Administration

Vincentian Generalate- Administration

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

All the confreres are called to the Congregation to continue the mission of Christ. They must realize that they have both the responsibility to work together for the good of the whole community, and the right and duty to participate effectively in the government of the Congregation according to its Statutes and Practical Norms. Those who exercise the God-given authority shall set before the confreres the example of Christ who came not to be served but to serve (Mt. 20:28).

The overall governance of the whole Congregation is carried out by the Superior General and General Council with due respect to the subsidiarity of authority at different levels. For the better administration and more efficient apostolate, the Vincentian Congregation is divided into Provinces, Regions and Missions according to its Statutes and Practical Norms. The Provinces are directly under the Provincial Superiors and Provincial Council. Smaller units are governed by Regional Superiors or Mission Superiors dependent on the Provincial Administration. There are Local Superiors to handle the everyday affairs of the houses. At present the Congregation has three Provinces, three dependent Regions and two Missions. The Vincentian houses at Aluva, Bengaluru, Delhi, Potta (Vachanolsavam), Thiruvananthapuram and Vettikuzhy are directly under the Generalate.

Fr. George Mannara, Msgr. Thomas Nedumkallel, Fr. Jacob Kallarackal, Fr. George Kammattil, Fr. George Manalel, Fr. Paul Kariamadam, Fr. Antony Plackal, Fr. George Arackal and Fr. Varghese Puthussery served as Superiors General of the Congregation for different periods of time. At present the Congregation is led by Fr. Varghese Parappuram, elected Superior General on 21 April 2009.

PROVINCES, REGIONS AND MISSIONS

A milestone in the history of the Congregation was the erection of St. Thomas dependent region on 28 February 1980 for the Hindi speaking area. The Congregation was divided into two dependent regions in Kerala in 1988. On 1 January 1990 the dependent regions of Marymatha and St. Joseph were raised to provinces and the St. Thomas region to a vice-province. Eventually, this vice-province also was raised to a province. St. Thomas Province extended its mission works to the diocese of Meerut in U.P. in 1989. Soon more houses and activities begun in U.P. and a Mission Superior was appointed for the U.P. Mission. The mission is called Christu Jyothi Mission and at present 13 fathers are doing ministry in this mission.

In 1991, Kalyan diocese entrusted the civil district of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra with the Marymatha Province for intensive and extensive evangelization with territorial jurisdiction. The mission was formally inaugurated by Mar Paul Chittilappilly, the then Bishop of Kalyan diocese on September 11, 1991. The mission is called St. Paul Mission and at present 12 fathers are working here.

The mission works in Andhra Pradesh begun in 1978 at Bhimadole in the diocese of Eluru were extended to other dioceses of Rayalaseema area in 1988. The mission works in Andhra Pradesh were organized under a mission superior from 1998. This mission was declared a dependent region under Marymatha Province called Good Shepherd Region on 6 January 2006, and was officially inaugurated on 24th of the same month. At present, there are 33 fathers working in this region.

The mission works in East Africa begun with the arrival of Rev. Frs. James Edavazhithara and Jacob Athickal in Mbeya, Tanzania on 10 July 1979 were accelerated with the arrival of Rev. Fr. Joseph Kurupamparambil. The African Mission has been raised to the status of a dependent region under Marymatha Province called Sacred Heart Region on 6 January 2006 and was formally inaugurated on 18 November 2006. At present there are 19 fathers working in this region in the countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The first mission started outside Kerala in 1962 at Adaikalapuram (at the invitation of Rt. Rev. V.S. Selvanather, Bishop of Salem and with the blessing and approval of the Oriental Congregation) gradually spread to other parts of the state of Tamilnadu and the neighboring states of Karnataka and Goa. For the effective co-ordination and development of the mission centres in these states, they were organized under a Mission Superior on 19 March 2003. This mission was raised to the status of a dependant region under St. Joseph Province and named St. Xaviers Region on 1 May 2007. 

At present the Congregation has three provinces, three dependent regions and six missions.

The three provinces are the following:

1. Marymatha Province, Provincial House, Angamaly, 683573, Kerala

2. St. Joseph Province, Provincial House, Kottayam, 686006, Kerala

3. St. Thomas Province, Provincial House, Ujwa, 110073, New Delhi

The dependent Regions are:

1. Good Shepherd Region, Andhra Pradesh

2. Sacred Heart Region, East Africa

3. St. Xaviers Region, Tamil Nadu

The Missions are:

1. St. Paul Mission, Maharashtra

2. Christu Jyothi Mission, Uttar Pradesh

3. Mother Theresa Mission, Kolkatha

4. Divine Mercy Mission, North East

5. Jai Yesu Mission

6. St.Vincent Mission

Present Administrative Body

Rev. Dr. John Kandathinkara

Superior General

Fr. Tony Chackumkal

Assistant Superior General,
Councilor for Mission, Social
and Charitable Work

Fr. Augustine Mundackatt

Councilor for Popular Mission,
and Retreats

Fr. Dr. Shinto (Thomas) Mangalathu

Councilor for Education and
Media, & Secretary General

Fr. Dr. George Elenjickalputhenthara

Councilor for Finance
and Construction