preloader

News & Events

The Congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) is the first indigenous religious congregation in India.

Greetings and blessings of the Feast of our Lady of Immaculate Conception

Dear Rev. Fathers and Brothers,

With sentiments of joy and gratitude, may I wish every member of CMI family, the greetings and blessings of the Feast of our Lady of Immaculate Conception.
On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX defined, in the glorious Basilica of Saint Peter's, the divine dogma of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception, in the following words.
"We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace of the Omnipotent God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, was preserved immaculate from all stain of original sin, has been revealed by God, and therefore should firmly and constantly be believed by all the faithful...."
On December 8, 1855, our congregation was canonically approved and the first eleven fathers under the leadership of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara made the profession of religious vows. Today, on December 8, 2014, the 160th Anniversary of such a great event, 81 novices make their first profession. Let us with our young members all the greetings of the day and pray in a special way for them so that they will be ever faithful to their religious commitment and live the spirit of CMI.
While we make renovation of vows today, let us regain the spirit of our founding fathers and other saintly Fathers and Brothers of our congregation in order to strengthen our community life and prayer life integrated with our apostolic mission.
The 9th December shall be observed in commemoration of our departed brethren. All our priests shall apply their mass of the day for them (CMI Directory 61 (a).
May our beloved Mother be with us and St. Kuriakose Elias intercede for us for being faithful to our call and mission.

Fr. Paul Achandy CMI
Prior General