“Ish-Bhavana” translates to “God’s Abode”. Here at the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Delhi we delve into the fascinating story of this religious order’s presence in India. The Order of Discalced Carmelites is one of the ancient religious orders in the Catholic Church. They were the first dedicated to Mary. She sought God’s will in silence and did it with all her heart becoming the mother of all Jesus’ disciples.
The history of the Carmelite presence in India spans four centuries. It can be divided into two phases. The first shows Carmel at the service of the Church. The second shows the Carmelites implantation and expansion in India.
The initial Carmelites were three missionaries from Italy. They set out for Persia in 1604. From there they explored founding a house in Portuguese India. Father Leander of the Annunciation reached Goa in 1619. By 1621 the Carmelites established roots there.
Conflicts arose between the Padroado and the Propaganda which interfered with their stay. In 1707 a royal decree ordered the Carmelite convent at Old Goa be handed over to the Portuguese Oratorians. In 1709 they left but found refuge with the English in Karwar. They appear to have remained in Karwar until 1850. Bombay passed from the Portuguese to the British. The British expelled the Portuguese clergy. In 1720 the British Governor in Mumbai invited the Carmelites to care for the Catholics. Six parishes were entrusted to them. They later became Vicars Apostolic.
The Syrian Christians asked Rome to send Carmelites to them in the 1650s. Father Joseph Sebastiani arrived in the 1660s. The Vicariate Apostolic of Verapoly was entrusted to the Carmelites for over 200 years. There was an unbroken chain of 17 Carmelite Vicars Apostolic for Malabar.
In 1845 Quilon was separated as a new Apostolic Vicariate. Monsignor Bernardine of Saint Teresa would be the first in a series of Carmelite vicars and bishops of Quilon for 90 years. The Catholics of Mangalore requested the Holy See make Mangalore an independent diocese. Mangalore became an Apostolic Vicariate and was entrusted to the Carmelites from 1845 to 1873.
Monsignor Leonardo Mellano built the Manjummel Monastery in 1874 for the Carmelite Tertiaries. In 1886 the vicars apostolic were made bishops. Verapoly became an Archdiocese and Quilon a Diocese. Both were entrusted to the Discalced Carmelites. For three centuries the European Carmelites worked as missionaries and bishops in India.
The second phase saw the solid implantation and growth of the Order in India. Seven Discalced Carmelite Provinces were established. Also there were three regional vicariates and two provincial delegations. Today there are around 1000 Discalced Carmelite friars in India. There are also some 500 Discalced Carmelite nuns in 34 monasteries.
Indian-born candidates were not admitted to the First Order until the early 1900s. Monsignor Aloysius Benziger pressed superiors to open the doors to Indian candidates from 1902. In 1902 the first house of regular observance of the First Order was blessed at Cotton Hill in Trivandrum. It was later renamed Carmel Hill.
In 1936 the monasteries at Carmel Hill and Thuckalay were separated from the Flanders Province. They were brought directly under the General Definitory in Rome. In 1937 the Semi-Province of Malabar was canonically erected. In 1967 it became a Province. In 1979 the Province assumed the Mission of Punjab. Delhi became a Province in 2010.
The Manjummel Province began as the Tertiaries of the Discalced Carmelite Order in 1857. In 1874 a monastery was inaugurated at Manjummel. The Congregation joined the First Order of the Discalced Carmelites in 1951. The Manjummel General Delegation became a Semi-Province in 1964. In 1967 it became a full-fledged Province.
The Karnataka-Goa Province began with three houses. A delegation was created in 1979. In 1981 this delegation became a Province. The Varapuzha unit of the Order was established in 1981 for members of Latin origin from Kerala. In 2001 it became the South Kerala Province.
At the same time the Tamilnadu General Delegation was formed. In 1993 it became the Tamilnadu Province. Today there are 34 Teresian Cloistered Carmels in India.
The Carmelites affirm holiness is not achieved alone. It happens when we meet God in the heart and do His will. Prayer is intimate friendship with Him. It is being present to Him who loves us. It is possible to meet God right now. The Carmelites defend the right of every human being to be God’s child. They are committed to build a society where people live in peace with themselves and others. They strive to be a community of Jesus’ disciples today.