1. Order of Friars Minor Capuchins(OFM.CAP.) | 2. The Indian Missionary Society (IMS) |
3. Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales (MSFS) | 4. Norbetines (O.Praem) |
5. Society Of Jesus (S.J) | 6. St. Joseph’s Missionary Society of Mill Hill (MHM) |
7. Franciscan Missionary Brothers (CMSF) |
Order of Friars Minor Capuchins (OFM. CAP) |
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The Order of the Fariars Minor Capuchins is one of the three branches of the Franciscan First Order, founded by St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), to lead a life based completely on the idea of brotherhood, living the Gospel counsels in simplicity and poverty. |
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The Indian Missionary Society (IMS) |
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In response to a long felt need for indigenous labourers for the spread of the Gospel and with the conviction that the salvation of India would be brought mainly through her sons, Fr. Gaspar A. Pinto, guided by Divine Providence, founded the Indian Missionary Society.
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Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales (MSFS) |
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The Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales was founded by Father Peter Mary Mermier on October 24, 1838. Besides, with the help of Claudine Echernier he also founded the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod. The MSFS or the Fransalians reached the shores of India in 1845. In the General Chapter of 1996, the Maharashtra-GoaProvince was divided into Nagpur and PuneProvinces. Thus Nagpur became a Province with missions extending to North India as far as Delhi. The MSFS are working in thirty-one areas in different parts of India. |
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Norbertines (O. Praem) |
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The Canon Regulars of Premontre, also known as Norbertines, are members of the Order founded by St. Norbert in 1120, at Premontre, in France. Their way of life is based on the Rule of St. Augustine. The Order aims at the practice of the love of God and neighbour through solemn celebration of the liturgy, recitation of the Divine Office in common and by engaging in parochial, educational and social activities. |
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Society of Jesus (SJ) |
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The Society of Jesus was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534 at Montmartre, Paris, for the defence and propagation of the Faith, and confirmed by the Holy See on September 27, 1540. Besides educational work in Seminaries, University, Colleges, Schools, the Society promotes various scientific and cultural works, and is also engaged in giving retreats and doing mission work. The Society has several houses of formation and novitiates in various parts of India. In Varanasi, Jesuits lived and worked in the intelligencia amidst the intellectuals working for inter religious dialogue and study mainly about religion. The society established a house of study for the students who get admission for higher studies in BHU and other universities of the city of knowledge and religion. |
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St. Joseph’s Missionary Society of Mill Hill (MHM) |
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This Society of Apostolic life was founded at Mill Hill (London) in 1866 by Herbert Vaughan, an English diocesan priest who later became Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. It is a fellowship of priests and lay-brothers who wish to dedicate their lives to the Proclamation of the good news in all continents to those who have not yet received it, and especially to those who are most in need of Good News – the poor in body and spirit, the oppressed, the isolated and the uncared for. |
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Franciscan Missionary Brothers (CMSF) |
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The congregation was founded by Very Rev. Bro. Paulus, CMSF and was canonically erected at first in Nagpur on February 01, 1901. It was placed under Propaganda Fide on January 08, 1921. Though primarily missionary, the congre-gation engages in various other activities such as conducting schools, orphanages, hospitals, social service centres, industrial institutes and agricultural establishments. |
* Apostolic Carmel (AC) | * Daughters of Charity (DC) |
* Dina Sevana Sabha (DSS) | * Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) |
* Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) | * Franciscan Servants of Mary (FSM) |
* Congregation of Jesus (CJ) | * Little Sisters of Jesus (LSJ) |
* Missionaries of Charity (MC) | * Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA) |
* Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM) | * Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (MSJ) |
* Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS) | * Sisters of Our Lady of Providence (OLP) |
* Sisters of Providence of Gap (SPG) | * Sisters of St. Anne of Tiruchirapalli (SAT) |
* Sisters of St. Ann of Providence (SA) | * Sisters of the Holy Cross of Chavanod (SC) |
* Satyaseva Catechist Sisters of the Families (SCS) | * Society of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (JMJ) |
* Society of the Helpers of Mary (SHM) | * Ursuline Franciscan Sisters of Mangalore (UFS) |
* Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI) |
Apostolic Carmel (AC) |
The congregation of the Apostolic Carmel, whose Mother House is in Mangalore was founded by Mother Veronica in 1868. She was helped by Bishop Marie Ephraem, who was Vicar Apostolic of Mangalore at that time. |
Daughters of Charity (DC) |
