SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE SAVIOR (S.D.S.). - Religious congregation of simple vows, founded in Rome by Fr. Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan (v.) on 8 Dec. 1881.

Its purpose is to form priest-apostles, for the defense and propagation of the Catholic religion. From this Society originates the "Monthly Priestly Day," which has now officially entered the liturgy with the Mass of "Jesus Christ, High and Eternal Priest." On 27 May 1905 the blessed Pius X granted the decree of praise and on 8 March 1912 he definitively approved it.

At present the Society is spread over many countries of Europe, of South and North America, where it has a mission among the negroes and among the Indians; in Asia the apostolic prefecture of Shaowis is entrusted to its care. It is divided into 10 provinces and 2 pro-provinces: it counts 587 fathers, 209 professed clerics, 306 lay brothers, 61 novice clerics, 19 novice lay brothers, 1038 candidate clerics, 33 candidate lay brothers, in all 2253 members.

Among the personalities of this Society are to be remembered Fr. Bonaventura Lüthen, faithful collaborator of the founder; Fr. Pancrazio Pfeiffer, first superior general, who propagated it and gave it a strong impulse; Fr. Evaristo Mader, noted biblical archaeologist, director of the Oriental Institute of the "Görres Gesellschaft" and discoverer of the biblical Mamre, of the tomb of Abraham and of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves; Fr. Cristoforo Becker, founder of the first Catholic medical-missionary Institute at Würzburg; Fr. Otto Hopfenmüller, distinguished in the struggle against the Kulturkampf and founder of the mission of Assam, India. The General Curia and the International College of Studies are in Rome, Via della Conciliazione 51.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: P. Pfeiffer, Franz Yardım und seine Gründungen, Rome 1920; E. Federici, Il p. F. Jordan, ibid. 1948.

Francesco Emmeregger

@incollection{ec11_societa_del_divin_salvatore_s, author = {Emmeregger, Francesco}, title = {Società del Divin Salvatore (S. D. S.)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {XI}, pages = {851--852}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1953}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/societa-del-divin-salvatore-s-d-s} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Society of the Divine Saviour (S.D.S.)

About this entry