| Historical Sketch of Conventual Franciscan Presence in India |
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| 1291: |
John of Monte Corvino O.Min*, passed through India on his way to China where he became Archbishop of Cambalech with authority over the whole Tartar Empire. |
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| 1321: |
Thomas of Tolentino, James of Padua, Brother Demetrius of Tifilis and Fr. Peter of Siena (all O.Min) were in India. They were martyred at Thane near Mumbai. |
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| 1324: |
Blessed Odoric Mattiussi O.Min of Perdenone was in Malabar. Passed through Thane and took the relics of the martyrs to China. He was buried in our Conventual Church at Udine in Italy. |
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| 1346: |
Fr. John of Marignoli O.Min was in Quilon as Papal Legate for several months. |
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| 1517: |
The first official division of the Franciscan Order with the bull Ite et vos of Leo X. The Observants (today OFM) were definitely separated from the Conventuals, the main branch of the Order. |
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| 1525: |
Beginning of the Capuchin reform which was canonically approved in 1528 and became an autonomous Order in 1619. 1578: Fr. Gianbattista Lucarelli, a reformed Conventual was in Cochin. |
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| Early attempts to establish the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in India |
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| 1932: |
June 24-29: St. Maximilian Kolbe OFMConv. was at Ernakulam and Alwaye to begin his Marian-Franciscan apostolate |
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| 1942-46: |
Fr. Clement Matteazi OFMConv. spent four years as prisoner of war in a concentration camp near the Himalayan mountains. |
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| 1952: |
Minister General Beda Hess OFMConv. attempted to open a religious house in New Delhi with the missionaries who were expelled from China. |
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| 1959: |
Minister General Vittorio Constantini OFMConv. attempted to begin a Vocational School in Kerala. |
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| 1965-66: |
Minister General Basil Heiser OFMConv. attempted to open a house of the Order in Bangalore or Lucknow. |
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| The Implantation of the Order in India |
| 1979: |
November 16 - December 15: On the instructions of the Minister General Fr. Vitale Bommarco*, Fr. Sebald Reil, General Secretary for the Missions of the Order was in India to prepare the ground for the establishment of the Order in the sub-continent.
December 15: Mar Joseph Powathil, Bishop of Kanjirappally invited the Order to open a Conventual Franciscan house in his eparchy. |
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| 1980: |
February 15: The possibility of establishing the Order in India in the diocese of Kanjirappally was presented to Fr. Elias Vella, Minister Provincial of Malta and his Definitory by Fr. Vitale Bommarco, Minister General, during his Canonical visit to the Province.
July 12: The Maltese Province of the Conventual Franciscans on the proposal of the Minister General Fr. Vitale Bommarco accepted in Chapter the offer to open a Mission in Kerala - India in the eparchy of Kanjirappally.
November 07: Fr. Samuel Chetcuti was in Kanjirappally till January 28, 1981 to prepare the plans for the actual establishment of the Order in India. |
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| 1981: |
February 16: Fr. Samuel Chetcuti and Fr. Albert Sammut of the Province of Malta arrived in Koovappally as guests at the Priests' Home. The permanent presence of the Order began.
March 15: Canonical establishment of Nirmalaram, Chotty as the first Friary and Minor Seminary in the eparchy of Kanjirappally.
March 21: The Oriental Congregation gave permission to the Order to open a house in the Syro-Malabar Church.
November 01: The first nine aspirants joined the Minor Seminary at Nirmalaram, Chotty. |
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| 1982: |
March 29: Fr. Joseph Cilia, the third missionary from Malta arrived in the Mission. |
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| 1983: |
January 17: Fr. George Attard, the fourth missionary from Malta arrived in the Mission.
November 15: Canonical establishment of Kolbe Ashram, Alwaye (later Aluva) as a Friary and Major Seminary in the arch eparchy of Ernakulam. |
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| 1984: |
April 10 -14: The meeting of the Federation of Asia Australia Minor Conventual (FAAMC) was held in India at Nirmalaram, Chotty.
April 15: For the first time five Indian novices made their First Profession in the Order.
August 25: The first Indian Centre of the Militia of Mary Immaculate (M.l.) was established at Kolbe Ashram, Aluva. Fr. Joseph Cilia was appointed as the first Director. Bishop Sebastian Mankuzhikary, Apostolic Administrator of Ernakulam was enrolled as the first member of the M.l. in India.
November 05: The first issue of Amalolbhava was printed. The founder-editor was Fr. Joseph Cilia.
December 12: First meeting of the Mission Council, later Regional Council or Delegation Council presided by Fr. Albert Sammut, Personal Delegate of the Minister Provincial. |
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| 1988: |
April 07: Friar Mathew Purayidom made his Solemn Profession and thus became the first Solemnly Professed Indian Friar in the Order. |
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| Established as a Delegation |
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| 1989: |
September 14: Fr. Joseph Cilia was elected as the first Provincial Delegate for India in the Ordinary Provincial Chapter of the Maltese Province. This was in accordinance with the new direction of the General Chapter held in May at Assisi.
October 28: Fr. Manuel Manicompel became the first ordained friar-priest in the Order. |
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| 1990: |
January: The first issue of the Seraphic Mottukal was published. The founder-editor was Fr. Joseph Cilia.
November 24: The tenth anniversary of the Order's establishment in India was celebrated at Nirmalaram. Fr. Lanfranco Serrini, Minister General and Fr. Sebald Reil, Secretary General for the Missions were present. Mar Mathew Vattakuzhy, Bishop of Kanjirappally presided. |
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| 1991: |
October 07-12: The meeting of the Federation of Asia Australia Minor Conventual (FAAMC) was held in India at Kolbe Ashram, Aluva. |
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| 1992: |
February 21: The first issue of the Franciscan Documentation was published. The founder-editor was Fr. Joseph Cilia. |
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| 1993: |
March 16: The Greyfriars Publications Trust was established.
November 22: Establishment of the Franciscan Ashram at Nattakkal in the eparchy of Thellicerry. The canonical erection of the Friary was on September 17, 1994. |
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| 1994: |
March 08: The Franciscan Centre for Peace and Dialogue (FCPD) was established. It was officially inaugurated on September 1, 1994 by Fr. Peter Damian Massengill, General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Safeguarding of Creation.
September 27: The first SFO fraternity under our pastoral care was established at Nattakkal.
December 04: The first Sarva Matha Shanthi Ghosh (All Religions Peace Festival) was organized by the FCPD at Kolbe Ashram, Aluva. |
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