This year, 2008, makes the 160th anniversary of Jordan’s birth in Gurtweil, the 130th anniversary of his ordination on July 21, 1878, and the 90th anniversary of his birth into heaven. So, taking advantage of these three anniversaries, we declare

A YEAR OF JORDAN

beginning June 16, 2008. We invite and encourage all Salvatorians to celebrate this year as faithful sons and daughters who have great love and esteem for him.

Moved by a deep experience of God,
the situation of the Church, and the reality of his time,
Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan
was filled with an urgent desire that all people know the one true God
and experience fullness of life through Jesus the Savior…

(Charter of the Salvatorian Family, Paragraph1)

This gift to Father Jordan, the charism handed on to us, was given to him to be shared – not to be kept a secret or as a private gift. If we want our charism to be a living gift, we need to make it visible in our lives and to find multiple ways to share it with others.

After many years of ardent work, prayer and some suffering, recent events have given us hope that we are closer to witnessing the beatification of Father Jordan. However, for this to become a reality, we need to intensify and spread our veneration of him.

How shall we celebrate this year? Internally, a profound study of the Charter as a Salvatorian family would be a fitting way to honor Fr. Jordan. Special liturgical celebrations, retreats and recollection days on Salvatorian themes for the people, articles in newspapers, seminars are but a few ways that together we can make Fr. Jordan known and venerated to others outside of our family. Whatever we do, it is important to choose ways appropriate to our various cultures and possibilities.

Mrs. Judy Davis - President of the International Community of the Divine Savior
Sr. Therezinha Joana Rasera – Superior General, CongDS
Fr. Andrew Urba?ski - General Superior SDS