Salvatorian Founder

John Baptist Jordan (in religious life, Francis Mary of the Cross) was born on the 16th of June, 1848 in the village of Gurtweil, Baden, Germany. His parents were very poor and the family frequently went without the necessities of life. The death of his father obliged John to leave the village school and to help his mother and his brothers to provide for the family. Believing himself called to the priesthood, he began, in his 20th year, to study and was ordained a priest. He furthered his studies in Rome and in the Holy Land where he resolved to found a Religious Congregation, whose chief aim it would be to spread and increase by all ways and means the knowledge and love of Jesus, as the true Saviour of the World. 

His labours led to the founding of two Religious Societies. “The Society of the Divine Saviour” and “The Sisters of the Divine Saviour”. He died, after an active and holy life, on September 9th, 1918. His was the great joy of seeing the two Congregations carrying out their apostolate throughout the world.

*Please Visit SDS Australian website http://www.sds.org.au