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"It is at the foot of this Cross that we should remain always. It is the place where the imitators of our sovereign Master and Savior ordinarily abide. For it is from the Cross that they receive the heavenly liqueur of holy charity. It streams out in great profusion from a divine source, the bosom of our good God’s divine mercy. He loved us with a love so firm, so solid, so ardent and so persevering that death itself could not cool it in the least. "

- St. Francis de Sales

"Love has its source in the heart, and we cannot love our neighbor too much or go to excess, provided love continues to reside in the heart. However, our external demonstration of love may err or get out of control, passing the limits and rules of reason. And what is said about love of God must also apply to love of our neighbor, so long as the love of God is greater and holds first place in our hearts"

- St. Francis de Sales

Fired with a desire for the foreign missions Fr. Mermier decided he would  send some of his missionaries to preach the gospel in Africa. But in 1842 they were asked by the Holy See to work in India. One of the early missionaries, Fr. Francis Larive was keen to go to India. In November 1848 Francis Larive arrived at Kamptee in India. He spent 11 years there working in the parish and as chaplain to the garrison of the British Army. It was from Kamptee that Fr. Larive travelled to England in the company of Capt. Dewell, an Army officer he had received into the Catholic Church, who was from Malmesbury in Wiltshire. They arrived in England on 24th May 1861. Fr. Larive was the first Missionary of St. Francis de Sales to come and work in England. After a brief meeting in Bristol with Bishop Clifford, Fr. Larive was sent to be the first resident priest in Chippenham. During his five years there he worked to set up the parish in Devizes, where he blessed the foundation stone of the church on 11th July, 1864. He was well supported in this work by other Missionaries, both Priests and Brothers, who had joined him from Annecy. By 1866 he was free to start a new church and community in Malmesbury. Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy, who had known him in Kamptee, also came to Malmesbury and set up a school. This was the beginning of MSFS in England.

In 2013, the parish at Hampton Hill, where the MSFS ministered for 85 years was given back to the Westminster Diocese.

At present, four priests from the South West Province, and one each from South East and North East Province are working in England. MSFS Priests are in the Dioceses of Clifton, Northampton, Plymouth, Southwark and Westminster. They also provide chaplaincy to home for the elderly in Clacton-on Sea and in Dublin.
 

Province Website

Our thanks go to Fr. Prince for his hard work in creating a website for the Province. The address – www.fransaliansuk.com. You can remember it as the American site is similar – it is www.fransaliansusa.com. Although the site is up and running, it needs your involvement. We would like photos, short articles, items of news about where you are and what you are doing, and any blog you might have. Please send all material directly to Prince at – [email protected].

The Province support other MSFS priests working in education, health care and social and pastoral fields in Africa and India.