STELLA MARIS ASHRAM,DHUPGURI (VICARIATE HOUSE)
Solemn Profession https://t.co/bVvTfjkZYa
Tanti auguri al NP Generale nel suo onomastico e il 25º dell’ordinazione sacerdotale. Auguri anche al P. Javier Mena, ocd
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History of the South Kerala Province St. Joseph's OCD
On 8th July 1967, our mother province Malabar was raised to the status of a province by the General Chapter. In the course of time, there were internal problems regarding the manner of vocation promotion. For a long time, it remained as a mere wishful dream of the Latin friars of the Malabar province to have the freedom to promote more candidates of the Latin rite. There were 20 members of the Latin Rite in the Province. On 11th march 1980, ten members petitioned for separation from the Malabar Province. Fr.Angel Mary Chemmayath, Fr.Andrew Fernandez, Fr.Vincent, Fr. Antony Pullichira, Fr.Clement D’Cruz, Fr.Wilfred Miranda), Bro.Francis Koduveliparambil, Bro.Policarp, Bro. GeorgePandaraparambil and deacon (Deacon Elias Kalathil On 10th April 1981 Very. Rev. Fr. Philip Sainz de Baranda, the former Prior General of our Order effected a visible internal arrangement based on the rite and region of the members and they were separated and placed in the Varapuzha monastery. The first aspirants’ house was built at St. Andrews in the Archdiocese of Trivandrum in 1984. A Novitiate was opened on 8th December, 1983 at St.Joseph’s Monastery, Varapuzha The Novitiate was eventually shifted to Perumkulam in the Diocese of Punalur on 4th December 1989. The Varapuzha Unit was raised to the status of Provincial Delegation on December 28, 1987. In March 1996 St.Joseph’s Philosophy College at Ambalapuzha was inaugurated. On 29th May 1996, the General Delegation was raised to a General Commissariat. On 29th May 2001 the Commissariat of South Kerala was made a full-fledged Province by the General Definitory. Statistics Now we have altogether 25 houses, both erected and non - erected in our Province : 11 in Kerala, 10 in the Regional vicariate of West bengal and North East, 2 in Germany and 2 iItlay. There are 102 Priests, 14 solemnly professed brothers, eight novices, and 103 candidates in various stages of formations. We have 38 secular Carmel units consisting of 3000 members approximately and we also have started a Carmel youth wing to impart our Charism to the youth. We have one retreat center and a V-guard unit for empowering women. Mission The Regional Vicariate of West Bengal and North East is a part of South Kerala Province. This mission that was opened in 1998 was declared a Regional Vicariate on 27th October 2008. At present together with ten religious houses, we have four schools, six orphanages (three for boys, three for girls), four parishes and two tailoring centers within the jurisdiction of the Regional Vicariate.
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STELLA MARIS ASHRAM
Carmelite Friars
JesuBhavan Catholic Church
Dhupguri P.O, Jalpaiguri
West Bengal – 735210
Ph: 471 2705426
BRIEF HISTORY
Already by 1977, the Discalced Carmelite Sisters had established a foundation in the Jalpaiguri diocese. Bishop James Toppo invited our South Kerala Fathers to open a mission in his Diocese many years before the first foundation in Kolkata. Rev. Fr. Xavier Jayaraj OCD considered the matter as an obligation and sent Fr. Albert Peter to discover the possibilities of setting up a Carmelite mission in Jalpaiguri diocese. After four days of journey from Kerala he landed on Feb 20th 2000, in a place called Dhupguri, “the house of light” to spread the true light of Christ. One of the first things he did was to study the geographical scenario and the culture of the people and reported it to his superiors in the following words: “The structure of Dhupguri is blessed and molded by a mysterious power, nature creates green poems with far reachable tea gardens, the snow-clad Kachanjunga tells the tale of a contemplation, every face of the poor tea garden workers speak that they await salvation, both material and spiritual…” He spent few months in the Dhupguri parish, learned Hindi as the medium of communication and took up the centre at Dhupguri.
MEMBERS
Fr. Xavier Jayaraj : Regional Vicar
Fr. Joseph Shibu Fernandez : Local Superior, Parish Priest
Fr. Francis Thankachan : Principal of the School
Fr. Starwin Antony : In charge of Bl. Marie Eugene Seminary and Director of Aspirants
MINISTRIES
1. Pastoral care of three mission stations: Dhupguri, Duduva and Lakhikanto
2. Basic education
3. Tuition centers in ten different villages
4. Conscientization and developmental programmes for tribal women
5. Periodical Medical camps for Malaria
6. Free supply of midday meal in the school for all the 640 children
7. Free transportation for the children