Our Founder
FATHER FRANCIS MARY OF THE CROSS JORDAN
Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan was born in Gurtweil, Germany on June 16, 1848. His father, Lorenz was invalided by an accident and so the burden of the family fell entirely on Jordan’s mother Notburga. Therefore the children were not given the attention they needed. As a child, Jordan was a ring leader, but on the day of his first Holy Communion, he saw a dove fluttering over his head and then on he realized that he had a vocation to the priesthood. Due to the poor economic condition of his family, he did his apprenticeship with a professional decorator and travelled widely for many years.
After much waiting and preparation, he was able to enter the St Peter diocesan seminary in Freiburg where on July 21, 1878 he was ordained a priest. The political climate of Germany prevented him to be assigned to a parish. Thus he was sent to Campo Santo to pursue his language studies and he spent several months in the Middle East. In Lebanon he heard an inner call for the salvation of souls “This is eternal life to know you the one true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn17:3). In response to this call, he founded the ‘Apostolic Teaching Society’ on December 08, 1881, in Rome and on December 08, 1888 he founded the sisters’ branch of the Society. Since 1894, both of his foundations bore the name of the ‘Divine Saviour’. The Salvatorians are now active in 45 countries around the world.
Father Jordan founded his communities with confidence in God. He inspired his followers to a deep apostolic zeal, urging them to use at all times and everywhere all the means which the love of God inspired. After withdrawing from the active administration in 1915, he died in Tafers, Switzerland on September 8, 1918. Our Founder always enjoyed the fame for holiness and the people have prayed through his intercession. Since 1921, approximately 500 cases of graces received have been recorded in Rome. The process of beatification started on August 4th, 1948. The Society decided to transfer his remains to Rome in the year 1956. In 2011 Pope Benedict XVI officially announced that Fr. Jordan “lived a holy life,” by acknowledging the “heroicity of his virtues” and declaring him Venerable Francis Jordan.
Shortly afterwards, the postulation office received information of another grace received through the intercession of the Founder, which could be considered as a possible miracle. On 24 January 2014, a couple from Jundiaí, Brazil, found out with joy that they would become parents. Due to difficulties during pregnancy, the mother underwent a number of tests. After medical examinations, doctors told them that their daughter would probably suffer an incurable skeletal deformation. At this difficult moment, they decided to pray through the intercession of Father Francis Jordan, together with the group of the Lay Salvatorians to which they belong, as well as with some other members of the Salvatorian Family. The baby girl was born in perfect health on 8 September 2014, feast of the Nativity of Mary and the anniversary of the Founder’s death. The appointed Consultors approved the inexplicable healing as a miracle through the intercession of Fr. Francis Jordan. The same positive opinion was expressed by the Cardinals, Bishops, and members of the Congregation. On June 19, 2020 Pope Francis approved the miracle gained through the intercession of Our Founder Fr. Jordan. The Church will declare Fr. Jordan as “Blessed” on 15 May 2021 at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome.