Congregation of Saint Theresa (Brothers)

GROWTH, DIVISION, & FLOURISHING
 
His Grace Mar Augustine Kandathil, the late Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly is the Founder of the Congregation.  The Congregation waas founded in 1931. at Mookkannur village in Ernakulam Archdiocese and district. Rev. Fr. Thomas Panat who was the parish priest of Mookkannur parish from 1924 to 28th Feb. 1931, was relieved and was appointed as the manager of the Orphanage at Mookkannur and the Director of the newly founded Congregation. As the congregation grew, number of brothers increased and centres were developed. Fr. Panattu applied to Mar Kandathil for permission to admit candidates for priesthood in the congregation to cater to the spiritual needs of Brothers. Permission was granted to admit not more than 10 or 12 candidates on 27th Dec. 1945. Later, Fr. Panatt applied to Mar Augustine Kandathil for permission to join the Congregation in 1946. He joined the Novitiate on 17th May 1949 and made his First Profession and became a religious priest on 17th May 1950 and his Final Profession was on 21st Nov. 1952.

But later, more and more candidates were admitted for priesthood and so the number of priests out-numbered that of Brothers. This was against the intention of the Founder and of the donor of the landed properties. So as per the request of the Brothers, the Oriental Congregation intervened in the matter and directed Mar Joseph Parecattil, the successor of Mar Kandathil to solve the problem by Decree No. 512/68 dt. 09 the Nov. 1978. So Cardinal Parecattil issued a Decree No. 402/78 dt. 8th Dec. 1978, bifurcating the Congregation as the "CONGREGATION OF ST. THERESE (CST BROTHERS)" and "LITTLE FLOWER CONGREGATION (CST FATHERS)". The Decree came into effect on 02nd Jan. 1979. 

For better administration and growth, the Congregation was divided into two Provinces in 2014 viz; Sacred Heart Province with Headquarters at Thrikkakara, Kerala and St. Joseph Province with Headquarters at Guwahati Assam. 

The Congregation was raised to  Major Archiepiscopal Right  by His Beatitude George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, on 19th March 2020. 

The members of the Congregation serve in many dioceses in Kerala and in the states of Orissa, Telengana Assam, Meghalaya etc. It has a House in Rome also.