The congregation of the Daughters of Charity, founded in France on November 29, 1633, by St. Vincent and St. Louise de Marillac, is known in the church by the name of “Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Servants of the Poor”. The charism of the congregation is to serve the poorest of the poor, spiritually and materially. The motto is “The Charity of Jesus Crucified Urges us”. |
Dina Sevana Sabha (DSS) |
Dina Sevana Sabha (Servants of the Poor) is a Religious Congregation founded in Pattuvam, Kannur (Dt.) Kerala, in the diocese of Calicut, now Diocese of Kannur, by Sr. Petra Dinadasi on June 01, 1969. By God’s providence she happened to be in Kerala for 3 years in Caritas Institute, Thellakom, Kottayam. She was touched by the poverty and hard life of the people. The words of Christ echoed unceasingly in her heart. |
Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) |
The Franciscan Clarist Congregation was formed on December 14, 1888 at Changanachery, in Kerala. It was the fulfillment of the ardent desire of eight pious women who were the members of the Franciscan third order. The outstanding characteristics of this congregation are spirit of prayer, life of hard work, care of the destitute and service to the poor. Eventually the teaching of religion and the imparting of education were included in their apostolate. There are twenty provinces and three regions in India. There are about seven thousand sisters living in the spirit of the founders in the congregation.The sisters joined the diocesan mission in two places – Shanti Dham Ashram for prayer apostolate and in Matridham Ashram for ministry of the mentally disturbed patients. |
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) |
In India, at Ootacamund, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary was founded on January 06, 1877 by Blessed Mary of the Passion. This “Gift of God” is actualised through generation of FMMs in a diversity of language, culture and nationalities who in a specific manner live the same clarion-call. With Simplicity and Joy as Franciscans, the sisters strive to live the everyday ‘yes’ as Mary our mother. As missionaries, the sisters work in every field of apostolate according to the needs of the Church, ready to go everywhere to announce the ‘Good News’. |
Franciscan Servants of Mary (FSM) |
The Congregation of the Franciscan Servants of Mary was founded by Mother Marie Sainte Clare in France in 1852 and started its house in India in 1934. The members of this Congregation work for the protection, training and education of the youth. They also care for the sick in hospitals and dispensaries. |
Congregation of Jesus (CJ) |
The Congregation of Jesus is a Pontifical congregation. Mary Ward, born in England in 1585, founded the congregation with the name Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBMV), now known as Congregation of Jesus (CJ). The first house was founded in St. Omer in 1609. Mary Ward was a pioneer of active, unenclosed religious life for women and a firm believer in the rights for women in the 17th century. She was enlightened by God to take the constitutions of St. Ignatius, who was the co-founder and whose spirituality is practiced by the congregation. |
Little Sisters of Jesus (LSJ) |
The Congregation was founded in 1939, among the Muslims of North Africa, by Sr. Magdelene of Jesus who had been inspired by Bro. Charles of Jesus (Charles de Foucauld). In 1946, the Congregation started to spread throughout the five continents. Today they are about 1400 Little Sisters coming from 60 different nationalities, present in 60 countries. In 1952, the first Fraternity in India was started in Varanasi, with the desire to make its presence in the spirit of prayer and friendship in the midst of the Hindu world. At present, in India, they are about 30 members in five different Fraternities. |
Missionaries of Charity (MC) |
The Society is an International Religious Family founded by Mother Theresa at Calcutta on October 07, 1950. |
Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA) |
The idea of founding a Religious Congregation for the promotion of missionary work in India came to Fr. Anthony Maria Bodewig, who had worked in Pune Mission for four years. He is the charismatic founder of the congregation, although it was only eight years after his death at the initiative of Dr. Theodor Innitzer the congregation was canonically erected in the Archdiocese of Vienna by Cardinal Piffl on July 01, 1923. Dr. Theodor Innitzer became the Superior of the sisters and remained till death as Cardinal Protector after he became the Archbishop and Cardinal of Vienna, thus meriting the title of Hierarchical Founder of the Congregation. |
Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM) |
The Congregation was founded in 1897, by Mother Marie Louise De Meester, a Belgian at Mulagumoodu, K.K. Dist. (Tamil Nadu), South India. From the beginning the Congregation was marked by its international character, sending of missionaries and starting new foundations in different parts of the world. Today it has expanded to Belgium, Italy, Philippines, Hongkong, Taiwan, England, United States, Gautemala, Brazil, Cameroon, Zaire, Burundi, Lebanon, Jamaica, Haiti, St. Croix, Antigua, Montserrat and Dominica. Its apostolate is in Educational, Social, Technical and Medical spheres. |
Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (MSJ) |
The Congregation of the Medical Sisters of St. Joseph, a Religious Congregation exclusively devoted to medical services, had its beginning in the first half of the 20th century at Dharmagiri, Kothamangalam, Kerala. |
Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS) |
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS) has its origin in the personal experience of the Eucharistic presence of the Servant of God. Thomas Kurialacherry (1873-1925), an ardent devotee of the Holy Eucharist. The Congregation had its humble beginning in a cowshed at Edathua in Kerala on January 29, 1908. |
Sisters of Our Lady of Providence (OLP) |
