On 28th November 2022, the Southern Indian Province celebrated the Silver Jubilee of its existence as a Province. The year 2022, also marked the centenary year of the arrival of four Spanish Vincentian Missionaries on the Indian soil (10th January 1922), inflamed with God’s love and zealous to spread it far and wide. Their dedicated missionary activities were immensely blessed by the Lord of the harvest and witnessed the growth of the Vincentian Mission. The Vincentian Missionaries played a significant role in the growth and establishment of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (1938, 1974), diocese of Berhampur (1974) Balasore (1967, 1991) and Rayagada (2014) in the South-East region of Orissa. In 1970’s onwards, the Vincentian missionaries gradually expanded its missionary activities beyond the borders of Orissa towards the Southern states of India. In 1990’s the Indian Province expanded the missionary activities to North-East region. The growth, the efficient management of apostolates and prospective of expansion necessitated the bifurcation of the Province. On 25th November 1997, the Diamond Jubilee Year of Vincentian presence India, it was bifurcated into North Indian Province (NIP) and Southern Indian Province (SIP) comprising North-East and South-West regions of India respectively. On 25th November 1997, the decree of bifurcation was announced by Rev. Fr. Patric J. Griffin CM, the delegate of the Superior General and then Econome General of the CM at St. Vincent’s Gopalpur on Sea, Orissa.
The SIP began its journey with deep trust in the providential care of the Lord of the Harvest for material and personnel resources and expanded its missionary activities in the South-west regions of India and beyond Indian boarders. From its very inception, the SIP prioritized its missionary activities in collaboration with other Provinces and the General Curia. In 2001, assumed independent responsibility of Tanzania mission, attentively guiding its growth to the status of a Region of the Province in 2015. In recent years, the SIP accepted the invitations to establish the Vincentian Missions in Malawi (2021), Nepal (2022) and Sri Lanka (2022), while continuing the pastoral collaboration with various Provinces and dioceses through resources sharing for sustaining the existing missions.
Last 25 years, nine provincial administrative teams led by seven visitors efficiently animated the Vincentian missionary activities of the confreres of the Province. We gratefully remember 13 confreres who are born to heaven during the last 25 years of SIP’s existence and continue to assist us to live our Vincentian Mission and Charism. Presently, Vincentian Missionaries of the SIP are engaged in Parochial ministry (25%), formation ministry (11%), education ministry (15%), social ministry (4%), popular missions (3%), foreign Missions (24%), retired/ convalescing (5%), specializations (7%), various ministries (6%) in India and fifteen other countries in the three continents.
The concluding silver jubilee celebration in the Province was preceded by meaningful preparations and modest celebration in each of the parishes and institutions we are serving. Three days of online Vincentian Seminar was organized as an immediate preparation for the Jubilee celebration. The year-long jubilee celebration was concluded on 28th November 2022with a concelebrated solemn Eucharist presided over by Rt. Rev. Bp. Thomas Thiruthalil CM, Bishop emeritus of Balasore. Rt. Rev. Bp. Thomas Antony Vazhapilly, Bishop Emeritus of Mysore, Rt. Rev. Bp. Varghese Thottamkara, CM. Vicar Apostolic of Nekemte, Visitors of NIP and SIP, confreres, priests, nuns from various communities, friends and well-wishers joined the SIP family in thanking the Lord for the manifold graces and blessings received during the past 25 years. The Silver Jubilee celebration was marked with the inauguration of two major projects towards the welfare of the poor. A ‘safe home’ housing project for domestic staff was inaugurated to assist them to build up affordable decent houses. The Silver Jubilee Scholarship Program for deserving talented students, especially those who pass out through our schools, hostels or students from our parishes but cannot afford the expenses of quality higher education.
