS was held at Carmelaram (Bangalore). Later in 2010 Indian foundation was elevated to Indian Mission Vicariate.