A Religious Pope - Sign from the Heavens

The election of the Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is of great significance in this age. He is the 34th religious to become a pope and the first Jesuit. ‘Religious’ is a typical catholic terminology to denote a person who is a member of a religious order or congregation. Although Jesuits are famous for their singular ‘fourth vow’ which declares the unconditional obedience to pope’s directives, none of them was ever made a pope. Jesuits are one of the largest religious orders of the Catholic Church serving in 112 nations on six continents.  The Superior General of the Jesuits is nicknamed ‘Black Pope’ being the supreme commander of ‘God’s marines’ and as the Pope always wears white cassock. The election of the Jesuit Cardinal as the new pope is a fitting tribute to the great contributions of the Jesuits to the Roman Catholic Church and to the whole world.
The last religious pope was the Benedictine Gregory XVI (1831-1846). When he was elected, he was not even a bishop. Apart from Pope Francis, among the religious popes there were 17 Benedictines, 6 Augustinians, 4 each Dominicans and Franciscans and two Cistercians. Benedictine Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great, 590-604) was the first religious to adorn the papal throne.
The choice of the official name as ‘Francis’ is a tribute to the entire religious in the Catholic Church. Though there were four Franciscan popes, this is the first time the name Francis, the Second Jesus, the greatest of all saints who is known for his spirit of poverty, is chosen by a pope. As a cardinal, Pope Francis was famous for his simplicity and spirit of poverty. Like Friar Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis will be channel of love to rebuild the Church.
The election of the present Pope is without any doubt a clear sign from the heavens. The Jesuit wisdom and leadership and the Franciscan love and poverty are going to make a dual impact in the Church and in the whole world in the coming days.

181st Anniversary of the Founding of the CMI Congregation

It was on May 11, 1831 that the foundation stone of our first Monastery at Mannanam was laid by Malpan Thomas Porukara, in the presence of Monsignor Mourelius Stabilini, the local ordinary, Malpan Thomas Palackal and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara. In 1838, Fr Geevarghese Thoppil joined the new religious movement and it attracted several priests and young men of that time, from then on. After several attempts, the community was canonically erected on December 8, 1855 when eleven priests under the leadership of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara made their religious profession. The name of the new movement was Servants of Mary Immaculate. The strength of the community grew larger and larger and six more monasteries were established within a decade. Till 1885, there was as only one Prior and all the monasteries were headed by his vicars. From 1885 to 1902, the congregation was ruled by Prior Generals chosen from outside of the Congregation and their delegates from among the members of the Congregation. Moreover, head of each monastery was called Prior, from then. From 1902 to 1952, an elected member of the Congregation headed it with the title Prior General, with the approval of the new set of rules. In 1953, it was divided into three provinces. In 1958, it received its current name Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. Currently the Congregation has 14 Provinces, with around 3000 members working and studying in all the continents in all arenas of the Christian apostolate.  The Congregation has well defined identity and triple roots viz., Indian, Eastern and Carmelite.