As St. Francis
of Assisi had accepted the Gospel as the rule of life
for himself and his followers it was only natural that the desire to
spread the Good News would be one of his main objectives. He was the
first to undertake the direct conversion of the Moslems; the first among
the founders of religious orders to include a chapter on foreign
missions in his rule; and was probably one of the first to call for
dialogue with all religions and with all people of good will.
The young Irish province, re-established in 1885, for many years saw
individuals going to foreign countries on the missions. Eventually, in
1910, the first official mission was set up in Bend, Oregon, on the west
coast of America. A steady stream of volunteers from the home province
kept the mission going until, m 1979, it was strong enough to become a
province in its own right, Today we have vice provinces in Zambia,
South
Africa and New Zealand, with a mission house
in Seoul, South Korea, with
50 friars working on foreign soil, not to mention those Irish fnars who
became part of the new American province in '79.
Missionary activity has changed over the decades as our understanding
of other cultures has increased and the needs of the local churches have
changed. In the past the priority was always to set up a church and a
school. Now the schools are the responsibility of the national
authorities, while the Capuchins and other missionaries work in
fostering and supporting the emerging Christian community. The
challenges and the opportunities are forever changing. In Zambia HIV is
widespread. In South Africa the people are going through the
transformation of a shift from Apartheid to democracy. Korea
is a
country where Christianity is truly alive and generating much activity
in the Church. New Zealand, in contrast, is a country which has entered
into some sort of post-Christian era and whose needs are all the more
acute.
For those who seek a life for God in lands which have not had the
chance Ireland has had, for those who seek the nsk of different peoples
and unfamiliar cultures, for those who are fired by the desire to spread
the Good News, we have a place for you.
COME AND JOIN US.
Click on any of the countries marked in red to
find out more about our work there.
New Zealand
South Korea
South Africa Zambia
