The Somascan Fathers are a religious congregation of priests and brothers, founded in Italy in the 16th century by Saint Jerome Emiliani and named after the motherhouse at Somasca. They are often called Somascans for short. Their formal name is Ordo Clericorum Regularium a Somascha (Clerics Regular of Somasca), abbreviated as C.R.S. after members’ names.
The followers of St. Jerome, the Somascans, are currently present in 21 countries across five continents, serving the Church in various ways,
especially by reflecting the fatherhood of God to orphans and needy youth.
The Somascans were introduced to Australia in the Archdiocese of Perth from Italy by the then Archbishop Barry James Hickey in 2004, establishing their first community at our parish. Since then, they have been entrusted with Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Rockingham.
Witness Awakens Vocations – Testimonies from Religious, Consecrated, Married and Lay Somascans.
From Somasca to the World: Discerning your vocation with the Somascans