BETHANIES
SPES NOSTRA BETHANY KOTTAYAM
Apostolic Oblates’ first Bethany in India; started on May 22nd in 1975 and this is also our National House.
MATER FIDUCIA BETHANY MANGANAM
When Apostolic oblates secular Institute was founded in India in 1975, it was a longing desire of our beloved founder servant of God Bp. William Giaquinta to have a formation house in India. As years passed, in 1989, on the occasion of our founder’s Golden Jubilee of his priestly ordination, his favourite daughters (externals and Internals) presented him a sweet and beautiful gift ‘Mater Fiducia bethany’.
This desire was fulfilled in 1992 and was named as ‘Mater Fiducia bethany’ in the name of our Lady of Trust, who is the patron of our institute. This name was proposed by our founder. The founding stone was laid on 19th March 1990 and construction work was completed in 1992. By the grace of God, this house was blessed By Mar Joseph Powathil, archbishop of Changanacherry . The formation house is situated very near to the national house, Spes Nostra in manganam , Kottayam.
Rosamma Kunnel was appointed as novice mistress in 1992. She rendered her sincere and silent service for 12 years and she was relieved from the office in 2004. Chiara parambil, Leena Arackal were also offered their service as a novice mistress from 2004 to 2014. Lizy Cheriyatharappel, Chiara Parmbil, Thankamma cheppanathu, Leena Arackal, Saiby Thayyil and Jisa Koottiyanickal were rendering the service as vice- mistresses in the past years. At present Jisa Koottiyanickal is the novice mistress.
The formation house plays a major role for the growth of the Apostolic Oblates Secular institute. The seed of each vocation is sprouted and nourished by adequate supply of water and manure. Mater fiducia imparts formation to candidates, with special emphasis on theological, psychological and spiritual studies. During the formation period, the candidates are not only preparing for the apostolate of holiness by themselves but also they are very active in this apostolic life. In the past 25 years almost 50 oblates have received the formation from this house.
On the silver jubilee year of Mater Fiducia bethany, we, the oblates thank God, for the abundant graces that He showered upon.
ROSA MISTICA BETHANY KOOROPPADA
With the intention of engaging in pastoral ministry at Kooroppada,we started our bethani on November 9th in 1985. Here we have a hostel for students.
STELLA MATTUTINA BETHANY ELIKKULAM
According to the invitation of Kanjirappally Diocese as well as the special advice of Rev. fr. Xavier Koodappuzha, we started our bethani in Pampoli on August 12 th in 1991. Later we shifted to new place,Elikulam,donated by the parish and there we build our new bethani and inaugurated on May 13th in 1996..
SEDES SAPIENTIAE BETHANY MUNDAKAYAM
Sede Sapientiae Bethany started in the diocese in the year 1993 at Podimattam and relocated from Podimattom to 31st Mile John Paul Nagar Mundakayam on 21-04-2014.
We are doing our very best in spreading our charism through the newly formed parish of St. John Paul IInd Church. Regular involvement in parish apostolate, by animating family units, leading prayers, celebrating All saints day, giving
leadership to different organisations such as: SMYM, CML, Altar Boys, Mathruvedi and Sunday School.
Empowering the family units by regular home visits, attending the sick and
elders.
In addition to this, preparing the kids and teenagers for the pro sanctity movement which is called as pro sanctity pearls. Also involved in sending out the message of PSM to the working women which is called as Pro Sanctity Professionals (started on April 20, 2016).
Every third sunday Pro Sanctity Professionals met at Bethany to conduct group sessions and activity planning on Pro Sanctity movement . The programme will focus on current affairs while ensuring it allegiance with the teaching of catholic church.
Co-operatives started on July 8, 2017. Every second saturday they gathered at Bethany. Besides oblates conducting counselling sessions at Amal Jyothi Engineering College, One of our oblate serving as librarian at Amal Jyothi Engineering College, also two of our oblates are teachers at St. Joseph Koovappally and St. Mary’s G. H.S. Kanjirappally respectively.
Oblates conducting Retreats, Seminars, Motivation classess for people of all ages and defferent groups including consecrated in the various regions of Kanjirappally and other diocese. We are trying our best to participate the apostolate activities arranged from the central team of pro sanctity movement.
Through these apostolic activities oblates along with the church are spreading the charism of the Institute.
MATER CHRISTY BETHANY NAVI MUMBAI
With the thirst of spreading our charism,we started our apostolate in Nerul parish on November 3rd in 1997. We support and spear head the activities of the church by becoming an integral part of all the initiatives. Based on the philosophy of spiritual support and guidance of lay person to be with the church,they undertake the following activities.Prayer meetings,Lectures,Festival of faith for children and youth, Service at schools… The strive to follow the motto of Call to Holiness through all means by running the following institutions for the benefit of others. Working Womens Hostel,Play school for children, Day care centre,Counseling centre.
MATER REDEMPTORIS BETHANY IRINJALAKUDA
We started a bethany at Paduvanagar,Irinjalakuda diocese, on June 3rd in 2015 in order to spread our charism in Irinjalakuda area. Getting involved with active participation in parish activities like mathursangam, youth, alter angels, choir, catechism, liturgy, family prayers and house visting. People in need of counselling and prayer services are always welcome and helped with. To get even more involved and active, new activities were also included.
ARCA DELLA ALLEANZA BETHANY PAISAKKARY
We started a bethany at Paisakkary, Thalacherry diocese, in a rented house on June 25th in 2002 in order to spread our charism in Malabar area. Later we shifted to the new house on May 19, 2005. Along with the pastoral ministry there we are managing a hostel for girls and working women.
