Blessed Francis Jordan - founder of the Salvatorians. PHOTO: Supplied/The eRecord.
A great and long awaited event for the Salvatorians in Australia and worldwide took place last week with the beatification of the Order’s founder, Fr Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, the e-Record reports.
The beatification ceremony, which took place on Saturday, May 15, was presided over by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness, Pope Francis.
Due to current COVID-19 travel restrictions worldwide rendering it impossible for many to attend this celebration in Rome, Salvatorians in Australia and elsewhere in the world were blessed to be able to take part in the beatification of Fr Francis Jordan through live streaming offered by the Catholic TV station TELEPACE.
Father Francis Jordan was born on 16 June 1848 in Gurtweil, a small town in the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany.
After ordination to the priesthood on 21 July 1878, he was sent to Rome, where he spent the most part of his life.
Motivated by the apostolic zeal and desire to make Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, known and loved by all people, everywhere, he founded the Society of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorians) in 1881 and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorian Sisters) in 1888.
He also organised groups of lay people to take part in the Church´s mission of evangelisation using all ways and means.
He died on 8 September 1918 in Tafers in Switzerland.
In 2014, a young couple that was expecting a baby in Jundiai, Brazil, was informed by several medical doctors and specialists that their unborn child was suffering an uncurable bone disease called skeletal dysplasia.
Being members of a group of lay Salvatorians, the parents began to pray through the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God, Fr Francis Jordan, inviting other members of the Salvatorian Family to join them.
The child was born in a complete healthy condition on 8 September 2014, the day of Fr Francis Jordan´s death anniversary.
After the required canonical procedures had been successfully completed, the Holy Father, Pope Francis declared that this miraculous healing was worked by God through the intercession of Fr Francis Jordan.
The Society of the Divine Savior’s (Salvatorians) history in Australia began in 1961, following a letter of invitation sent a few years earlier by the Archbishop of Perth, Redmond Prendiville to the head of the Society in Rome, Fr Bonaventura Schweizer.
In response to this invitation, Fr Schweizer sent the first Salvatorian Father, Fr Paul Keyte to Australia in 1961.
Fr Paul was appointed to take pastoral care of the newly established parish of Bellevue and then, Greenmount.
Since then, thanks to the growth and wonderful personal support of the Polish Province of the Salvatorians, the Society has been able to extend, undertaking pastoral care in several parishes in the Perth region, including Balcatta, Ocean Reef, Nollamara and Clarkson as well as some regional areas of Western Australia.
After the turn of the century, the Salvatorian Fathers have also been involved in the ministry of parishes in the Broken Bay Diocese in New South Wales and in some Sydney and Melbourne parishes.
Their ministry also includes school chaplaincy and providing spiritual retreat facilities.