Congregation of the Mother of Carmel
OUR HISTORY
The Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC), the first indigenous Religious Congregation for Women in the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church was founded as the Third Order of Carmelites Discalced (TOCD), on 13 February 1866 at Koonammavu, in the Vicariate of Verapoly Kerala, by Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara the then Vicar General of Syrian Church of Kerala. Rev. Fr. Leopold Beccaro OCD, an Italian Carmelite missionary is its co-founder, who was the Provincial Delegate of the time in Kerala.
Starting at Koonammavu
St Kuriakose Elias Chavara was much aggrieved at the absence of a religious Congregation for women in the Apostolic Church of St Thomas. He longed for a house of sanctity where the girls of this land could learn spiritual matters and grow up as good Christians. Father Leopold Beccaro was a man of deep prayer and filled with zeal for apostolic activities. He loved the Kerala Church in all sincerity and sought the Lord’s ways for its growth. Divine Providence brought these two holy men together at Koonammavu and their combined effort paved the way for the foundation of this Congregation. The first members were Elishwa Vakayil a widow, her daughter Anna, Thresia Vyppissery, the younger sister of Elishwa and Elishwa Puthenangady (Clara), a widow. Gradually many young women belonging to both Syrian and Latin rites embraced this religious life and they grew in number.
Pope Leo XIII on 20 May 1887, through the Decree Quodiam Pridem, separated the Syrians from the Latin Jurisdiction and established two Vicariates namely Thrissur and Kottayam for them. This event became an important land mark in the history of the Congregation. In the convent at Koonammmavu, there were sisters belonging to three Vicariates, namely Verapoly, Thrissur and Kottayam. According to the Order of Bishop Charles Lavingue, the Vicar Apostolic of Kottayam, the sisters who belonged to the said Vicariate commenced their journey on July 25, 1888 to Mutholy to start a convent there.
On 18 April 1890, as the resolution to the dispute over the jurisdiction of the Koonammavu convent between the Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly and Thrissur, the Holy See declared that the convent shall be under the Vicariate of Trissur. So, seven members including a boarder of the Koonamavu convent belonging to the Latin Rite shifted to Verapoly on 17 September 1890, and there they became an independent community under the Latin Jurisdiction.
CMC Under Different Syrian Vicariates
On July 28, 1896 by the decree Quae Reisacre, Pope Leo XIII, established three Apostolic Vicariates, instead of the existing two Vicariates, via, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Changanacherry under the jurisdiction of three indigenous Apostolic Vicars. Consequently, the convent at Koonammavu came under the Vicariate of Ernakulam. As a result, the Vicariate of Thrissur was left without a convent. In order to resolve this situation, the Vicar Apostolic of Thrissur established a convent at Ambazhakad on May 9, 1897, bringing the inmates belonged to his own Vicariate from Koonammavu convent.
On July 25, 1950, when the Vicariate of Changanacherry was bifurcated and the diocese of Pala was formed, an independent unit of the Congregation was established in the new diocese in 1952. Thus together with the Syrian Church, the Congregation gradually grew, spread out as four independent units with same charism, under four Mother Generals (Ernakulam, Changanacherry, Thrissur and Pala) in the territory of six dioceses in Kerala (Ernakulam, Changanacherry, Thrissur, Pala, Kothamangalam and Tellicherry) and two dioceses outside Kerala, namely Jalandhar and Chanda.
Unification of Independent Diocesan Units
In the year 1962 decisive steps were taken to unify the Congregation that functioned till then as independent diocesan units. In 21 May 1963, Rev. Fr. Hippolitus Kunnumkal OFM Cap. was appointed as the Papal Delegate to give leadership in this venture. As a result of his tireless effort the independent units were unified on 16 November 1963 under one Mother General (Mother Mary Celine) and the diocesan units were declared as Provinces. Thereafter, the Constitutions for the unified Congregation was prepared and was sent to Rome for approval. On 2 March 1967 through the Decree Prot.No. 504/57 of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, the Congregation was raised to the Pontifical Status, under the name ‘Congregation of the Mother of Carmel’ (CMC) and the Constitutions of the unified CMC was approved with the instruction to revise the same in the spirit of Vatican Council II and in the light of Perfectae Caritatis and Ecclesiae Sanctae. The renewed text of the Constitutions and the Statutes of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel of the Syro Malabar Rite as per above instruction was approved on experimental basis on 30 October 1975 through the Decree Prot.No. 136/75. Taking into consideration the needs and signs of the time, the said Constitutions is revised again and it is definitely approved by the Oriental Congregation on Feb.22, 2014 by Prot.No.133/2012.
