Foreign Missionary Society of Paris

French missionary society

Also known as: La Société des Missions Étrangères de Paris

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

The Foreign Missionary Society of Paris, established in 1663, was a Roman Catholic missionary organization focused on outreach to non-Christian peoples. Its primary goal was to rapidly develop an indigenous secular clergy, meaning priests not bound to a religious order. The society concentrated its efforts on regions including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. This organization was part of a broader trend of European nations, particularly France, expanding their missionary activities overseas during the period of exploration and colonization.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Christianity
Roman Catholic mission, 1500–1950
The Foreign Missionary Society of Paris (1663), directed exclusively toward outreach to non-Christian peoples, sought to produce rapidly an indigenous secular clergy (i.e., one not bound to a religious order), and focused its efforts on Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand.
Read More
The Foreign Missionary Society of Paris (1663), directed exclusively toward outreach to non-Christian peoples, sought to produce rapidly an indigenous secular clergy (i.e., one not bound to a religious order), and focused its efforts on Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand.
Read More