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The Bethlehem Mission Society (Latin: Societas Missionum Exterarum de Bethlehem in Helvetia; abbreviation of the Society: SMB) is a Society of Apostolic Life. comprising priests and brothers who have joined together for missionary service. As a Society of Apostolic Life, the Bethlehem Mission Society is not a religious order and is directly subordinate to the Dicastery for Evangelization in Rome. The members of the Mission Society lead a life according to the evangelical counsels, i.e. poverty, obedience, and celibacy. The end of May 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the papal decree. The origins of the Society date back to 1895. The history of the origins The origins of the Bethlehem Mission Society go back to the French priest Pierre-Marie Barral. In 1895, he founded the "Ecole apostolique de Bethléem" (Apostolic School of Bethlehem) in Meggen, Switzerland, which was moved to Immensee in 1896. It became the Gymnasium Bethlehem, Immensee (Bethlehem grammar school/high school). In the same year, the first issue of the multilingual monthly magazine "Bethlehem" appeared, which was published under the name "Wendekreis" from 1972 until 2017. While the institute originally aimed to train the sons of poor families for missionary service in Europe's abandoned parishes, missionary activities in Asia, Africa and Latin America were developed over time. Circles of friends were formed in Austria, Italy, France, Great Britain, Portugal, and the USA. Difficulties in the work, which was financed through stamp trading, dishonest fundraising, and loans, led to a reorganization as the Bethlehem Mission House in 1907 by the later first Superior General Pietro Bondolfi. On 30 May 1921, the papal decree establishing the "Swiss Seminary for Foreign Missions" was issued in Rome. Pietro Bondolfi was the first Superior General. From 1934, the association was called the "Society for Foreign Missions of Bethlehem in Switzerland" (Societas Missionaria de Bethlehem in Helvetia). For short, it is known as the Bethlehem Mission Society (SMB). Most of the new members of the Society were recruited from the Gymnasium Bethlehem (Bethlehem grammar school) run for this purpose in Immensee. This included the "Progymnasium" (lower Forms) in Rebstein (1926–73) and Fribourg (1938–72). In 1995, the grammar school/high school was transferred to a private foundation under the name of "Gymnasium Immensee". The training of candidates for the priesthood began in 1922 at the seminary in Wolhusen, was then transferred to the "Bruder-Klausen-Seminar" (Seminary of St. Nicholas of Flüe) in Schöneck (Emmetten) in 1932, and has taken place at the Faculty of Theology in Lucerne since 1969. In 1925, the first Brother missionaries were admitted into the SMB to work in administration, schools, businesses, and agriculture. The Brothers, as well as the candidates for the priesthood and the priests, pledge to live according to the principles of the SMB. Research into missions and religious studies became a focal point in 1945 with the founding of the "Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft" (NZM – New Journal for Missiology). From mission territories to missionary assignments Before the Second Vatican Council In 1924, the first three missionaries traveled to China, where they first learned the Chinese language and culture from the Steyler missionaries in Yanzhou, South Shandong. In June 1925, the Apostolic Delegate Celso Costantini granted them their own mission territory, the prefecture of Qiqihar in the far north of China. On 19 March 1926, Paul Hugentobler and Eugen Imhof arrived in Qiqihar, while Gustav Schnetzler took over the village of Changfatun. The SMB dedicated itself to building up local Christian communities and, together with the Ingenbohl Sisters, the development of medical care and school education. In 1940, 42 SMB priests were working there. Most of them were expelled in 1953 and the last one left China in 1954. In 1938, the SMB began its work in what was then Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. At times, well over 100 members worked there in building up the local church, in education and healthcare, in the media and in training craftsmen. In 1948, the SMB sent the first missionaries to Iwate-ken in northern Japan. In the same year, the SMB started its first assignments with lay people in what was then Fort Victoria, now Masvingo, in Southern Rhodesia. Following the expulsion of the last missionaries from China, the SMB began its work in Taiwan and Colombia in 1953. After the Second Vatican Council As a result of the Second Vatican Council's revaluation of lay people in missionary and church service and a new understanding of mission, more and more lay people became involved in SMB projects. The first mixed assignments of lay people and priests (teams) were formed. The SMB General Chapter in 1967 enshrined the "work with a view to replacement" in its documents. It no longer took over assigned areas (territorial principle) but began with temporary project assignments. The first such assignment was started in Zambia in 1969. The 1974 General Chapter confirmed project work as the new form of missionary work. The following main motives were formative: the essential connection between missionary work and development cooperation; the partnership with the local churches; the basic ecumenical orientation. In 1975, team assignments began in Peru, 1977 in Ecuador, 1978 in Kenya, 1985 in the Philippines, and 1992 in Bolivia. At the 1981 General Chapter, "integral liberation" was formulated with the following three options: Option for and with the poor Commitment to human rights Building up grassroots communities The 1988 General Chapter made it possible for women and men to join the SMB in the "Association". The Association was transformed into the "Partner Association Bethlehem" (PaV) in 2000. On 17 November 2000, the association "Bethlehem Mission Immensee" (BMI) was founded in accordance with Art. 60ff of the Swiss Civil Code. This enabled the missionary mandate of the SMB to be based on a broader sponsorship with the aim that lay people (PaV) and SMB members would decide on the planning and implementation of the missionary mandate on an equal footing and in partnership. In the summer of 2013, the "Bethlehem Mission Immensee" went its own way and moved its headquarters to the Romero House in Lucerne, which it purchased from the SMB. The development work of BMI was taken over by "Comundo". The Bethlehem Mission Society today The Bethlehem Mission Society (SMB) has its traditional headquarters in Immensee. With its management and administration, it accompanies its missionary assignments in Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya), Asia (Taiwan), Latin America (Colombia), and Europe (Switzerland) The 2023 General Chapter of the Bethlehem Mission Society elected Ludovic Nobel as Superior General, Emilio Näf as Vicar General, and Josef Meili as Councillor General. The focal points of the 14th ordinary General Chapter 2023 include.... Discover the Al Imfeld popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Al Imfeld books.