Raised to the Pontifical Status and led by the same Superior General in the spirit of the approved Constitutions, CMC began to acquire a global vision widening her fields of activities. Today CMC is rendering her apostolic services in Continents of Asia, Africa, North & South America and Europe. Her presence in different countries of Africa, Iraq and Peru gives more colour to her selfless services. Today CMC has twenty five Provinces and four Regions including the African Region and 6250 sisters from Asia, Africa and America.
Thus endowed with God’s choicest blessings and providential care, CMC has a glorious history to be recorded and grate fully remembered.
TIMELINE
June 22,2019
Inauguration of the Golden Jubilee of Carmel Jyothi Vidya Bhavan, Aluva
June 27,2019
A New venture in the mission of CMC – Starting of Iraq Mission
October 20,2019
National Seminar for Women in connection with CJV Golden Jubilee.
January 3,2020
Inauguration of the 150th Death Anniversary of St. Chavara
February 13,2020
Golden Jubilee Celebration of Carmel Jyothi Vidya Bhavan.
May 7,2020
New Shoot for CMC from America – Vestition and 1st Profession of Novice Diana Love
January 30,1990
The Remains of the Servant of God Mother Euphrasia transferred from outside the Chapel to St. Mary’s Convent Chapel, Ollur.
December 12,1992
Demise of Mother Prima-Superior General (1986- 1991).
April 23,1993
Demise of Mother Mary Celine the First Superior General (November 1963 – April 1974).
May 1,1994
Silver Jubilee of Carmel JyothiVidyabhavan, Generalate, Aluva.
June 6,1994
Blessing of Villa Carmel Convent Rome.
June 23,1995
Erection of Sacred Heart Province, Mananthavady.
September 4,1995
Demise of Mother Stella Maria – Superior General(1980 – 1986).
September 18,1995
Erection of ChristuJyothiProvince,Mancherial
September 24,1995
Erection of St. Mary’s Province Thamarassery.
October 17,1995
Erection of Carmelodya Province, Wardha.
October 25,1995
Erection of Carmel Matha Province, Hazaribagh.
March 19,1996
Carmel JyothiVidyabhavan is affiliated to the Teresianum Pontifical Faculty, Rome.
December 1,1997
Erection of Mount Carmel Province, Bhopal.
March 18,1998
Constitution is revised in the light of CCEO and approved by the Holy See.
April 12,1998
Erection of Sanjoe Province, Imphal.
April 12,1998
Erection of NirmalJyothi Province, Bina.
April 30,1998
Erection of the Jagathmatha Region, Jagadalpur.
June 22,1998
Inauguration of NirmalJyothi Province, Bina.
July 16,1998
Starting of the Semi-Cloistered Contemplative Prayer Wing at Sanjoe, Karukutty.
May 22,1999
Blessing of the Spirituality centre in the Generalate, Aluva.
September 08,1999
Started the formation house for African Candidates in Katubuka,Tanzania.
July 5,2002
Mother Euphrasia is declared”Venerable” by Pope John Paul II.
August 29,2002
50th Death Anniversary of Venerable Euphrasia.
October 01,2002
Blessing of the Carmel Novitiate House in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Africa.
October 17,2002
125thAnniversary of Ven. Euphrasia’s Birth.
September 14,2003
Erection of Carmelgiri Province, Idukki.
February 5,2004
Mother Silvia Pala – Superior General (1974-1980)
March 04,2004
Established VimalJyoti Region Rajkot, Gujarat.
Feb 13,2005
First Profession and Vestition of the First batch of African novices in Katubuka.
December 03,2006
Mother Euphrasia is declared Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI
August 15,2008
Inauguration of ChavaraRegion ,in Africa.
November 14,2008
Inauguration of Kurnool Region.
December 22,2008
Dimise of Mother Benicasia – Superior General (1991-1997)
June,2009
Established EuphrasiaVidhyaBhavan Juniorate house in Wardha.
August 20,2011
Silver Jubilee celebration of ChavaraSadan, Bhopal.
April 22,2013
Opening of the Death Centenary Celebration of Rev. Fr. Leopold OCD, the co-founder.
July 04,2013
Death Centenary of the Servant of God Mother Eliswa, the first member of our Congregation.
September 07,2013
Jnanodaya Juniorate House Silver Jubilee Celebration.
November 16,2013
Golden Jubilee of CMC Unification.
November 23,2014
Canonization of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara (Founder)and Saint Euphrasia at Rome by Pope Francis
February 13,2015
Inauguration of the Sesquicentennial Jubilee of the beginning of CMC (150th Year)
February 6,2016
Celebration of the Sesquicentennial Jubilee at Koonammavu with final profession of 150 sisters.
