History of Carmelodaya
We will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His Might, and wonders that He has done. Carmelodaya steers the life of many who are part of it or is associated with it. With its immense ability to shape the human heart along the line of Jesus' life principles Carmelodaya draws her potency from the presence Lord imparted to her by the founding Fathers: St.Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Fr. Leopold Boccaro OCD. Their influence on the members of the Congregation was so deep that they carried on the legacy of the Congregation of Mother of Carmel.
With enlightenment received from the Lord from time to time, CMC daughters landed in Maharastra. Slowly and gently she paced towards many areas fully realizing her motto Remain united to Me in Contemplation and consecrated to Me in Action.
The root of Carmelodaya Province lies in Nirmala Province, Thrissur. By the Apostolic Decree Ad Lucem Sancti Evangelii of 31st March 1962, Pope John XXIII erected the first Ecclesiastical Unit of the Oriental Rite outside Kerala which is called Chanda, and entrusted it to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. It was then Bishop Januarius PalathuruthyC.M.I., the then Exarch of Chanda approached Mother Margret Mary-the then Mother General of Thrissur-and asked her to spare a few sisters to work in Chanda. Without any hesitation, Mother agreed.
The sisters who came first to Chanda as pioneers were Srs. Rita, Teresa, Pulcheria and Euphamia. As it was the felt need of the time, our sisters started a school in the Military Campus at Pulgaon in July 1962. But within a few months, as we realized that it was not the place, God had assigned for us, we handed over the school to the Military Department and opened another house in the same year at Sirpur Kagaznagar, A.P.
When Nirmala Province was bifurcated in 1977 the mission houses also were divided. Our six mission houses in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh came under Udaya Province, Irinjalakuda.
On 13th February 1989 when Carmelodaya Region was born to Udaya Province, there were 9 houses in the mission including the Regional House at Wardha. On 26th April 1995, Carmelodaya Region was raised to the status of a Province. The official erection of Carmelodaya Province was on 17th October 1995. we give our service in 18 mission stations under 7 Dioceses viz. Chanda, Adilabad, Kalyan, Amaravathy, Bangalore, Nagpur and Irinjalakuda. We render our service to build up the Kingdom of God by Schools (English, Marathi, and Telugu Medium), Special care schools for the Mentally Challenged, Hostel for the Physically Challenged, Dispensaries, Mobile Clinic, Social Work Centers, Tailoring Centres, and Hostel for the underprivileged, etc.
Knowing the need of the time, sisters are also engaged in giving life guidance to grown-up girls, with job oriented training, awareness courses for the uplift of women, village development programs, adult education, house visiting, hospital visiting, etc. keeping in mind our ultimate goal, direct and indirect evangelization. While thanking the Lord for the showers of blessings, Carmelodaya realizes that she has a good lot more to do and to be for the growth and development of the Mission entrusted to her.