Missionary Society of St. Columban

The Missionary Society of St. Columban (Latin: Societas S. Columbani per missionibus ad Exteros; religious symbol: SSCME ) is a missionary Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of diocesan priests. The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban is the corresponding sister community. Both communities are named after Saint Columbanus of Luxeuil.

The community was founded with the goal of China Mission for the period 1916-1918 only under the name Maynoth Mission to China, from 1917, under its present name, in Galway in Ireland by the diocesan priests Blowick John and Edward Galvin. This process was previously unique because such objectives were perceived by this time of religious communities. 1920 reached the first group of 11 missionaries to the Community Shanghai and joined Galvin, who was in Hanyang. In the following years, the community's activities widened to include other Ländere, as a priest of the community in England, the United States, Australia and New Zealand have been active in the Irish diasporas and campaigned there for support of the objectives of the Community. There were also attempts in Argentina Zufassen foot, which was abandoned after a few years.

Soon after the start of the China Mission was founded by John and Frances Moloney Blowick 1924, the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban a sister community. On June 5, 1925, the communities have been recognized by the Holy See.

After first only missionary activities in China were provided, the missionary activities widened to the Philippines (1929 ), Korea ( 1933), Burma (1936 ) and finally Japan (1948 ).

As mainland China was closed to missionary work in the 1950s, they turned to Latin America in 1951 and was in Peru and Chile, and later also in Fiji, works. In the coming decades, members of the community in Pakistan, Taiwan, Brazil, Jamaica and Belize were missionary active. Due to decreasing resources, however, had the Engargement in Belize, Jamaica and Brazil, are now set again.

In 2008, the General House of Dublin, where it had its headquarters since its inception ninety years ago was moved to Hong Kong. This step was performed to meet the requirements of the mission in today's world better. Since 2000 Brendan O'Sullivan is the Superior General of the Order.

After Annuario Pontifical of 2008, the Community has today 29 municipalities and 554 members of whom 502 are priests. Ninety percent of missionaries from Asia, Oceania and Latin America.