THE INTERNATIONAL CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION

Since the time of Vincent de Paul, the Congregation of the Mission has spread throughout the world. There are about 3,500 Priests and Brothers in the Congregation of the Mission internationally.  The Congregation is divided into Provinces, some corresponding to a region, others cover one or more countries, and some countries like Italy, Spain, France, Poland and the United States have several Provinces within the country.    In the Houses of these Provinces, the members of the Congregation form community in a variety of ways in order to carry out the mission entrusted to them.  The Superior Genera and his Council (see General Curia) in Rome have the special role, by government and other means,  of encouraging and assisting the various Provinces.  The current Superior General is Fr Greg Gay CM, pictured at top left. More information about the International Congregation of the Mission can be found on the CMGlobal Site  .

At an international level, the  General Curia of the Congregation of the MIssion in Rome takes responsibility for several International Missions, Currently these are  missions in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea. and in Bolivia. 

 

International Mission  in Solomon Islands

 

 

The International Mission in  the Solomon Islands was set up in 1994 is served by a community of Vincentians from several countries - including Australia. The Mission consists of Holy Name of Mary Seminary,  the Nazareth Apostolic School, and  Good Shepherd parish of Tenaru – all located near the capital city of Honiara. Prospective candidates for the Congregation of the Mission from the Solomon Islands are the responsibility of the Australian Province, and they are currently undertaking part of their formation at  St Vincent's House of Formation, Wailoku, Fiji    .

Further information  and photos concerning the Solomon Islands International Mission of the Congregation can be found on the Solomon Islands Page of this site.

 

International Mission In Papua New Guinea

The Vincentian Community was set up as an international mission of the Vincentians  in Bomana, Port Moresby,  in 2003.  Bomana  is well known for its prison as well as the War Memorial cemetery. Bomana is also home for Catholic Theological Institute (CTI), Holy Spirit Seminary (HSS), and seven other houses of formation belonging to  different religious congregations. These are all located in one large campus. . The students of HSS come from 16 different dioceses in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. There are three Vincentian Confreres at Bomana -  one from the Province of the Philippines, one from the Province of Colombia, and one from the Province of Puerto. Rico.   The  work at Bomana is mainly in the priestly formation of diocesan seminarians.  There are 72 seminarians coming from 15 different dioceses in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.  They come to Bomana for the last 6 years of their priestly training.  At this stage, prospective candidates for the Congregation of the Mission from Papua New Guinea will be the responsibility of the Australian Province, and in the short term, will undertake  part of their formation at St Vincent's House, Wailoku, Fiji.

There is of course a second  Vincentian community in Papua New Guinea  in the province of Daru-Kiunga, near the border of West Papua.  There are three confreres from the Province of Indonesia working there.  One ministers to the refugees who have crossed the border from West Papua to PNG.  The other two confreres carry out pastoral work in a bush parish. This mission is not an international mission, but under the care of the Vincentians of the Province of Indonesia.

 

International Mission in Bolivia

 

 

 

 

The Vincentian Mission in Bolivia is at El Alto,  northwestt of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.   It is in a rural area characterised by high altitude - 4000m above sea level. It includes the communities of the Altiplano.  The population is very poor.  The main languages are Aymar and some Quechua. . In 1994, an International Mission was set up based in El Alto, though several individual confreres had carried out important works of evangelisation in the area before that for some 50 years.

There are currently four Vincentian confreres involved in this mission.

 

 

 

 WHERE THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION CAN BE FOUND

Below are some of the countries where the Congregation of the Mission can be found, involved in a variety of ministries:

AFRICA

Algeria
Cameroon
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Kenya
Madagascar
Mozambique
Nigeria
Seychelles
South Africa
Tanzania
Zaire

MIDDLE EAST

Egypt
Iran
Israel
Lebanon
Syria

ASIA-PACIFIC

Australia
China
Fiji
Indonesia
India
Japan
Papua-New Guinea
Philippines
Solomon Islands
Taiwan
Vietnam

EUROPE, RUSSIA, SCANDINAVIA

Albania
Austria
Belgium
Belarus
Croatia
Denmark
England
France (2 Provinces)
Germany
Greece
Holland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy (3 Provinces)
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Siberia
Scotland
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain (4 Provinces)
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

AMERICAS, CARIBBEAN

Argentina
Brazil (3 Provinces)
Bolivia
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico
United States (3 Provinces)
Uruguay
Venezuela