and to contemplate, Witness, and proclaim the Word Incarnate for
the Kingdom of God"
NIRMALA PROVINCE
ABOUT US
According to the decision of the extraordinary General Synaxis of March 2002, St. Joseph’s province, Marthandom was restructured into two provinces, St. Joseph’s Marthandom and Nirmala Province Venniyoor and a Vice-Province, Kristuraja Vice-Province of Punjab. It was officially declared on 22nd August 2002 by Rev. Mother Felix DM, the Mother General at the Generalate, Kudappanakkunnu.
The territory of Nirmala Province, consists of the south region of Trivandrum District extending from river Karamana to Kalaikkavila and the Districts of Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam and the Missions of Andhra Pradesh. At present Nirmala Province has houses in the following places: Venniyoor, Nellimoodu, Marayoor, Pravachambalam, Malayinkil, Kiliyarkandoom, Neyyardam, Irumbamutty, PMG, Trivandrum, Vettikal, Olavacode, Newyork, Kanakkuzhi, Pothanikad, Dortumund-Germany, Chaikkottukonam, Dhanuvachapuram, Bangalore, Kattakkada, Malayinchi, Nellikkadu, Pampukala, Lutgen – Germany Pinkulam and at the mission stations of Bapatla and Kokkalloor of Andra Pradesh.
Now there are 160 sisters rendering service in the following dioceses: Trivandrum, Moovattupuzha, Parassala, Idukki, Kothamangalam, Bangalore, NewYork and Padarbone-Germany. Nirmala Province began to develop and flourish under the leadership of the provincial superiors
The first provincial Superior – Aug. 2002 — Nov.2005
The Second provincial Superior – Nov. 2005- Jan.2009
The Third provincial Superior – Jan-2009 – Jan.2015
The Forth provincial Superior – Jan.2015 – Jan 2021
The Fifth provincial Superior – Jan.2021 – Present
department of mission
Sisters of the Nirmala Province are working as missionaries about Mission stations/parishes and they have an active role there in the faith formation of children and grown-ups. Also, they prepare the faithful for receiving the sacraments.
We give great importance to house visiting. We visit all the houses in the Mission/parish and listen to them and give guidance if needed. Also, we give necessary help to the needy. We take part in the prayer meeting conducted in the houses if possible.
Every Wednesday the members of the convent go in groups of two to all the houses in their neighbourhood regardless of their caste and creed and establish a good relationship with them and do timely sharing of the Word of God.
We have a mobile mission team consisting of six members who are freed from all other activities and set apart only for mission work. They concentrate on any one of the mission centres/Parish staying with them and praying with them for a week or two. They relate to each member of every family and listen to them. Then they give them guidance or counselling as whatever help they need. We prepare them for receiving the sacrament and help them to deepen their faith in God and their love of God. Encourage the members of the church community to strengthen the communion among them.
little missionaries
of jesus
Aiming at the spiritual growth and virtuous life of children we have prepared a chart of practising virtuous and give to the children in the Mission centre/parish every month. The children are expected to fill up the chart and submit it to the sister at the closing of the month and get a new chart for the following month. About 400 children take part in this program.
DIVINE FAMILY
We help the couples to lead virtuous family life by listening to them and giving guidance. We prepare them for receiving sacraments. Also, we give them biographies of couples who are saints. We have a trained team of five sisters for conducting Christeen retreats in schools and parishes/Mission stations. Also, we train young ladies to conduct christen retreats. Some of our sisters are trained for giving counselling and they go to schools, parishes, retreat centres and other institutions for counselling. Several of our sisters are members of the Suvisesha Sangam of the Malankara Catholic Church and they participate in the programme of the Suvisesha Sangam.
SOCIAL WORK
The sisters give special attention to the children who are left out uncared. We have a Bala Bhavan at Pallanad, Marayoor where we take care of both boys and girls from the tribal area of Marayoor. Another Balikha Bhavan for girls, Alphonsa Balika Bhavan at Nellimood which is attached to Nellimoodu convent looks after the poor girls who have no guardian to give proper care. It is arranged that every convent in the province, sponsor a child in their vicinity and meet the expense of the education of the child from primary level to higher secondary level. We conduct a special school, Udaya Special school for differently able children at Dhanuvachapuram. It is attached to Dhanuvachapuram convent and 28 children are looked after here. We have formed a Navomian Communion for widows for their spiritual well being. We gather the widows in a convenient place and arrange counselling classes, prayers, adoration etc. We take them home after the function in the evening. The sisters at Neyyardam convent prepare Hosts for Holly Mass and make rosary, flowers, bouquets and other things needed for the First Holy Communion.
HEALTH
Though Nirmala Province do not have hospitals of their own some of sisters render dedicated service in the hospitals and old age homes here in our country and foreign countries seeing Christ in every person they service.
Members of every convent visit the people suffering from illness in their houses and in hospitals and strengthen them by their prayer and consoling words. Special consideration is given to people suffering from illness who are destitute. We provide necessary arrangements for the treatment and give financial aid.
We organize medical camps and programmes with the help of medical officers.
An amount of Rs. 200 per month has been given from the Provincial house to a bedridden patient in each mission station/parish where our sisters doing the service.The sisters who are trained in counselling visit the patient and the aged people in their house and in the hospitals strengthen them with their prayers and kind work.
EDUCATION
Concerning Nirmala Province, in 19 communities sisters are engaged in spreading the light of the Gospel through education. Nirmala province owns 5 schools. Altogether 23 sisters render their sincere service in 6 different aided schools in Thiruvananthapuram, Parassala, Idukki, Kothamangalam Muvattupuzha dioceses. One of our sisters is a lecture in an aided college in the diocese of Parassala. Another fourteen sisters are working in 13 unaided schools in different dioceses.
- There is counselling facility at schools for students and if necessary for parents as well.
- Along with curricula there are religion lessons for Christian students and moral classes for others once a week.
- Through KCSL students are getting spiritual & moral values.
- Often we arrange opportunity for students and teachers to attend awareness classes, Christeen retreat & exam preparation retreat which help them to mould their character.
- We accept a certain number of students in our schools without collecting any money.
- Special attention given to those who are weak in studies.
- Teachers find time to give remedial classes and extra classes.
- Evening classes at our convent manage by our sisters.