General Chapters and Superior Generals

SUPERIORS GENERAL AND THEIR TEAM

On 11th July, 1956, our Father Founder appointed the Acting General Council:

Sr. Julia Narayan - Acting Superior General (1956 - 1958)
Sr. Margaret Cheriakakaramcherry - Acting Vicar General
Sr. Frances H. Esper - First Councillor
Sr. Teresina Gonsalves - Second Councillor  & Novice Mistress
Sr. Elizabeth Chennakkaden - Third Councillor

 

Sr. Julia Narayan

                                                                                         First Superior General - Sr. Julia Narayan
                                                                                                                   (1956 - 1958)

                                                                                           

In 1958 our Father Founder reconstituted the General Council: Sr. Teresina Gonsalves was appointed as Superior General on 9 November 1958.

Sr. Teresina Gonsalves

                                                                                Second Superior General - Sr. Teresina Gonsalves
                                                                                                                 (1958 - 1974)

Sr. Frances H. Esper - Vicar General & Secretary
Councillors: Sr. Grace Chiramel / Sr. Mary Chalissery, Sr. Immaculata Puthenveetil / Sr.Teresita Nariculam.

Our FIRST GENERAL CHAPTER  was held from 7 - 11 July, 1964, presided over  by our Father Founder. On 8 July  the chapter elected for the first time the superior general and her councillors:

Superior General - Sr. Teresina Gonsalves
Vicar General - Sr. Frances H. Esper
Councillors - Sr. Lily Chittilapilly, Sr. Pieta Manavalan and Sr. Teresita Nariculam.

When Sr. Pieta and her group of sister - nurses left for Germany, this left a vacancy in the membership of the Superior Council. And so on 4 January 1968, the members of the council elected Sr. Celine Arukulasseril to substitute Sr. Pieta.

 

Sr. Mary Chalissery

                                                                                      Third Superior General - Sr. Mary Chalissery
                                                                                                                  (1974 - 1987)

Sr. Mary Chalissery: Interim Superior General, appointed by the Holy See in February 1974.

Councillors: Sr. Rosemary Nampudakathu, Sr. Clementine Pinheiro, Sr. Jacinta Noozhumurryl and Sr. Madeline Miranda.

GC II in 1975 elected Sr. Mary Chalissery as Superior General.
Vicar General : Sr. Pieta Manavalan
Councillors: Sr. Jacinta Noozhumurryl, Sr. Teresina Gonsalves and Sr. Rosemary Nampudakathu.
Secretary General - Sr. Jacinta Noozhumurryl
Economer General - Sr. Clementine Pinheiro

GC III in 1981 reelected Sr. Mary Chalissery as Superior General.
Vicar General : Sr. Pieta Manavalan
Councillors : Sr. Clementine Pinheiro, Sr. Madeline Miranda and Sr. Mercy Kannampadathil.
Secretary General - Sr. Rosita Chengazhacheril
Economer General - Sr. Lilian Njallakkatt

 

Sr. Pieta Manavalan

                                                                                   Fourth Superior General - Sr. Pieta Manavalan
                                                                                                                (1987 - 1993)

Sr. Pieta Manavalan: Elected as Superior General in 1987 by GC IV.
Councillors: Sr. Marie Pothanamala, Sr. Cicily Madampidy, Sr. Lisa Kalathil, Sr. Magdalene Gomes.

