Biography

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FOUNDATION AND

THE GROWTH OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY OF ST JOHN OF GOD

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set liberty to those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Lk 4:18-19)The period from 1967 to 1977 was a time when the Holy Spirit G was working in a special way in the founder in order to make this prophecy of Isaiah, made centuries ago and fulfilled in Jesus, an experience in this century.

The redeeming work of God is revealed through human hands. The Servant of God Bro. Fortunatus, a member of Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, came to Kattappana in the year 1967. Prompted by a divine inspiration, he approached Mar Mathew Kavukatt, Archbishop of Changanassery and expressed his desire to form a religious community for sisters to collaborate along with them in the field of Hospitaller services. But there was no favourable response for that. In 1976 the vocation promoter of the Brothers of St. John of God was surprised to receive a slightly humorous letter. It was a letter of a girl who wished to join the community of brothers. Nobody took it a matter of importance. Again another letter was also received from another girl. The next day a girl came with her mother expressing her desire to join the community of Brothers of St. John of God. This was taken to be a sign from Heaven and made all to think about it.

The Servant of God Bro. Fortunatus realized that God spoke to them in an unexpected and human way. Following this, after prayer and speculation, decision was taken to respond to this divine call. He approached again His Grace Mar Antony Padiyara, the then Archbishop of Changanassery with his desire. He got the necessary encouragement and co-operation from him.

By the mercy of God and with the permission of His Excellency Mar Joseph Powathil the then Bishop of Kanjirapally, the congregation of the Sisters of St. John of God was given shape by the Servant of God Bro. Fortunatus consecrating eight young girls from various part of Kerala to Our Lady on 8 September 1977 in the Chapel of Brothers of St. John of God at Kattappana, and they were allowed to stay in the third floor of the hospital. Rev. Sr. Borromeo of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation of Changanassery Province was appointed and entrusted with the task of giving the members the necessary spiritual formation to realize the goal of the Congregation. Members from various places kept coming to join them.

On 24 February 1982 Mar Joseph Powathil, the Bishop of Kanjirapally gave temporary approval to the Rules of this community changing its name to "Sisters of Charity of St. John of God". (As two congregations could not be given the same name "Sisters of St. John of God" was changed in to "Sisters of Charity of St. John of God").

On 10 January 1984, seven of the founding members made their First Profession, with the permission of Mar Joseph Powathil, (Bishop of Kanjirapally) and in the presence of the Founder and Sister Superior.

In the General Assembly held in January 1992, after prolonged discussion and deliberation many changes were effected and additions made in the Constitutions, and it was submitted to Mar Mathew Vattackuzhy, the bishop of Kanjirappally for approval. Then it was submitted to the Holy See for suggestions and opinion. In our first General Synaxis held from 1 to 6 December 1992, two days were set apart for the detailed study and discussion of the Constitutions. The modified Constitutions were submitted to the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church the late Abraham Kattumana for approval, and permission was granted to raise our society as a Congregation of the Syro-Malabar Church. On 15 January, 1994 Mar Mathew Vattackuzhy, the Bishop of Kanjirappally, erected our society as a Congregation. Brother Pascal Piles, the then General of the Order of the Brothers of St. John of God, aggregated the new Congregation to the family of St. John of God in 1997.

IDENTITY

The Sisters of Charity St. John of God who are consecrated themselves to the apostolate of compassion and succor to the ailing, the neglected, the sorrowful and the oppressed, have taken a fourth vow of hospitality in addition to the evangelical counsels of obedience, poverty and chastity. The members are trying to recognize the needs of the time and are preparing themselves to meet them satisfactorily. The sisters are working in homes for the aged, hospitals, nursing college, orphanages, shelter homes, schools for differently abled children and centers for the handicapped. Services are also rendered by home care, house visiting, catechetical activities, counselling, social work and in other activities in participation with the local church.

Today, the members are striving to grow into a community which can understand the heartbeats of those people outside the walls of the convent, to make the pains and sighs of those people their own and to share their joy. The noble and exemplary life of our founder whose heartbeat in union with that of St. John of God who found meaning in the words of the Lord, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these members of my family, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40) is a powerful inspiration for us to grow in the spirit of the Congregation.