St. Chavara Vice Province

The association of St. Joseph’s Province, Kottayam with the evangelizing mission of Saurashtra and Kutch started in 1973, when the then Prior General, Fr. Theobald Pothanikat CMI sent a team of six priests to Gujarat. Among the six pioneering members, Fr. Joseph Vempala CMI and Fr. Modest Purathayil CMI belonged to the St. Joseph’s Province, Kottayam and the others were from Sacred Heart Province, Kochi and Devamatha Province, Trichur. Fr. Mathew Kalathoor CMI of St Joseph’s Province Kottayam joined the missionary team a year later.
On July 16, 1974, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the CMIs officially took over four civil districts of Gujarat in the Saurashtra and Kutch area, namely, Jamnagar, Kutch, Junagadh and Surendranagar from the Society of Jesus in a simple function held at St. Xavier’s School, Jamnagar. Fr. Joe Aizpun S.J., the Jesuit Provincial, Fr. J. Aranha S.J., the Administrator of the Diocese of Ahmedabad, Fr. Antony Narithookil CMI, the Vicar-General of CMI Congregation, and Fr. Liguori Mundackal CMI, the CMI General Mission Secretary, were present on the occasion. By that time there were twelve CMI priests working in the region. Five of them, namely, Fr. Melanius Arayathinal CMI, Fr. Reynolds Chempakassery CMI, Fr. Joseph Vempala CMI, Fr. Modest Purathayil CMI and Fr. Mathew Kalathoor CMI , hailed from St Joseph’s Province, Kottayam.
On June 2, 1975, the CMI General Council by its Act 284/75 instituted the CMI Mission of Saurashtra and Kutch. Fr. Modest Purathayil CMI was appointed the Mission Superior. St. Xavier’s School, Jamnagar, which till then belonged to the Jesuits, was declared a CMI house with the rights and privileges of a canonical house.
On February 25, 1977, Pope Paul VI by the Papal Bull, De Recta Fidelium, established the Eparchy (Diocese) of Rajkot, comprising seven civil districts in the Saurashtra – Kutch area of Gujarat, namely, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Kutch. Mar Jonas Thaliyath CMI was appointed the first Bishop of the Diocese of Rajkot on March 2, 1977. The following year, that is in April 1978, the CMI General Synaxis entrusted the entire mission territory of Saurashtra and Kutch, co-extensive with the Diocese of Rajkot, to the Sacred Heart Province, Kalamassery (Kochi) which was till then manned by both Kottayam and Kalamassery Provinces. With this new administrative set up, most of the members of the Kottayam Province left the mission and went back to the Province. A few of them continued to work in the mission at the request of Bishop Mar Jonas.
Later in 1981, when Fr. Columbier Njavallil CMI was the Provincial Superior of St Joseph’s Province, Kottayam, a team headed by Fr. Mathew Cheeramkuzhy CMI, the Provincial Councillor for Pastoral Ministry, was appointed to work out the future modalities of the involvement of St. Joseph Province, Kottayam in the Rajkot Mission. However, the sad demise of Bishop Mar Jonas Thaliyath, the first Bishop of Rajkot, on November 7, 1981, delayed the process. Bishop Mar Gregory Karotemprel CMI succeeded Bishop Mar Jonas on January 22, 1983 as the Bishop of Rajkot.
Later, with Fr. Thomas Aykara CMI as the Provincial Superior of St Joseph’s Province, Kottayam, a new phase of the Province’s missionary presence in Saurashtra was opened. He established the Saint Chavara Sub- Region, Bhavnagar on 3 January, 1985 under the administrative care of the St Joseph’s Province, Kottayam. This fresh initiative was made possible by the generosity of Bishop Mar Gregory Karotemprel CMI who earmarked two districts, Bhavnagar and Amreli, for St. Joseph’s Province, Kottayam for evangelization. Fr. Modest Purathayil CMI was appointed the first Sub-Regional Superior. The Sub-Regional Houe had its Headquarters at Bhavnagar in a small house purchased for the purpose in the city centre of Bhavnagar. The new Sub-Region established its first institution at Mahuva. It is the St Thomas School, Mahuva, established and nurtured by Fr. Ignatius Plathanam CMI. In 1987, the district of Junagadh was added to the territory of St. Chavara Sub-Region.

The Sub-Region was raised to a Region on September 9, 1996 when Fr. Job Vallipalam CMI was the Provincial Superior of Kottayam. Fr. George Areekuzhy CMI was appointed the Regional Superior. A spacious Regional House was constructed at Merubaugh, within the city of Bhavangar, on a plot donated by Bishop Mar Gregory to the Region. In the successive years, the Region witnessed rapid institutional expansion with the establishment of schools, priests residences, social work centres, aspirants House, as well as, parish work. These achievements were made possible by the dynamic leadership of the successive Provincial Superiors of Kottayam - Fr. James Earthayil CMI, Fr. James Narithookil CMI, Fr. Joseph Vadakkan CMI and Fr. Sebastian Elanjickal CMI , as well as, the successive Regional Superiors - Fr. James Narithookkil CMI, Fr. Jacob Marangttu CMI, Fr. Jose Thumbelettu CMI and Fr. Mathew Kalathoor. Schools were established at Junagadh, Chitra, Porbandar, Botad, Morchupana, Palitana, Motasakhpar. Social service was taken up in a big way under the banner of Samagra Vikas Trust based in Amreli. Old age home and Boarding for Boys were established at Fuljhar.
Deliberations for raising the St. Chavara Region into a Vice-Province were underway since 2002. It received increased momentum when the XXI Ordinary Provincial Synaxis of St. Joseph’s Province, Kottayam authorized Fr. Sebastian Elanjickal CMI, the Provincial, and his Council to constitute an expert committee to study the various aspects of erecting Chavara Region as a Vice-Province. The committee, after meeting the members of the Region, recommended the upgrading of the Region as a Vice-Province. The process was completed when Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottiyil CMI, the Prior General, through the Decree No. GC/441/2010 dated November 12, 2010, raised the Region to the status of a Vice-Province, opening a new chapter in the CMI missionary presence in Saurashtra and Kutch.
The first Provincial Synaxis of the newly erected Vice-Province was held 28-30 March, 2011 and Fr. Jose Kuzhichalil CMI was elected its first Provincial. The Province was formally inaugurated in a colourful ceremony held on 16 July, 2011. Fr. George Areekuzhy CMI (2014-2017), Fr. Emmanuel Kariyapurayidom CMI (2017-2020) and Fr. Kuriakose Kallamullil CMI (2020-2023) served the Province as Provincial Superiors in the successive terms of Provincial administration. At present Fr. Joseph Kallampallil CMI (2023-) is leading the Vice-Province as its Provincial Superior. St. Chavara Vice-Province continues to grow with the addition of new institutions and the expansion of the existing ones.
May God, through the intercession of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, continue to bless our Province, guiding us to the live his vision of faith, unity, and selfless service.