History
OUR
HISTORY
HISTORY
The North Indian Capuchin missions founded by the Capuchins from Italy, England, France Malta, Canada and Belgium, received support and strength by the dedication and hard work of the Indian confr
It was juridically erected in November 1973, with Br. Blaise as the provincial delegate and Brs. Wilfred and Guido as councillors, and entrusted to St. Joseph Province, Kerala. The region included the diocese of Jammu & Kashmir in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Jalandhar in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. In 1974, it was raised to custody under the Mother Province of St. Joseph’s Kerala. In 1988, the diocese of Udaipur, Ajmer and Jaipur in Rajasthan were added to it.
Krist Jyoti custody was raised to the status of Provincial-Vice-Province on Wednesday 7th April 1999 in the presence of the archbishop of Delhi, bishops of Meerut and Jammu-Srinagar dioceses, friars, priests, religious and lay people of the locality at Yamuna Vihar (Prot. N. 00270/99).
Br. Andrew Anil Sequeria officiated at the inauguration ceremony of the new vice-province on behalf of Minister General John Corriveau and appointed Br. Dominic Thirunilath as Vice Provincial minister and Brs. Thomas Pullat, Raymond Kavumpuram, Martin Poothokaren, Hadrian Joseph Vachipurackal as councillors.
Right from the beginning, the majority of the brothers of the custody were of the view that it could be raised to the status of General Vice – Province. The definitory of the St. Joseph’s Province too expressed its opinion in favour of it.
The General Definitory, after examining all the factors involved, decided on June 7th June 1999, to constitute Krist Jyoti (cf. Prot. N. 00901/99). Accordingly, Krist Jyoti was declared and established as a General Vice-province on October 25, 1999, at Aluva. The Vice-provincial Br. Dominic Thirunilath and the councillors were re-confirmed by the general minister with the consent of his definitory and appropriate authorisation from the Holy See.
In compliance with the resolution of the 3rd Vice Provincial chapter held from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 2005, the Vice Provincial Minister, with the consent of his council, requested the General Definitory by a letter dated February 15, 2007, to raise Krist Jyoti to a Province. The Capuchin Conference of Major Superiors in India (CCMSI), with the letter of April 24, 2007 (Prot. N. 00563/07) expressed its approval for establishing the new province. After the visitation of the jurisdiction by the General Definitors Brs. John Antony and Peter Rodgers from October 1-13th, 2007, the General Definitory acceded to the request, and the General Minister, Br. Mauro Johri wrote on November 24, 2007 (Prof.N.01045/07) that they have decided positively to establish the Province Krist Jyoti, as this jurisdiction is now able to contribute to both an apostolic witness and the life of the order and has a certain geographical unity (Const. 111, 3).
Observing all the canonical provisions, the General Minister with the consent of the General Definitory, according to the norms of our constitution (Cf.No.111.1), on 2nd June 2008, proclaimed Krist Jyoti as Capuchin Province of Krist Jyoti in North West India with all the right obligations of a Province of the Order (Prot.N. 00121/08) and appointed Br. Dominic Thirunilath as the Provincial Minister, Br. Raymond Kavumpuram as Vicar Provincial, Br. Thomas Pullat, Br. Suresh Mathew and Br. Niamath Sidhu as the Definitors.
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