The Congregation of the Missionary Brothers of St. Francis of Assisi, Congregation Missionaria Sancti Francis (CMSF) founded by Very Rev. Bro. Paulus Moritz of Germany, in 1901 in India, is an international Society of Religious Brothers. It was canonically erected on 21st February 1901 by Bishop Crochet at Nagpur, India and was approved by the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide on 8th January 1921. It is a Religious Missionary Institute of Pontifical Rite under the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of peoples. Our Congregation follows the rule of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi.

The first Mother House of CMSF was erected at Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. In 1908, The Brothers started their work at Mt. Poinsur, Borivali West, in the Archdiocese of Bombay from 1930, and after the first General Chapter, the Mother House along with the Generalate were shifted to Mt. Poinsur. The revised Constitutions were approved by the Holy See on 29th June 1931, and again renewed and updated in 1985 during the IX General Chapter, and in 2009 during the XIII General Chapter respectively and was approved by the Holy See.

Owing to the VISION & MISSION of late Bro. Paulus Moritz and his successors in Office, the Congregation has made rapid progress and founded many Missions. Today, the Congregation is well-established in India, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Paraguay, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, North America, Canada and Ghana.

Charism & Apostolic Activities

The Congregation has pioneering Missionary Work as its basic Charism. In order to achieve the Pioneering Evangelization, the Congregation undertakes various activities such as: Boys’ Homes, Schools, Colleges, Technical Schools (formal & non-formal), Dispensaries, Hospitals, Vocational Training Centres, Orphanages, Homes for Street Children, Rehabilitation Centres, Model Agricultural Farms, Youth Movements etc. In the activities undertaken by the Brothers, importance is given to Catechetical and Pastoral works. The Congregation, in a span of 114 years has handed over 85 well-developed Mission Stations to respective dioceses. They live and work in communities of three or more and try to be living witnesses of Franciscan Joy and Brotherhood. The relentless works of over 400 Brothers and their collaborations continue with an even greater zeal today.