In 1990, as directed by the new constitutions and rules, Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty was appointed as the fifth councillor by Sr. Pieta with the consent of the council.
Secretary General - Sr. Gratia Kuttianickal
Economer General - Sr. Regis Savarimuthu

Sr. Marie Pothanamala

                                                                               Fifth Superior General - Sr. Marie Pothanamala
                                                                                                                 (1993 - 2005)

 

Sr. Marie Pothanamala: Elected as Superior General in 1993 by GC V.
Councillors: Sr. Mercy Kannampadathil, Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam,  Sr. Madeline Miranda, Sr. Magdalene Gomes & Lourdes Chellamkott
Secretary General - Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty
Economer General - Sr. Lisa Kalathil


GC VI in 1999 reelected Sr. Marie Pothanamala  as Superior General.
Councillors: Sr. Florette Thanikal, Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam, Sr. Regis Savarimuthu, Sr. Madeline Miranda and Sr. Roselily Gomes.
Secretary General - Sr. Deepa Manjaly
Economer General - Sr. Molly Eanthumplackal
 

Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam

                                                                             Sixth Superior General - Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam
                                                                                                                  (2005 - 2017)

Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam: Elected Superior General in 2005 by GC VII
Councillors: Sr. Florette Thanikal, Sr. Celia Punnathanathu, Sr. Regis Savarimuthu, Sr. Daisy Andrade & Sr. Roselily Gomes.
Secretary General - Sr. Deepa Manjaly
Economer General - Sr. Daisy Andrade

GC VIII in 2011 reelected Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam as Superior General.
Councillors: Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal, Sr. Daisy Andrade, Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty, Sr. Jessy George & Sr. Mina D'Costa.
Secretary General - Sr. Jane Nadackal
Economer General - Sr. Daisy Andrade

 

Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal

                                                                                Superior General - Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal
                                                                                                           (2017 till date)


Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal: Elected Superior General in 2017 by GC IX
Councillors: Sr. Jane Nadackal, Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty, Sr. Divya Lakra, Sr. Margaret Ranjitham & Sr. Malabika Mondal.
Secretary General - Sr. Mira Kuzhikandathil
Economer General - Sr. Margaret Ranjitham



GENERAL CHAPTERS
 

GC I was held from 7 - 11 July 1964 at the Motherhouse, Krishnagar, presided over by our Father Founder. The election of delegates to the chapter was held in June 1964. The following 15 perpetually professed Sisters attended the Chapter:
Sr. Bartholomea Biswas, Sr. Julia Narayan, Sr. Teresina Gonsalves, Sr. Frances Honorine Esper, Sr. Regina Biswas, Sr. Antonia Pudulil, Sr. Elizabeth Chennakkaden, Sr. Immaculata Puthenveetil, Sr. Teresita Nariculam, Sr. Florence Chittilapilly, Sr. Jacinta Noozhumurryl, Sr. Mary Chalissery, Sr. Lily Chittilapilly, Sr. Pieta Manavalan and Sr. Rosemary Nampudakathu.

On 8 July the chapter elected our first Superior General and Council:
Superior General - Sister Teresina Gonsalves
Vicar General- Sr. Frances H. Esper
Councillors - Sr. Pieta Manavalan, Sr. Lily Chittilapilly and Sr. Teresita Nariculam.

GC II was held in two sessions: The Elective Chapter and the Chapter of Affairs.

The Elective Chapter took place at the Motherhouse  on 11 May 1975, presided over by Rev. Fr. Augustus Cordeiro SJ, Apostolic Visitor. Out of 129 perpetually professed Sisters, 119 Sisters attended the chapter.

The following Sisters were elected:

Superior General : Sr. Mary Chalissery
Vicar General : Sr. Pieta Manavalan
Councillors : Sr. Jacinta Noozhumurryl, Sr. Teresina Gonsalves and Sr. Rosemary Nampudakathu.

The Chapter of Affairs was held from 10 May to 5 June 1976. In this chapter the Constitutions and Rules were updated.

GC III was held from June 7 to 5 July 1981 at the Motherhouse, with 66 participants, directed by Fr. John Zampetti, sdb, expert in Canon Law and Roman Law, and consultant of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide.

Theme: Renewal and Updating of our Constitutions and Rules

Moderator: Sr. Lily Chittilapilly
Elections were held on 12 June 1981.
Superior General : Sr. Mary Chalissery was reelected
Vicar General : Sr. Pieta Manavalan
Councillors : Sr. Clementine Pinheiro, Sr. Madeline Miranda and Sr. Mercy Kannampadathil.

