Blessed Chavara our Founder and Leader |
| Kuriakose (Cyriac) Chavara was born in 1805, of pious and devout catholic parents of Syro-MalabarChurch, in Kainakary, Kerala, India. In baptism he was given the name Kuriakose (Cyriac). After his early schooling in the native village and priestly studies under Fr.Thomas Palackal at Pallippuram, he was ordained priest in 1829. Co-operating with Fathers Thomas Palackal and Thomas Porukara, he founded the indigenous religious congregation for men, (1831) now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I). It was after the death of the senior companions in the foundation that Fr.Kuriakose with the first members, made the religious profession in 1855. In religion he took the name Kuriakose Elias of the Holy Family. |
Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) is an indigenous Religious congregation for men founded by Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara in May11, 1831 at Mannanam.
Table.1 Statistical abstract of the Members(CMI)
| Bishops | 06 |
| Priests | 1345 |
| Permanent Deacons | 11 |
| Brothers Co-Operators | 42 |
| Scholastics | 603 |
| Novices | 197 |
| Total | 2204 |
CHARISM OF THE CONGREGATION
| Charism of our Congregation is Contemplation and Action. Ours is a life of communion with the triune God: experiencing the freedom of the spirit, and making the Word our sole food and drink and of total availability urging us to undertake with zeal for the sake of the church and according to the needs of the times the preaching of the gospel to the faithful, catechizing the new Christians , evangelizing the non Christians, working for the well being of the Saint Thomas Christians and for the reunion of the dissident groups among them and labouring for the all round building up of Christs Body, the church. (CMI Constitution Article3.) |
APOSTOLATES
Our members, considering the signs of the time and needs of the people, are involved in Parishes, Hospitals, Dispensaries, Social Service Centres, Educational institutions, Missions Stations in India and abroad.
Table.2, Statistical abstract of the Institutions(CMI)
| Parishes | 77 |
| Hospitals and Dispensaries | 48 |
| Social service Centres | 99 |
| Educational Institutions | 478 |
| Mission stations | 140 |
| Womens welfare centres | 53 |
| Cultural and Dialogue centres | 17 |
| Total | 912 |
PROVINCES
The Congregation is divided into 13 Provinces for the administrative purpose considering the needs, culture, and language of the people. Six Provinces are in Kerala and seven outside Kerala. Our missionaries are working in third world and first world countries also.
CMI Congregation Link to Website