Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) - In India, Philippines, Indonesia the missionaries of the Society of Mary, Monfort Missionaries, are helping with the work of evangelisation as well as pastoral care of local Catholic communities even in remote areas, with fruits of new vocations.
The Monfort Father first came to the Philippines in 1984, and today there are a good number of local Monfort priests and 12 seminarians preparing for the priesthood. The Monfort fathers run the Novitate, work in a poor parish in the suburbs of Manila, and they have a community on the island of Cebu, which undertakes long term parish missions.
The Society of Mary has been in India, since 1970-80. Today there are thirty local priests and about 30 seminarians. A good number work in formation houses: a community of young aspirants, the Novitiate at Bangalore and the seminary in Mysore. Other serve in a Monfort mission in Andhra Pradesh funded by its own local coffee plantation.
Dutch Monfort fathers were sent to Indonesia and today there are eight of them and all have taken Indonesian nationality. They work with priests and confreres of Indonesian origin in the diocese of Sintang in Borneo, at Bandung Seminary in Java and at the Novitiate in Flores. About 30 Indonesian born Monfort Fathers are preparing for the priesthood. In 2003 Indonesia became a Delegation General of the Society of Mary directly under the Superior General.
There are Monfort Fathers also in Papua New Guinea, entrusted to the Canadian province. The religious serve in the diocese of Daru-Kiunga, in the least developed western region of the Island. Today only 5 Canadian missionaries and the local Bishop remain but they are helped by two or three Monfort Fathers from India and a few local priests and missionaries of other congregations.
The Society of Mary was founded in the 18th century by Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. Today it has 1000 members, priests and coadjutor confreres on mission in 30 different countries. (Agenzia Fides 24/7/2007 righe 28 parole 298)