GC IV was held from 1 October to 3 November 1987 at the Motherhouse, Krishnagar, having 51 capitulars, directed by Fr. Anthony Roberts, SJ, Canonist. This was the first GC held after our Father Founder’s Going Home on 31 August, 1987.

Theme : Definitive edition of our Constitutions and Rules as per Vatican Council II.

Moderator: Sr. Madeline Miranda
Elections were held on 12 October 1987:
Superior General : Sr. Pieta Manavalan.
First Councillor : Sr. Marie Pothanamala
Other Councillors : Sr. Cicily Madampidy, Sr. Lisa Kalathil and Sr. Magdalene Gomes.
The final text of the constitutions and rules proposed by the chapter received the sanction of the Holy See on 29 January 1990.

GC V was held from 1 - 14 October 1993 at the Motherhouse, Krishnagar, having 41 members, guided by Fr. Anthony Roberts, SJ, Canonist.

Theme : Evangelization and Catechesis in the life and activities of the SMI.

Moderator: Sr. Gratia Kuttianickal
Elections were held on 3 October 1993:
Superior General : Sr. Marie Pothanamala
First Councillor : Sr. Mercy Kannampadathil
Other Councillors : Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam, Sr. Madeline Miranda, Sr. Magdalene Gomes and Sr. Lourdes Chellamkott

GC VI was held from l -16 October 1999 at the Motherhouse, Krishnagar, with 48 capitulars. For the first time, we did not have an outsider to guide the chapter since we had our own Sisters as canonists.

Theme: We SMI are to be communities of joyful, Consecrated SISTER APOSTLES - Vibrant Evangelizers and Catechists - Deeply rooted in Jesus’ own ABBA EXPERIENCE - To face with greater sisterly love and competence the challenges of the THIRD MILLENNIUM!

Moderator: Sr. Lourdes Chellamkott
Elections were held on 4 October 1999:
Superior General : Sr. Marie Pothanamala
First Councillor : Sr. Florette Thanikel
Other Councillors : Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam, Sr. Regis Savarimuthu, Sr. Madeline Miranda and Sr. Roselily Gomes

GC VII was held from 1 - 17 October 2005 at our Motherhouse, Krishnagar, with 53 members attending it.

Theme : Centered on the Eucharist, we live a Reconciled Life to build a Sisterly Community for our Mission.

Moderator: Sr. Celia Punnathanathu
Elections were held on 3 October 2005:
Superior General : Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam
First Councillor : Sr. Florette Thanikal
Other Councillors : Sr. Celia Punnathanathu, Sr. Regis Savarimuthu, Sr. Daisy Andrade and Sr. Roselily Gomes.

GC VIII was held from 1 - 12 October 2011 at our Motherhouse, Krishnagar, with 49 members attending it.

Theme : SMI set on fire with the Word of God in our life and mission, especially in our ministry to women, girls and children of today

Moderator: Sr. Daisy Andrade
Elections were held on 3 October 2011:
Superior General : Sr. Lisette Thuruthimattam
First Councillor : Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal
Other Councillors : Sr. Daisy Andrade, Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty, Sr. Jessy George and Sr. Mina D’Costa.

GC IX was held from 1 - 12 October 2017 at our Motherhouse, Krishnagar, with 51 members attending it.

Theme : Revitalize the Little Way of Spiritual Childhood in our Life and Mission

Moderator: Sr. Jessy George
Elections were held on 3 October 2017
Superior General : Sr. Dina Vellamaruthunkal
First Councillor : Sr. Jane Nadackal
Other Councillors : Sr. Jaisy Varickamthotty, Sr. Divya Lakra, Sr. Margaret Ranjitham and Sr. Malabika Mondal

 

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