A Swift Glance

As the South East India Province looks back at the path it has trodden, it realizes that it has not traversed too long a distance, but certainly has travelled the harder way. This is a Province, which began its journey relying on the providence of God, with not much material assets to boast of. All the same, it finds its strength in its unordinary manpower and exuberance. It continues to remain as a faithful child of the Congregation. The Province is aware of the conditions in which the Congregation was founded and the way the Congregation responded to the needs of the time and the Church. South East India Province continues to carry out the mission of the Church and of the Congregation in the same vein. Here is a short history of the province in various apostolates.

The Congregation, founded in 1838 in France, reached the Shores of Pondicherry (now known as Puducherry), which is part of this very Province, already in 1846 less than a decade after its foundation, but it took almost a century and a half to take root in this soil where MSFS set foot for the first time in India. In was only in 1975, MSFS began to send its members to Tamilnadu. Two priests namely Fr. Joseph Puthiaparambil and Fr. Peter Chakkulickal were the pioneers who were designated to the diocese of Uthagamandalam. After the construction of the minor seminary in Pudukottai, the vocation to priesthood in this congregation began to be rapid and the mother province Visakhapatnam showed keen interest in taking up new missions, especially remote villages in Tamilnadu.

Tamilnadu – Pondicherry Region: 2005-2008

Considering the vastness of the area, the rapid growth of the mission and the bright possibilities of further mission in Tamilnadu, the Provincial Council of Visakhapatnam Province set up a Study Committee to explore the possibilities of bifurcation of the Province. Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, the superior General and Rev. Dr. Thomas Perumalil, the Provincial Superior took strenuous efforts towards this end. Having received various opinions and proposals, the General Superior created Chennai Region under the mother Province of Visakhapatnam. It consisted of the civil state of Tamilnadu and the union territory of Pondicherry.

Chennai Region was born on 24 January 2005, the Feast of our heavenly Patron. Rev. Fr. A. Lawrence was appointed as the Regional Superior. The inauguration of the Region and the installation of the Regional Superior took place in SFS Seminary, Pudukkottai. The Regional Superior under the guidance of the Provincial of the mother Province convoked the Regional Assembly, which was held in the same venue from 16 to 18 February 2005. The Regional Superior took his residence at SFS School, Pudukkottai. As per the wish of the Regional Assembly, the Superior General approved the change of the name of the Region to Tamilnadu – Pondicherry Region.

South East India Province: 2008

The Region, which witnessed rapid growth, was eventually raised to the status of a Province. Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, the Superior General made this declaration in the year dedicated to the Eucharist by the Holy Father Pope John Paul II. Accordingly, the Province was born on 24 January 2008. Rev. Fr. A. Lawrence, who had served the Region with his dynamics as the Regional Superior, received the mandate to guide the infant Province as the first Provincial. The inauguration of the Province and the installation of the Provincial were held in the Seminary in Pudukkottai. The Provincial convoked the first Provincial Congress from 10 to 14 March 2008, which was conducted in the seminary. As wished by the members, the new Province was named “South East India Province”.

The Province had to soon witness the change in the location of its Headquarters. The Provincialate that was functioning from the SFS School campus, Pudukkottai was shifted to Kunnathur, 12 km from Trichy. The inauguration of this house took place on 05 December 2009.