The "Little Mission for the Deaf" (PMS), in the past was identified with the Gualandi Institute for the Deaf-mutes, but is now known as a religious congregation of the Priests of the Gualandi or "the Gualandians". The PMS was first approved by the Archbishop of Bologna on 15 August 1872. On 1 July 1913, PMS received the decree of praise from the Holy See and the Congregation of Religious gave it final approval on 7 October 1963.
In Bologna, where it is the mother house of the congregation, the Little missionaries of the deaf for two centuries have directed and served the Gualandi Institute for Sordomuti, with its offices in Florence, Giulianova and Rome. For years, PMS has also directed institutes for the deaf in Turin, Venice, Molfetta, Novara.
Today the PMS is a clerical religious congregation of pontifical right with religious priests and lay brothers. They adhere to the deaf "oblates", who have no religious vows but a simple promise of fidelity. It has the general house, the registered office and the international student residence in Rome, in Via Vincenzo Monti, 3.
The PMS has a community in Florence, in via di Ripoli 96, and points of reference in Bologna with some places in via Nosadella 55, in Catania, Molfetta (Bari) and Badia di Montepiano (Prato).