VIMALA PROVINCE
ERNAKULAM
0484- 2945853, +91 7994175599
HISTORY OF
VIMALA PROVINCE
Vimala Province Ernakulam is the oldest province of CMC congregation. The mother house of CMC is present in this province at Koonammavu. The Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC) the first indigenous congregation for women in India was founded on February 13,1866 by Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara the then Vicar General of Syrian Church of Kerala and Rev, Fr. Leopold Beccaro OC, an Italian Carmelite missionary. CMC is a religious congregation that strives for the personal sanctity of her members and the redemptive upliftment of the people of God especially of Women and children through various apostolic activities. The congregation has a life style depended in Abba experience with the right blending of contemplative prayer and apostolic services. The spiritual vision that permeated the whole life of founder St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara consists in acknowledging God as the loving Father, the fellow being as own brethren, the Holy Church as the Mother, and the whole world is as own family. this in fact is a convergence of the Abba experience manifested in Jesus Christ and the experience of the Kingdom of God that He preached with the power of Holy Spirit. Goal of Foundation: The Goal of the foundation of this congregation is that Providing every help to members of the congregation to attain personal sanctity and salvation. Promoting salvation and redemptive upliftment through Christian formation of the people of God, especially women and children through catechism and faith formation, intellectual and vocational training and such other apostolic activities undertaken according to the needs of the Church and the people of the locality.
Charism: the charism of the congregation is personal sanctity and redemptive upliftment of the people of God especially women and children through the right blending of contemplation and action. Be holy and lead others to holiness is its essence. The charism obliges the members to work for the personal sanctity as well as the salvation and sanctification of souls, remaining united with the Father through contemplation and accomplishing apostolic services by following the example of Jesus who filled the will of His Father by praying in the solitude of the mountains, preaching the Kingdom of God and doing good to all.
Life style: The founding fathers passed on a religious life style to the first members integrating the purely contemplative Carmelite spirit with the apostolic activities according to the needs of the time. This is implied in our motto “Remain united to me in contemplation (cf.Jn 15:4) and consecrated to me in action”. The mind that at God in contemplation should flow towards God incessantly and lovingly. The supreme love for God is realized and fostered though listening and responding to His Word in absolute faith and it brings integration and harmony in life. Selfless action would flow from this supreme love and has to be sustained, nurtured and enriched by it. Every work done in a spirit of devoted services and selfless sacrifice become sacred oblation.
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Starting of the Congregation is the Starting of Ernakulam Province Since the CMC congregation started (1866) at Koonammavu, the first convent of CMC is at Ernakulam. In 1890, the Vicariates are formed for the Syro Malabar Church and the Congregation started to get rooted in different vicariates, and then to different dioceses. Form 1896 onwards the growth of the congregation was fast and it become pontifical religious congregation for women by 1967. The mother province Ernakulam gave birth to to Pavanathma Province Kothamanagalam (1961), Pushparam Province Jalander (1986), and Mary Matha Province Angamaly (1987). Then it became CMC Vimala Province Ernakulam as it is now and it is a religious women community in Ernakulam- Angamaly Arch diocese. Vimala's Mission houses are situated in Maharashtra and Delhi. Education, Medical Services, Social Services etc: are the important ministries of Vimala province.