CMI-St. Thomas Province

“God, in His loving providence has called us, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, to a community of Love in the Church” (CMI Constitutions, #1). This congregation had great missionary and social involvement in the society and the Church and thus transformed the people to an exceptional level of God experience and significant social transformation. CMI Malabar mission and the hard work of our early missionaries will remain as the milestones of this legacy and pointers to the future.

St. Thomas Province, Kozhikode was the extended territory of the erstwhile St. Joseph Province, Kottayam. From early 1930s, even before the division of the congregation into provinces, members of the congregation were working among the migrant Christian population in Kozhikode and neighboring regions. The pioneers who ventured out were sources of solace and energy, spiritual as well as temporal.

The growth of the province can be charted as follows. In 1935, Fr. Athanasius, the pioneer CMI missionary of Malabar, started a parish, school and orphanage at Cheruvannur near Feroke at the request of the Bishop of Calicut. In 1936, the first CMI house was started at Kadalundy near Feroke to co-ordinate the work of the CMI members in the Malabar area. Many people from the south of the state began to migrate to the north for a better living. The CMI fathers were with them in all their trials. The various social, religious, cultural and educational requirements of the migrants were attended by the members of the mission. Malabar, especially Kozhikode, has innumerable stories of perseverance and sacrifices to tell.

In 1949, Six Syro Malabar parishes were established and entrusted to the CMI Missionaries after considering the report of Rev. Fr Kerubin CMI. Soon, many more CMI fathers signed up to work here. Many parishes, including the present churches of Kodenchery, Thiruvambadi, Thariyode, Koodaranji, Koodathai, Kannoth, Sulthan Bathery, Nadavayal, Maruthonkara, Venappara,Nenmeni, Panthalloor, Pulloorampara, Manimooly, Mariapuram, Padathukadavu,  Peravoor, Kallody, Kelloor were developed under their leadership. When the congregation was divided into three provinces in1953, a considerable number of CMI fathers were working in the Malabar area. After the division, it became an independent region under the St. Joseph Province; Fr. Aurelius Kadampuzha was the first regional superior.

In 1953 the Diocese of Thalassery was formed.  Untiring efforts of our missionaries and the follow up Fr. Romeo Thomas Mannanal CMI and Fr. Placid Podipara CMI were the reason for the formulation of this new diocese. In 1954, a house was established in Calicut city with the name Amalapuri. In 1956, Devagiri institutions were started.

In 1969, the Kozhikode region became an independent and autonomous vice province with Fr. James Pallivathvakal as the vice provincial. In 1978, the general synaxis raised it to a province and Fr. Caesarius Nalpathamkulam was elected as the first provincial. Today, the province has 31 houses/centers. It is spread over three states, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Jammu and Kashmir is a sub region of the province with Jammu as its headquarters.

CMI St Thomas Province manages parishes in four Dioceses and also in Peru and Brazil apart from the ministries in the USA, Germany and Australia. Family counseling centres, retreat centre and prayer homes are operated for the pastoral and family wellbeing of the people. The province has many social work initiates such as Special schools, Psycho – Socio Rehabilitation Centres, Children and Women Focused Community Development Programs, Training Centers for the Youth etc. It also runs many reputed educational institutions, including St Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Devagiri. The Province has also established cultural centre to promote art, literature and solidarity.

St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and our forefathers in Malabar mission were empathetic towards the spiritual and physical needs of the people. Our interventions through the recent projects, such as Amala Media House, Family Counselling Centres, Pain and Palliative Care Units, Catholic leadership programs for adolescents, Skill development and sustainable living projects, adoption of global standards in rural and urban education etc. are planned for a sustainable change in society and radical wellbeing of individuals.