Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

     In the middle of Nineteenth Century, the Church in Tamil Nadu began to recognize the pressing need for women’s education. It was convinced that advancement in women’s education will nurture genuine piety in families and help in raising the standard of families in general.

   In 1844, Bishop Clement Bonnand (MEP), the Vicar Apostolate over the diocese of Bangalore while presiding over the diocesan Synod of priest, exhorted that women’s education is a dire necessity. The synod members also began to contemplate the possibility of establishing a Congregation of Indian Sisters to whose care the education of women, imparting of moral and religious instructions along with secular education could be entrusted. It was at this juncture that Rev. Fr. Louis Savinien Dupuis, impelled by his earnest devotion to the accomplishment of the Divine Will, came forward to make this venture a reality . 

By the Grace of God, with the blessings and consent of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVI, and His Grace Msgr. Clement Bonnand , the Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry, God’s instruments, the seed for the new Congregation of the IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY was founded on 16^th October 1844.

During the reign of His Holiness Pope Pius IX, the Congregation was affiliated to the 3^rd Order of St. Francis of Assisi on 23^rd February 1859. Subsequently in 1864 it was granted canonical status and its first Constitution approved.

On July 26^th 1907 Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger OCD, Bishop of Quilon brought a community of sisters from Pondicherry to Kanjiracode in the diocese of Quilon, chiefly to attend the education of women. Between 1907 and 1945 four more communities were formed. According to the desire of the Bishops of Kerala, the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Nations directed and authorized Rev. Leo P. Kierkels CSP, the apostolic delegate of the East Indies to effect the bifurcation of the Congregation separating the Kerala region from the rest. The Apostolic delegate brought to effect the bifurcation. On 17th March 1947 Bishop Jerome M. Fernandez, inaugurated and declared the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary an independent diocesan Congregation. It was comprised of five convents and 45 sisters. In 1961, its first Constitution was approved by the bishop of Quilon.

The Superiors General

	Mother Henrica Mary was the first Superior General of the Congregation. She was elected on the 6th of May 1947. She carried out her duties with great care and, love, devotion and spirit of sacrifice. Her unwavering faith gave her strength to face all difficulties courageously. With the following words “Sisters our exemplary life alone can make us dear and respectable to God and man” she used to advice the members.
1947-1953
	Mother Elgieve Mary was the successor of Mother Henrica Mary. She was elected in 1953. Her far sightedness, courage, dedication, imagination and faith in God helped her make the Congregation an autonomous and self sufficient body.  “Jesus loves you sisters. Love Jesus. Love our Congregation and love every body and pray for every body and that is what God desires from His spouses”.
1953-1965
	Mother Carmel Mary was the Superior General of the Congregation from 1965 to 1977. She was a person of great efficiency and dedication. She took care of the material and spiritual progress of the Congregation .under her guidance the Congregation grew in number and in its resources. She often advised the members “at the depth of the heart desire to live as the beloved spouses of Jesus. Observe the Gospel counsels even at the cost of life. Above all try to be friends of the friendless and do whatever possible for their good”.
1965 -1977
	Mother Veronica Mary was the Superior General of the Congregation from 1977 – 1989. Her deep spirituality, able guidance foresight helped for the material and spiritual growth of the growth of Congregation.  Be faithful even in very little things, for Jesus says “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest in a very little in a very little is dishonest also in much.”
1977 –1989
	Mother Delphine Mary held the post from 1989 to 2001. Her simple style of life, keenness, enthusiasm, and above all her firm faith in God enabled her to lead the Congregation to spiritual as well as material and institutional growth.   “Service is our duty. Serving others is a Divine assignment. Assuming our duty and accepting the divine assignment and keeping in front our motto ‘Sanctification through Service’ let us carry out our apostolate”.
1989- 2001
	Mother Boniface Mary has been the Superior General since 2001. Her interest in the spiritual renewal of the sisters and the intellectual development of the sisters are really appreciable.
2001-

Growth of the Congregation.

By the grace of God Almighty the Congregation has launched earnestly into various spheres of social services for the greater glory of God and for the amelioration of the people. Now it has remarkable grown and spread to 21 diocese and has become a flourishing Congregation having Sixty four convents and over 500 professed sisters dispersed in nine states of India three diocese in Germany, two dioceses in Italy and two dioceses in the United States. 1n 1997, the Congregation celebrated the Golden Jubilee of its foundation. In 1998 it was raised to Pontifical Status by His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

May God grant his light and strength to every member and help each one to be true light of the world.

Histroy of Rev. Fr.Louis Savinien Dupuis – The Founder of the Congregation.

	Rev. Fr. Louis Savinien Dupuis was born in France at Sens on the 18th of August 1806. He was the second son of  Edme Louis and Dupuis and Victorie Remy. After completing the early education in a Jesuit School he did his higher education ate sanes under the Sebastenien Fathers.
1806-1874

         He worked as a Parish Priest in Nellithope and oulgaret. He wished to propagate the Catechism of the Catholic Church against the wrong preaching by others and so got involved in writing. He used a Print media and published a number of articles in Magazines, wrote, translated and compiled a number of books on Catholic belief, which is used by all children for the preparation of first Holy Communion. In 1847 he was appointed pro-vicar. He started the Vincent De Paul Society in Puthucherry in 1851 and in 1868 he established the Mother of Perpetual Help Fraternity Society.  Realizing his sense of responsibility, and mission zeal, he was sent to Pondicherry where he was assigned the charge of the Seminary and the mission press.

      When education was not even thought of in India , he kept in forefront the movement for women education and started the immaculate Congregation. The very next day on the 17^th of October 1844 he founded the Immaculate School , the first formal school for the Education of girls. In order to see the education ministry is properly done, he developed good systems of examination and inspection of schools. He gave importance to the talented girls by giving prizes. He impressed on the officials of the French and British governments to provide funds for the development of proper building for the education of girls. Commitment to the cause of Education Fr. Dupuis established schools at different places in and around Pondicherry.

Rev.Fr. Dupuis was called to his eternal reward on he 4^th June 1874.