The Venerable Francis "Mary of the Cross" Jordan
The Venerable Francis Jordan was born in 1848 in the village of Gurtweil Germany. His parents were very poor and the family frequently went without the necessities of life. The death of his father compelled him to leave the village school and help his mother to provide for the family.
All during his studies the idea had grown within him that he must do something special for God. He realised that he was being drawn to found some special work, an organisation within the Church that would advance the work of evangelisation. During his journey to Palestine these ideas crystallised and he began to draft a rule for his new institute.
As he visited the holy places, his inner call became unmistakable and sure--he was to found an apostolic work, totally dedicated to the spreading and deepening of the faith.
A Gospel passage that moved, inspired and motivated him was "Eternal life is this: that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17,3
He resolved to found a religious congregation whose chief aim would be to spread and increase, by all ways and means the knowledge and love of Jesus as the one 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.
Jordan was soon joined by other like-minded men and women and his two Societies quickly flourished and spread throughout the world and between them they are active now in about forty countries and together number nearly three thousand members with many lay collaborators.
Father Jordan founded his communities on confidence in God and Gospel poverty. He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under various titles, Queen of the Apostles, Sorrowful Mother, Mother of the Saviour, and others. On his desk stood a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. Into her folded and praying hands he often placed his most urgent written petitions concerning personnel, and the spiritual and material needs of his young communities.
Nearby were his many books and dictionaries, aids in learning and perfecting the more than forty languages that he had mastered; also in his room there was a globe of the world. Both of these are witness to his worldwide vision. Images of the Crucified Saviour and his sorrowing Mother could also be found in his room and in the community chapel. From such an environment one can begin to understand how his heart could be so filled with love for God, for Christ, for Mary and for the whole world.
When Father Jordan could not be found in his room or in the house he could nearly always be found in the quiet and prayerful Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the nearby St. Peter's Basilica. Ever prayerful, he inspired his communities with a deep apostolic zeal and simple, humble service, urging them to be ready to use at all times and everywhere all the means which love for Christ inspires.
He gave personal example of courageous acceptance of hardships and the Cross, for as he told his first missionaries to Assam, India, "The works of God flourish only in the shadow of the Cross." Father Jordan inspired in the members of his Society a deep love of the Divine Saviour and urged them to imitate his "goodness and kindness” (Titus 3,4).
Father Jordan's strength was already consumed by his relentless commitment to the Salvatorian cause, when the First World War forced him into exile at Fribourg, Switzerland. He died peacefully on Mary's birthday, 8th September 1918, in a home for the poor in nearby Tafers, after a long life profoundly consecrated to God.
The nativity of Mary, whom he venerated with deep and sincere devotion, thus became his birthday into heaven. To have died on this special Marian feast is rightly regarded as a confirmation of his life and mission. His remains are now interred in a special chapel in the Motherhouse of the Society of the Divine Saviour in Rome.
On 14th January 2011, his heroic virtues were officially recognised by the Holy See and he was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI. The process for the beatification of Father Francis Jordan is at an advanced stage and prayers are asked for this intention.
