The
Religious community of Snehagiri Missionary Sisters was founded in the Diocese
of Palai on 24 May 1969 by Rev. Fr. Abraham Kaippenplackal with the blessings
and patronage of late Bishop Mar Sebastian Vayalil. Our founder was inspired by
this word of God ?whenever you did it for one of the least important of these
brothers of mine, you did it for me? (Mt 25:40). The main motto of our
congregation is to serve the poor, the destitute and the abandoned of the
society to build up the Church in its fullness.
The growth and
development of the congregation during the last 39 years has been praiseworthy.
We have 60 houses in different parts of India and 8 houses in abroad ie, in
Italy, Germany and Rome. We have 460 sisters who are fully engaged in purely
humanitarian activities and services. We are rendering service in different
charitable institutions such as Balabhavans, aged homes and homes for physically
and mentally handicapped for both men and women. In rural areas, sisters give
necessary education for poor children. Besides these, we conduct training centre
of various kinds of cutting, tailoring, embroidery works, baking, host making,
weaving, printing, etc. we are also doing the pastoral activities of the
parishes by teaching catechism, house visiting, counseling, conducting Bible
classes, prayer services and also involved in family apostolate according to the
need. The Silver Jubilee of the Congregation was celebrated in 1994. The
congregation raised into the status of an Eparchial Congregation in Syro-Malabar
Church on 24 November 1994. We are raised as Pontifical Congregation on 15
August 2006 by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Now have three regions and the
sisters who are working in Malankara Church belongs to Pala Region. Our Superior
General is Rev. Sr. Carmala SMS and the Provincial Superior is Rev. Sr.
Soumyatha SMS.
According to the request of Mar Gregorios, late Archbishop
of Trivandrum, our Congregation came to work in Malankara Church on 22 August
1979 at Thottappally. Now there are three houses which work in the Malankara
Catholic Church.