Lourde Natha Province, Thrissur
( Archbishop of Thrissur)
LOURDE NATHA PROVINCE
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”(Lk.1:38)
Dedicated to the patronage of the Blessed Mother Mary of Lourdes, the Lourde Natha Province of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Martha, Thrissur, fully committed to fulfil the will of God Almighty.
The Lourde Natha province witnesses par excellence the outstanding qualities of St. Martha of Bethany, especially her in-depth faith in Christ Jesus, her service with compassionate love and her simplicity. Since Martha was a friend of Jesus and known for being witness to Jesus' resuscitation of her brother, Lazarus, St. Martha holds prominent stand interceding before the Lord especially for the poor and the weak.
The Congregation of St. Martha was founded by V. Rev. Fr. John Kizhakoodan in 1948 at Ponnukkara, in Thrissur diocese. With immense joy and gratitude, we acknowledge those luminaries and great personalities who helped and assisted us all along. Apart from the founding father, from its start on, the Bishops and the Archbishops of Thrissur Archdiocese, namely, Mar George Alappat, Mar Joseph Kundukulam, Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy, Mar Andrews Thazhath, Mar Raphael Thattil, Mar Tony Neelamkavil and the former director Rev. Fr. Antony Maliekkal and others generously contributed, bestowed and showered their blessings, prayers and supports to the entire congregation beyond words can express. From diocesan religious congregation status it was uplifted to the Major Archiepiscopal status on first May 1997
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Present Team
The CSM General Synaxis of December 2012, presided over by then General superior Rev. Sr. Geo Maria CSM, took the landmark decision to bifurcate the Congregation of Sisters of St. Martha into two Provinces for its smooth administration. The North Province was known as ‘Lourde Natha’, under the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes and the South Province was named as ‘Good Shepherd’, under the guardianship of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
The declaration of the new Province ‘Lourde Natha’ was solemnly announced, formally constituted and gracefully blessed by His Grace Mar Andrews Thazhath, the Archbishop of Thrissur, on 14th September 2013. Rev. Sr. Beatrice CSM was elected and took charge of the First Provincial Superior of the Lourde Natha Province. The provincial house is situated in the heart of Thrissur Corporation. At present the Lourde Natha province has got 22 convents and 160 professed sisters. It is spread over in Thrissur, Palakkad& Kannur districts in Kerala, Erode in Tamilnadu, Barodia& Bhopal in Madhyapradesh. It has got service centres in Amala Medical College, St. Aloysius College Elthuruthu, Bahmori in Madhyapradesh, Nagpur in Maharashtra etc.
Rev. Sr. Beatrice CSM, the provincial superior for the first two terms, along with the first two terms’ provincial councillors, played a phenomenal and unparalleled role in nurturing and bringing up the Lourde Natha province from its initial infancy stage to a commendable position firmly rooted in the vision of the Founder V. Rev. Fr. John Kizhakoodan together with the charism of the congregation. At present, the third provincial superior Rev. Sr. Geo Maria CSM with the provincial councillors consisting of Rev. Sr. Femy Lazar CSM, Rev. Sr. Clare CSM, Rev. Sr. Della Maria CSM, Rev. Sr. Rosin Jose CSM steer the province into new heights.
Consequently, the sprouting and thriving Lourde Natha province, founded on the vision and charism of the congregation, continue to focus on new horizons new goals and new objectives in conformity to the needs of the time. And it has enhanced and progressed tremendously in that direction by the establishment of St. Martha Medical Centre at Anchery, Thrissur, and by the production of variety of new-gen awareness programs by making use of the social network and media.
The province was blessed with new vocations too. Assuring genuine vocations, ensuring human values and grooming spiritually and psychologically the formation team try to train the aspiring candidates, befitting to the compassionate heart of Jesus and in accordance with the charism of the congregation. So also through ongoing classes, seminars and courses they do confirm the renewal and revival of sisters to a greater commitment and dedication. Thus Lourde Natha province has disciplined itself to become ‘the light of the world’ and ‘the salt of the earth’.
The sisters of the province maintain intense prayer life by experiencing the ardent love of Jesus through the active participation in the sacraments, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, unceasing prayers and meditation. In addition to pray for the needy and the afflicted, the sisters put into practice their charismatic convictions, blessings and gifts of the Holy Spirit, by accomplishing and implementing vivid compassionate loving services and merciful ministries of the province.
So far, the Lourde Natha Province excel itself with splendid social interventions and acts of mercy through healing ministry including a hospital, education with schools, social service centres, printing presses, pastoral works, evangelization and mission along with the works of charity.
HOUSES UNDER LOURDE NATHA PROVINCE
The LourdeNatha Convent, Thrissur, was started and blessed by Mar George Alappatt, Bishop of Thrissur, on 11. 02. 1961. This is one of the earliest houses of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Martha. This house dedicated in a very special way to Our Lady of Lourdes. This convent largely engages and involves in caring and nursing of the sick and the aged social apostolate and pastoral ministry of the parish, family visits, catechism etc. The evangelizing mission through printing press started from 1972 popularised and gave a new identity to the Lourde Natha convent. Supplementary to those given above, by carrying out different charitable activities, it has also become a blessing to the needy people of the society.
The congregation was raised into the status of religious congregation of the Thrissur diocese in the year 1970. And later in 1972, the Lourde Natha convent was designated as the first Generalate of CSM. The mother generals and councillors resided there and administered CSM from there till 1982. After ten years, the Generalate was shifted from the Lourde Natha convent to the Holy Spirit Convent.
Soon after the CSM was bifurcated, the Lourde Natha province was formally instituted on 14th of September 2013. The renovated Lourde Natha convent became its provincial house. From the Lourde Natha provincial house, the provincial superior and the councillors administrate and direct provincial affairs and operations. At present, the third provincial superior and the councillors are in charge of the Lourde Natha Province.
Address: Lourdepuram, East Fort.P.O,
Thrissur– 680005
Ph: 0487-2333430; +91 9562544330
E-Mail ID: northcsm@gmail.com
Website: www.csml.in
