Welcome

CMI

Reading the signs of the time and needs of the people the CMI missionaries under the leadership of Rev. Fr. John Berchmans Kureeckal cmi of S.H Province Kalamassery, reached Karnataka in N.R Pura and started the Mysore mission in the year 1954. This mission under the title “Mysore Region” was formally entrusted to the Sacred Heart province, Kalamassery as its ‘Mission’ by the Rescript (Proto No. 586/59) from the Vatican on 8 May, 1959. The formal erection of the region was in the year 1965. Rev. Fr. Cyprian Vithayathil was appointed as the first Regional Superior with the mission head - quarters at Gonikoppal, South Coorg. Rev. Fr. Regulus, Rev. Fr. Barnabas and Rev. Fr. Frederick were his successors as Regional Superiors.

The geographical area of CMI St. Paul’s Province, Mysore, covered the civil districts of Mysore, Mandya, Coorg, Hassan, Chikkamagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Shimoga. In order to facilitate the mission work of the district of Hassan, His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Jacob Thoomkuzhy, the then Bishop of Mananthavady, made a contract with Rev. Dr. Thomas Aykkara CMI, the then Prior General of the CMI ( for the sake of then St. Paul’s Vice-Province of the CMI, Mysore) on 19 April, 1981. They agreed through the contract ‘to handover’ to the CMI’s of St. Paul’s Province the district of Hassan ‘with full responsibility for intensive and extensive evangelization of the people of the district and in due time the Holy See may be pleased to erect it as a new eparchy or exarchate as the case may be’ (Ref., Contract between Rt. Rev. Dr. Jacob Thoomkuzhy, the then bishop of Mananthavady and Rev. Dr. Thomas Aykkara CMI, the then Prior General of the CMI’s, no.1). After 29 years of this agreement we come to know formally on 18th January 2010, when Mandya Eparchy (Diocese) was erected by the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church and from the communication that came in the media on that day given by the synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church as well as of Vatican that the newly erected eparchy of Mandya includes the civil districts of Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar and Hassan of Karnataka. We understand that it is in tune with the communication given to Rev. Fr. Thomas Ayankudy CMI, the then Provincial of the CMI Mysore Province on 29 November 2004 by His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Jose Porunnedam, the Bishop of Mananthavady through his letter of erecting one eparchy comprising of the four districts of Hassan, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajnagar. None of these districts alone was found to be large enough, in terms of especially the faithful, to erect separate eparchies ( Ref. Port. No. 1211/2004).

Considering the remarkable progress of the mission activities in this region, the 30th General Synaxis held on May 2, 1978 elevated this mission region to the status of a Vice-Province placing under the patronage of St. Paul, having Carmel Bhavan as its Provincial headquarters. Rev. Fr. Fredreick was appointed as the first provincial. Fathers who served the vice-province as Provincials were-

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Fredrick Mundathanath (1978-1984),

Rev. Fr. Gabinus Petta (1984-1987),

Rev. Fr. Thomas Kunianthodath (1987-1990 & 1999-2002),

Rev. Fr. Joseph Angadiath (1990-1993),

Rev. Fr. Thomas Joseph Vithayathil (1993-1996) and

Rev. Fr. George Kalambukatt (1996-1999).

The 35th Ordinary General Synaxis of the Congregation held in Bangalore raised the Vice-Province to the status of a full-fledged-province on the 9th of April 2002. Since then,

Rev. Fr. Thomas Ayankudy (2002 – 2005),

Rev. Fr. Antony Sebastian Moolamattam (2005 – 2008) ,

Rev. Fr. Varghese Koluthara (2008 - 2011) served as the provincials.

Rev. Fr. Rathappillil Joseph is the present provincial (2011-2014) .

Members of the Province are engaged in various fields of apostolic activities like – Education, Pastoral care, Preaching the Word of God, Working for the up-liftment of the poor, Imparting basic and advanced education, medical care, serving the sick and the dying and in organising the youth. Pastoral care is given to the Christian faithful through catechetical training and administration of the sacraments. People of other religions around the parish and our houses are helped in times of their need. We do guide them to grow in love and fraternity, to become good citizens in helping the nation building process. Province has been taking up new missionary ventures abroad, other parts of Karnataka and other parts of India as a creative response to the Global mission initiatives of the CMI congregation in tune with the thinking of the XXXVI general Synaxis.