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Providence was founded in the Cathedral parish of Saints, France in 1817 by Fr. De Rupt, the parish priest of St. Peter’s Cathedral and Miss Elizabeth Vassal, who later became the superior general of the Congregation. Her religious name was Mother St. Irene. |
Sisters of Providence of Gap (SPG) |
The Congregation of Sisters of Providence of Gap was founded in 1762, in France, by Blessed John Martin Moye for the education of the less fortunate girls. In 1838, a branch of it was established in the Southern part of France, in the town of Gap. This was the beginning of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of Gap. |
Sisters of St. Anne of Tiruchirapalli (SAT) |
The history of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne of Tiruchirapalli, dates back to the latter half of the 19th century, when child marriage and early widowhood were prevalent in Indian society. Society looked down on widows as bearers of ill omen, and re-marriage of widows was almost unheard of. The foundress, Rev. Mother Annammal herself a widow, heard the divine call to bring succour to many catholic widows around her. She joined with some more widows, did work of charity which others would not dare to do; visiting the sick, comforting the oppressed and marginalised, instructing poor children, begging to give food to the starving and the sick. On February 02, 1858, their group was duly established as a Pious Association under the patronage of St. Anne and Joachim. |
Sisters of St. Ann of Providence (SA) |
The History of Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann was founded in Turin, Italy in 1834 by the pious couple Marquis Carlo Tancredi Faletti, di Barolo and Guilia Colbert di Maulevrier. They dedicated themselves to the education and formation of children and youth. The main mission of the congregation is education and Christian formation of children and young girls, especially of the poor and the needy. The Institute extends its activities to mission lands in educational, medical and social works. The Generalate is in Rome, Italy. The congregation has houses in Italy, India, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, United States, Peru, Argentina and Cameroon. There are three provinces in India. The houses in the Varanasi diocese come under the Province of St. Ann Northern India. |
Sisters of the Holy Cross of Chavanod (SC) |
Founded in Chavanod, a little village of Savoie, in the South East of France in 1838, by Fr. Peter Mermier and Mother Claudine Echernier. The situation of girls was particularly difficult and it was a great preoccupation for certain zealous and devoted priests. Fr. Mermier, founder of the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales was one of them and he searched for ways and means to remedy this evil. At this time, there lived at Chavanod, in the service of presbytery a pious, energetic and devoted person Claudine Echernier, who began togather around her children and young girls of the parish and guided them to lead a more perfect life. |
Satyaseva Catechist Sisters of the Families (SCS) |
The Society of Satyaseva Catechist Sisters of the Families was founded by Rev. Mother Regina Woroniecka from Bydgoszr, Poland, who belonged to the congregation of Ursuline Sisters of Roman Union on May 05, 1977 at Mariapura in the diocese of Mysore, Karnataka, India. The Foundress hailed from a deep-rooted Christian family in faith and tradition and thus she was moved by the spiritual misery of the new baptized Christian communities who were living like sheep without a shepherd. |
Society of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (JMJ) |
The Congregation was founded at Amerstfoot in Holland in 1882 by Fr. Mathias Wolff and introduced in India in Guntur Diocese (A.P.) in 1904. It’s aim is ‘always ready for souls’ with the charism “Ever adaptable apostolic availability.” The Congregation adopts educational, medical, social, catechetical, pastoral, evangeli-zation works as its principal apostolates. According to the spirit of the Founder, the Society is open to respond to the signs of the times. |
Society of the Helpers of Mary (SHM) |
The Society of the Helpers of Mary was instituted by Mother Anna Huberta Roggendorf, FC, in 1942 with a group of young girls who wanted to dedicate their lives in the service of the poor and needy. As their work became known, financial help came from generous friends and charitable societies. It was officially approved and recognized by the late Cardinal Valerian Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, on March 9, 1962. |
Ursuline Franciscan Sisters of Mangalore (UFS) |
This Pontifical Congregation was originally founded as a Pious Union of St. Ursula, by Fr. Urban Stein, SJ, on April 10, 1887, at Bolar, Mangalore, based on the Ursulines founded by St. Angela Merici. Through the efforts of Mother Rose Saldanha and Mother Mary Agnes Mathias, it was canonically erected by Bishop V.R. Fernandes on May 13, 1934. On August 16, 1959 this Congregation was affiliated to the Franciscan Third Order. With the motto “For the love of God”, the Sisters are engaged in works of charity, mainly in rural and missionary areas, imparting Christian education to children and youth, catechising, helping in pastoral work, running orphanages, and health centres, visiting the sick and doing social work among the poor and needy. |
Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI) |
The Institute of the Ursulines of Mary Immaculate was founded at Piacenza, Northern Italy in 1649 by the Venerable Mother Brigi of Jesus. The special end of the Institute is the education of girls in the spirit of the Catholic Faith and instructing them in all branches of knowledge and works suitable to their condition. |
Though a small Diocese, Diocese of Varanasi is in a significant way a picture of Mother India. The very name of this Holy City conjures up the apex of the spirit’s endeavour in Hinduism.
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