MADRE DELLA GRAZIA BETHANY PUNE
The catholic call to holiness for the entire church. The whole of faithful believes, professes and lives this faith and thus acknowledging it’s importance Apostolic Oblates secular institute was established for religious woman by Bishop William Giaquinta from Tovoli Diocess. He was an exemplary missionary who offered his complete life and dreamt of the holiness of all.
Formed in Rome in the 1950’s, in the history of this congregation in Assian continent is a testimony of divine Providence. The founding father upheld the Indians should work among Indians. The Syro Malabar Church in Kerala was where this congregation was started, spreading further in India, fulfilling the aims and duties of their community.
A house in Kalyan Diocess, Pune Zone was a long lasting wish. By God’s grace, we were blessed with a house in Kalyan Diocess, Dapodi Parish on May 31st 2008 at 2 p.m. Diocess Vicar General Jacob Porathur, Rev.Mathew Vellaneckal other fathers and parishners witnessed the house warming ceremony. The starting members of this house were Mother Superior Sister Flowery, Sister Rani and Sister Gracy.
This Apstolic oblates community was first founded in a rented house. Later on they brought the parish property which led them to make their community house to fulfil their aim which is to proclaim and spread the call of Holiness with each and every one, by centralizing and prioritizing the parish in all their activities.
The founder used to say, “Without church there can be scantity and no saints”. Parish is a model of the church and working along with this parish is one of the most important duties of the Apstolic oblates sisters. Thus along with the parish priest, we sisters help in carrying out all the church activities. Getting involved with active participation in parish activities like pithruvedi, mathursangam, youth, alter angels, choir, catechism, liturgy, family prayers and house visting.
People in need of counselling and prayer services are always welcome and helped with. To get even more involved and active, new activities were also included. Considering the little ones of the parish, a Nursery School, play school and day care was started by Apostolic oblates sisters. With this nursery, we could educate the little ones, while being able to get involved in their lives and understanding their situations. Every year around 50 kids pass out of this school. The nursery mainly helped them to improve their educational, cultural, artistic talent, physical and pyschologicial abilities.
These days conscious formation is very much focused and inculcated among these kids, for working girls a hostel was built. Around 30 girls have seen admission in this hostel. The Apostolic oblate sisters are striving to bring them up in spiritual, moral and holy maturity. The sisters who are recently residing in this community are Mother Superior Sister Saiby, Sister Thangamma, Sister Jaslin and Sister Soumya.
In toady’s era, apostolic oblates are trying to live out the purity which is the completeness of love and their becoming the prechers as well as the witnesses of the most beautiful virtue of purity and Sanctity .
MADRE DELLA PROVIDENZA BETHANY CHERPUNKAL
We started a bethany at Cherpunkal, Pala diocese, on September12, 2011 in order to spread our charism in Pala area.
SANTA MARIA REGINA DEL MONDO BETHNY TORONTO
April 11, 2017 is an important date in our forty two years of history – a day which Indian Nation can all proud of. It is the day we started our new community in Syro Malabar Apostolic Exarchate in Canada. A new Era was born.This is truly a blessed privileged occasion for Apostolic Oblates congregation.
We are doing our apostolate in St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church at Toronto.
We proclaim the universal call to holiness through all the apostolic activities ( Catechism, councelling, house visiting, prayer meeting ect….).
Lizy Cheriyatharappel is appointed as the Major Sister of this Community.Jessy Kalarickal, Sumy Pariyanickal and Jyothy Kariyilakulam are the other members who belong to this Bethany.
The Syro Malabar community in Canada have developed very much and have been assembled as parish communities in many places.On August 6, 2015 Pope Francis created an Exarchate for Canada Region and appointed Mar Jose Kalluvelil as the first Exarch.. In the same year on September 19 , 2015 Mar Jose Kalluvelil was consecrated as the Bishop of the Exarchate.
SANTA MARIA REGINA DEL MONDO BETHNY TORONTO
New mission at Edmonton in Canada.
We started our new Bethany at Edmonton in Canada on June 28, 2018. The name of the Bethany is “MOTHER OF MERCY”. Lizy and Sumy are the members of this Bethany.
Edmonton is situated in the Alberta Province, that is one of the 10 Provinces in Canada. Edmonton is 4 hours (Flight) far away from Scarborough Bethany.
We started this community here because a Priest ( Fr George Puramadathil ) of an Italian Parish, in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, invited us for a job in his parish office like Pastoral Administrative Assistant. The person should be know also Italian.
Madre Sorgente della Gioia Bethany
We are very blessed with the opening of a new house at Kazhakkootam in Trivandrum Dist, on 24th February 2020.
His Grace, Mar Joseph Perumthottam blessed the new house.
We are planning to do the apostolate like Family Counselling, Day Care, and will expect to do Youth Ministry also. As this house is near IT Park and John Paul IInd Youth Centre, major parts of youths are the members of this Parish.
Our Oblates, Reny Puttettu, Saiby Thayyil, and Betty Kachira are doing service to these people.
Regina Degli Apostoli Bethany Ettumanoor
Apostolic Oblates’ new Bethany (Regina Degli Apostoli ) got blessed and inaugurated by His Grace Mar Joseph Perumthottam in Ettumanoor, Christ the King Parish on 2021 June 11.
Our Oblates, Tessy Karukaparambil, Ancy Kaduppil, Rani Illickal, Jilby Purayidathil are doing service to these people.