OUR IDENTITY
MISSIONARIES OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
The Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, known as “MSFS” (FRANSALIANS), is an international Latin Rite Congregation founded on October 24, 1838, in Annecy, France, by Servant of God Peter Marie Mermier. The Congregation's primary patron is St. Francis de Sales, and its secondary patroness is Mother of Compassion (Mother of Sorrows). The spirituality of our Congregation is “Salesian”, and we belong to the Salesian family, though our particular identity is as “Fransalians”
MISSION
To pass on the Love of God and gentleness to the world and to bring about renewal of Christian life, by preaching parish missions, evangelising people and educating the youth.
VISION
To be a religious with the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, a builder of Communities, a sower of God’s Word, an enlightened guide of his students, and a formator in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales.
CHARISM
Living the spirit and Spirituality of St. Francis de Sales in the missions. Our charism unfolds itself in the following: study St. Francis de Sales, imitate his virtues, make his method of helping people our own.
FRANSALIAN APOSTOLATE
Fransalians engage in the Apostolate of Parish, Education, Social, Youth, Media, Technical, and Renewal outreach, responding to the signs of the time and needs of the Church.
MSFS WORLDWIDE
As of 2024, the MSFS is present across five continents and 31 countries, organised into 11 Provinces and 1 Vice Province, with 1,233 priests and 368 professed members. The Congregation is presently working in Austria, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, St. Lucia (West Indies), Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago (West Indies), Uganda, the United States and Zambia. The Generalate of the MSFS is located in Rome, Italy.
The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) in India work through seven provinces: Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, Pune, South West India, South East India, Guwahati and Dibrugarh. The Visakhapatnam Province, erected in 1965 with Fr. Davasia Kuzhupil as its first Provincial, is known as the “Mother Province” of the MSFS in India. The Nagpur Province, established in 1965 and later known as the Maharashtra-Goa Province, was bifurcated in 1996 to form the present Nagpur and Pune Provinces. The North East India Province, erected in 1990, was bifurcated into the Guwahati Province and Dibrugarh Province on January 24, 2020. The South West India Province, comprising the states of Kerala and Karnataka, was established in 1991 through the bifurcation of the Visakhapatnam Province. The South-East Province was formed from the Visakhapatnam Province to serve the Tamil Nadu–Pondicherry region on January 24, 2005. On January 24, 2008, it was raised to a province under the name Chennai Province, and on August 15, 2008, it was renamed the South-East Province.