December 26,2016
Inauguration of Jaipur Region
September 16,2017
150th Jubilee Inauguration of the Testament of a Loving Father (Chavurul)
November 21,2017
A new launch in the Media Mission of CMC with the blessing of the Studio in Generalate
January 24,2018
Golden Jubilee Celebration of Generalate
February 13,2018
150th Jubilee Celebration of the Testament of a Loving Father.
March 15,2018
Tertianship – A New step to renew initial formation – began
April 9,2018
Official commencement of the cause of Canonization of Mother Mary Celine.
May 19,2019
Silver Jubilee of Villa Carmel, Rome
February 13,1866
Foundation of the first house of Women TOCD at Koonammavu - St. Teresa's Convent.
March 27,1867
Vestition of the first members of WomenTOCD.
June 2,1868
Inauguration of the Boarding House(Edukkumthaath), attached to the Convent.
July 16,1868
Religious Profession of the first four members.
January 3,1871
Demise of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara.
October 16,1872
Starting of the School attached to the Convent.
July 16,1875
Provisional constitution given by Fr. Leopold OCD.
January 1,1876
Departure of Fr. Leopold Beccaro the co-founder to Italy.
December 22,1882
Starting of the Orphanage attached to the Convent.
May 20,1887
Promulgation of the decree(Quod jam pridem) by which the Trichur and Kottayam Vicariates were formed.
July 28,1888
Founding the first branch convent at Mutholy, Pala.
September 17,1890
Bifurcation of the Congregation(Women TOCD) on the basis of rites(Later known as CMC &CTC).
July 28,1896
Re-organization of the Syrian Diocese-Trichur, Ernakulam and Changanacerry.
April 22,1914
Demise of Fr. Leopold in Genova, Italy.
April 8,1952
Bifurcation of the Women TOCD Changanacherry into Changanassery and Pala Provinces.
August 29,1952
Demise of SaintEuphrasia.
June 7,1956
Pala Province Starts mission at Thalassery Diocese.
July 29,1956
Establishment of Kothamangalam Diocese.
July 20,1958
ErnakulamVimala Province started the first mission house at Jalandhar in Punjab.
August 28,1961
Establishment ofPavanathma Province, Kothamangalam.
October 30,1962
Thrissur Province started the first mission house at Sirpur, Kagaznagar in Chanda -the first Syro- Malabar mission Diocese.
May 21,1963
Rev. Fr. Hippolitus is appointed as the papal delegate by the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, for the cause of CMC Unification.
November 16,1963
Unification of the Diocesan units of Women TOCD & the election of the first Superior General.
April,1964
Beginning of "Carmelaram" Publication.
January 15,1965
Establishment of Mount Carmel Generalate House in Aluva.
May 8,1966
Centenary Celebration of the Congregation.
March 2,1967
Pontifical status to the Congregation with the new name "The Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C.) and the provisional approval of the first Constitution.
December 27,1967
ThalasseryRegion started the first mission house at NR Pura in Karnataka.
Feb 18,1968
The Blessing of C.M.C. Generalate-cum-Juniorate building by His Eminence Maximilian Cardinal Furstenburg.
April 17,1968
The First General Chapter of C.M.C.
May 01,1969
The inauguration of Juniorate in the Generalate House, Aluva.
January 1,1970
The Revised Constitution of CMC promulgated for experimentation.
March 30,1974
Blessing of “Sanjoe” prayer house in Karukutty.
July 16,1975
Blessing of the first formation house for the mission novices at Pachmarhi in Bhopal Archdiocese.
May 19,1977
Erection of Udaya Province, Irinjalakuda.
April 19,1980
Erection of St. Joseph’s Province Thalassery.
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Erection of Jai Christo Province Palakkad.
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Erection of Amala Province, Kanjirappally.
November 16,1981
Final Approval of the Revised constitution.
February 7,1986
The visit of Holy Father Pope John Paul II in Kerala.
February 8,1986
Beatification of Bl. Chavara and Bl. Alphonsa.
July 16,1986
Erection of Pushparam Province Ghaziabad.
November 10,1986
Inauguration –ChavaraSadan– Formation – cum – Missionary Orientation Centre at Bhopal.
August 29,1987
Mother Euphrasia is declared as Servant of God.
July 16,1987
Erection of Mary Matha Province, Angamaly.
February 12,1988
Release of the Saint Chavara Stamp in Trivandrum by the Hon.IndianPresident Sri.R. Venkitaraman.
February 13,1988
Silver Jubilee Celebration of CMC Unification.
August 31,1988
Centenary celebration of Mutholy Convent, the first CMC branch house.
October 15,1988
Inauguration -Jnanodaya– Mission Juniorate House in Bangalore.
January 15,1990
Silver Jubilee of CMC Generalate House, Aluva.