CMI - A SHORT HISTORY

The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate is the first indigenous religious congregation of the Catholic Church in India. Fr. Thomas Palackal, Fr. Thomas Porukkara, and Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, three diocesan priests of the Syro-Malabar Church of Apostolic origin, who had the perception that “a lot of good had not been done due to the absence of a Thapasu Bhavanam (House of Discipline) and a Darsana Veedu (House of Vision)”, envisioned a religious community that would provide spiritual leadership and promote unity in the church of Kerala. Jacob Kaniantahara, then a friend of Fr. Thomas Porukara, too, shared in the inspirations of the founding fathers and assisted them in their mission. With the permission of Bishop Maurelius Stabilini, the then Vicar Apostolic of Varapuzha, they founded a religious congregation at Mannanam on 11th May, 1831. It was then called the ‘Servants of Mary Immcaulate’.
Soon, some more priests and clerics joined the founding fathers and thus a small religious community took shape. On 8th December, 1855, the religious congregation was canonically approved and the first 11 fathers made their religious profession. Saint Chavara, the only surviving founder by now, was appointed the first Superior (Prior) of the Congregation. During the early period of the Congregation, the Vicars Apostolic of Varapuzha were Carmelites, and due to their influence, the Congregation assimilated the Carmelite Spirituality. Hence the rules of the Carmelites with some modifications were given to them in 1855. In 1860, the community was affiliated to the Order of the Carmelite Discalced with the name ‘Third Order of Carmelites Discalced (TOCD)’. With the new Carmelite Rule, Jacob Kanianthara also made the religious profession and remained a non-clerical member. The Constitutions were approved ad experimentum by the Apostolic See in 1885. In 1958, the Congregation was re-christened ‘Carmelites of Mary Immaculate’ (CMI). It was granted Pontifical Exemption in 1967.
From the very beginning, the religious life in the Congregation was rooted in the Indian, Oriental and Carmelite spiritual traditions. Being contemplatives in action, the members engaged in such activities as the Church in Kerala was in need of those times. They preached retreats, fought heresies and schisms in the Church, established seminaries for the training of the local clergy, met the challenge of educating the youth, disseminated Christian literature, laboured for the propagation of faith and the reunion of the separated brethren, undertook tasks of mercy, and started various charitable institutions.
The apostolate of the CMI Congregation gained new dimension and momentum as mission areas were entrusted to it beyond the boundaries of Kerala. When, in 1962, the Syro-Malabar church was granted the first North Indian mission ordinariate, Chanda, it was entrusted with the CMI Congregation. Since then, more mission dioceses were erected in Central and North India. The mission dioceses entrusted to the Congregation included Chanda, Sagar, Jagdalpur, Bijnor, Rajkot and Adilabad. At present there are three dioceses in North India headed by CMI bishops- Jagdalpur, Rajkot and Adilabad.
The initiation of missionary work beyond Kerala marked a significant milestone in the growth of the Congregation and stood as clear evidence of the Apostolic See’s recognition and appreciation of its ministries. In addition to these missions, many members of the Congregation are engaged in various apostolates in other parts of India and abroad.
The Prior General, assisted by four Councillors, leads the administration of the Congregation. The Prior General’s House, the Head Quarter of the Congregation, is at Kakkanad, near Kochi, Kerala, India. For better administration, the Congregation is divided into Provinces, Regions and Sub-regions. Currently there are 15 provinces, 2 regions and 6 sub-regions. As of now, the Congregation has a strength of around 3000 members, that include 10 bishops (reigning and retired), 2036 priests, 13 Lay brothers and 800 Scholastics. The members are engaged in different ministries in almost all the states in India as well as abroad. About 350 priests are engaged in pastoral service in 30 countries worldwide.