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The Franciscan Order has always recognised the special call to spread the Gospel message far and wide.  St Francis mentions it specifically in his Rule. This has led friars to leave their home territories and actively seek out new areas of evangelisation.  Now, as the largest missionary Order in the Church, the Franciscans are to be found in almost every country in the world.  Their most precious mission is the Custody of the Holy Land, which can trace its origins back to St. Francis himself, and which was formally committed to the Franciscans by bulls of Pope Clement VI in 1342.  For the British Province in recent times the two main countries which have been associated with our foreign missions are South Africa and India.

At present there is only one Friar from our province, Joachim, still working in India.  He has worked many years in Karnataka, South India, running many parish-based ministries and groups.  More Friars worked in India in the past, but since it became a Province of its own and is now raising its own vocations it is no longer dependent on the British Province.  Since 1948 Friars of the British Province have been working in South Africa.  The first four to be commissioned for the mission were Frs. Denis Kivlehan, Ronan Scott, Barnabas Mann and Clement Waddington. They were asked to take over a corner of the diocese of Lydenberg in the Transvaal.  Soon after, their numbers were boosted by the arrival of more friars: Cormac, Malcolm, Alexander, Marius, Athanasius, Clement, Paschal Rowland and Christopher Ulyatt.

These Friars generally settled into working on parishes.  Pope Pius XII erected a new area, the Prefecture of Volksrust.  It included part of the Transvaal and Northern Natal.  Suddenly this small group of just 12 Friars had to minister to an area the size of Ireland.  Christopher was appointed first Apostolic Prefect and more Friars arrived from Britain.  Bede, who had been working on the mission in India for 27 years, also came to help.

With the presence of the Friars there were new vocations from the local people. It was decided to establish a minor seminary in 1960 to help with the education and formation of those who wanted to give their lives in service of the Church. During this time there was a great upsurge in activity.  Churches were built, an orphanage started, wells dug out and programmes for education, agriculture and faith development all became part of the Friars’ lives.  Between 1962 and 1969 there was a purposeful consolidation of apostolates, adding youth groups, Scouts and leadership training.

In the 1960s the apartheid government resettled thousands of South Africans, among them many of the friars' parishioners. The Friars stayed alongside the people during this time and were publicly criticised in the parliament for the work they were doing.  Huge Catholic communities arose in Madadeni, eZakheni, Osizweni, Amakhasi and elsewhere.  Far from deterring the work of the Friars, more apostolates were taken on: an old folks' home, a printing press, catechetical and farming centres.

In 1983 the Diocese of Dundee was created and Paschal became the first Bishop.  In 2006 when he reached the canonical age for retirement his resignation was accepted by the Pope.  Today he continues to live in Natal to work among his people and is still assisted by the Friars.  The Friars working in South Africa received a certain amount of independence when they became a Vice-Province under the patronage of Our Lady Queen of Peace in 1985 and a fully fledged Province in 2004.  The Friars working in this region had the choice of joining the new Province.  Most of them joined and continue to work in this vast and stimulating country.  At the moment most of the Friars are involved in parish work, at the Lumko Institute (adult education courses) and in the formation and education of local Friars.

In the 1980s the Franciscan Order launched a major initiative towards working throughout Africa, especially developing areas in Central and East Africa. In more recent years many Friars have joined this "Africa Project" and work in many different parts of the African continent.  The missionary work of the Franciscans is under the patronage of St. Antony of Padua.

For more information about the Franciscan Missions and if you would like to receive "The Troubadour", the magazine of the Franciscan Missionary Union, contact:

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