FATHER FRANCIS JORDAN WAS A PRIEST IN GERMANY DURING THE KULTURKAMPF YEARS OF THE LATE 18th CENTURY. HE WANTED TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF THE KULTURKAMPF AND THIS MEANT FOR HIM THE RENEWING THE WHOLE CHURCH. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT HIS INTENTION TO FOUND AN ORDER HE SOON FOUND SEVERAL PRIESTS WHO WERE PREPARED TO WORK WITH HIM AND DEVELOPED A PLAN FOR A SOCIETY WITH THREE DEGREES. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR FATHER JORDAN THAT HIS SOCIETY SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN ROME SO HE MOVED TO THE HOUSE OF ST BRIGIDA IN PIAZZA FARNESE WHERE HE ESTABLISHED A PRINTING PRESS. ON THE 8TH DECEMBER 1881, IN THE CHAPEL OF ST BRIGIDA IN ROME, FATHER JORDAN AND THREE OTHER PRIESTS TOOK PRIVATE VOWS AS MEMBERS OF THE APOSTOLIC TEACHING SOCIETY. THE MOTHERHOUSE WAS SOON FILLED WITH PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES. THE NAME ‘APOSTOLIC TEACHING SOCIETY’ WAS CONSIDERED RATHER CONTROVERSIAL SINCE THE PAPACY RESERVED THE USE OF THE TITLE APOSTOLIC FOR ITSELF SO THE NAME WAS CHANGED FIRST TO THE CATHOLIC TEACHING SOCIETY THEN TO THE SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE SAVIOUR AND HAS EVER SINCE BEEN KNOWN AS THE SALVATORIANS. ONCE THE CANONICAL APPROBATION FOR THE SOCIETY WAS OBTAINED JORDAN BEGAN TO FOUND A SERIES OF NEW HOUSES OF THE SOCIETY. A HOUSE WAS FOUNDED IN INDIA AND THEN IN 1892 FATHER JORDAN STARTED FOUNDATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND AUSTRIA. THERE FOLLOWED A NUMBER OF OTHER FOUNDATIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA, EUROPE AND EVENTUALLY AUSTRALIA.

THE HISTORY OF THE SALVATORIANS IN AUSTRALIA BEGAN WHEN THE ARCHBISHOP OF PERTH, REDMOND PRENDIVILLE, SENT AN INVITATION TO THE SOCIETY IN ROME WHICH RESULTED IN FATHER PAUL KEYTE COMING TO AUSTRALIA IN 1961. FATHER PAUL WAS ASKED TO TAKE PASTORAL CARE OF THE NEW PARISH OF BELLEVUE. THE BEGINNINGS WERE DIFFICULT AS THERE WAS NO CHURCH, AND NO PARISH HOUSE OR OFFICE FACILITIES. IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS A FEW MORE SALVATORIANS FROM THE BRITISH PROVINCE JOINED FATHER PAUL. THE PARISH OF BELLEVUE WAS THE ONLY SALVATORIAN CENTRE IN AUSTRALIA UNTIL THE YEAR 1982 WHEN FATHER ALOYSIUS MCDONAGH BECAME THE PARISH PRIEST OF ESPERANCE. IN THE LATE 70’s PROMPTED BY THE SHORTAGE IN NUMBERS, THE BRITISH PROVINCE OF THE SALVATORIANS DECIDED TO PASS ON THEIR MINISTRY IN AUSTRALIA TO THE VIBRANT POLISH PROVINCE WHO TOOK OVER IN 1897. SINCE THEN THE ORDER HAS UNDERTAKEN PASTORAL CARE IN A NUMBER OF PARISHES IN PERTH AND COUNTRY WESTERN AUSTRALIA. IN 1999 THE SALVATORIANS EXTENDED THEIR APOSTOLATE TO THE BROKEN BAY DIOCESE. THE SOCIETY ALSO UNDERTAKES CHAPLAINCIES TO SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS.

DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE WORK OF THE SALVATORIANS IN AUSTRALIA THE MAJORITY OF THEIR HOUSES ARE SIMPLY THE PRESBYTERIES OF THOSE PARISHES WITHIN WHICH THEY OPERATE. THE EXCEPTIONS ARE THE COMMUNITY HOUSE AND SEMINARY AND THE NOVITIATE. SINCE 1987 AUSTRALIA HAS FORMED A PART OF THE SALVATORIAN POLISH PROVINCE WHOSE PROVINCIAL HOUSE IS IN KRAKOW. BELOW IS A COMPLETE LIST OF PLACES WHERE THE SALVATORIANS WORK OR HAVE WORKED IN AUSTRALIA.

BALCUTTA

BRUCE ROCK

CARNARVON

CURRAMBINE

ESPERANCE

EXMOUTH

GOSFORD

GREENMOUNT

MERRIDIN

MONA VALE
2008

OCEAN REEF

PYMBLE