Order of Carmelites

The Order of the Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (O. Carm.) was originated on Mount Carmel in Palestine in the beginning of the 13th century and the Order made known its presence in different parts of the world since then. At present the Order is blessed with 21 Provinces and a few delegations over thirty different countries of the world. St Thomas Province of India is a fruit of the missionary zeal of the Upper German Province. During the Provincial Chapter held in 1973 a resolution was made on 13th June to start a foundation of the Order in India. Fr Joseph Koetschner, the then Provincial strove hard to learn the situations and realities of the Church and the people in India. He planned and organized the task of founding the Order in India with great zeal and long vision. As a result three batches of candidates from India reached Bamberg, Germany, in the years 1973, 1974 and 1976. On completion of their religious and priestly formation, the first Indian Carmelites Frs Sunny Kodiyan and Thomas Kizhakemury returned to India in 1982 and Frs John Adapoor and Francis Pavartikaran in 1983. In 1982 the first house of the Order in India, Carmel Nivas was canonically erected at Karukadam as the Minor Seminary in the diocese of Kothamangalam; in 1984 Karmel Nikethan was BRIEF HISTORY erected at Kartikulam as the Novitiate House in the diocese of Mananthavady and in 1988 Carmel Jyoti was erected as the study house in Bengaluru. Carmel Sadan was erected in 1994 at Chettupuzha, Thrissur. It is the provincial house of the Province.

In 1991 the foundation in India was made a region and a Commissariat in 1993, which was officially approved by the General Council with the rescript dt. 30.12.1994. Frs Sunny Kodiyan, John Adapoor and Mathew Neendoor were the Commissary Provincials during this period. It started a mission in 1998 in the diocese of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. On 16th July 2007, the Indian Commissariat was eventually declared an independent Province by the then Prior General, Most Rev Joseph Chalmers and Very Rev Fr Mathew Neendoor was elected as the Prior Provincial of St Thomas Province of India and he was re-elected and continued until 2014. On 14 February 2014 Very Rev Fr Robert Thomas Puthussery was elected as the new Prior Provincial.

Today the Carmelites serve the Church in India and abroad by giving retreats, doing parish ministry and undertaking social and educational services for those in need. The Order in India was involved from its beginning, in such ministries as the Church in Kerala and South of India was in need of at particular times. It started with seminaries for training priests such as Minor Seminary, Novitiate, and Major Study House etc...

The Order in India met the challenge of starting a new mission in Andhra Pradesh with parish ministry and educational ministry. Fr Sunny Jacob Thuruthippilly is the pioneer and visionary behind the mission. Along with the parish ministry Fr Sunny sowed the seeds of educational institutions which are the pressing need of the time then and now. The service in the field of charismatic retreat began with the foundation of Carmel Bhavan, a residential retreat centre at Karukutty, Angamaly in the Arch-diocese of Ernakulam- Angamaly. Fr Bosco Njaliath is the man behind this spiritual reawakening centre that provides spiritual nourishment and faith formation to hundreds of people from various parts of Kerala.

The friars render their service in seven parishes in various dioceses in and outside Kerala. Our friars are also engaged in parish ministries in the dioceses of Germany, Italy, Ireland and Canada seeing the needs of time. Our charitable and social commitment is embodied in the form of an old age home at Kartikulam in the diocese of Mananthavady for the destitute men. The Order made its entry to the ministry of Media by starting a Book Stall named Carmel Book Stall at Kothamangalam. It is a new venture that makes a new area of ministry for our friars. Fr Roji Pullolickal is the pioneer and the first director of the Book Stall. Another important area of ministry of the friars is education.