PIA SOCIETY OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. — It was founded by the Servant of God Guido M. Conforti in Parma in 1895. Erected as a religious congregation in 1898, it received the decree of praise in 1906 and definitive approval in 1921. Its exclusive aim is the conversion of the infidels. Government: a superior general and four counsellors.
The Saverians, who set out in 1904, established the apostolic prefecture of Western Ho-nan, which was later divided into the dioceses of Cheng-chow and Loyang. At present they work in the aforementioned dioceses, in Kiang-si and at Tientsin. They have in Peking the house of studies and the native novitiate, and in Shanghai the procuracy. In Japan they are in the dioceses of Osaka and Fukuoka; in West Africa in the dioceses of Freetown and Bo; and recently also in Indonesia.
Personnel as of 1950: professed members 309, students 650. The institute has sixteen houses for recruitment, study and formation in Italy, two in Great Britain and one in the United States. It publishes various periodicals, including Fede e civiltà for educated classes, Didattica missionaria for teachers, Voci d'altre mare for young people, and Missionari saveriani, a bulletin for friends and benefactors. It also publishes missionary books.