SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF TELLICHERRY

Date of Establishment: 24.04.1978

Date of Institution: 25.06.1979

Patron: Archbishop Mar George Valiamattam

            The first conference in Tellicherry diocese was conducted at Edappuzha in 1974 by the Carmalites fathers of the CMI Ashram. Since most of the Catholics in Tellicherry were migrants from Pala, the Central in Pala took interest to begin it in this diocese. By the end of 1977, 35 conferences were established here and thus Tellicherry became Circle (PC) under the Pala Central Council enrolling Bro P.J. Mathew as its first President. It was Bro. P.J. Zacharias with whose enthusiastic effort led Tellicherry P.C. in to the status of CC within a short span of time on 24^th April 1978 in the meeting at Thomapuram by Bishop Mar Sebastian Valloppilly and Tellicherry CC’s first president was Bro. V.M. Mathai Vadakkeaimanamkuzhy. It was during his time in many parishes new conferences were established.

            Tellicherry Central Council was bifurcated in 1987 and Thamarasserry Central Council was established under the leadership of Bro. Eyo. In the year of 1999 Bethangady diocese was erected and new PCs were established. On 26^th Oct.2006, Tellicherry CC was bifurcated forming Belthangady as the 70^th CC in India. Bro. T.M. Xavier was the first president.

In Kilianthara, with the help of Tellicherry Social Service Society, began a technical institute to uplift the poor youngsters in carpentry and welding. But because of the non-availability of students, in 2004 it was closed.

            In the memory of the silver jubilee of the CC and golden jubilee of the Tellicherry Archdiocese, a new home for the old poor couples-VINCENTIAN BHAVAN- was started at Malankadavu near Palavayal under the supervision of Thomapuram and Cherupuzha PCs. It was inaugurated on the feast day of St. Vincent De Paul (27^th Sept. 2003) by the Kerala Regional Council President Bro. A.M. Mathai. We purchased 35 cents of land at Nallampuzha near Chittarikkal in Kasragod Dist. and started the construction of the home. The foundation stone was laid by the Msgr. Mathew M. Chalil on 5^th Nov. 2005 and on 8^th Dec. 2006 it was blessed by Msgr. Joseph Karinattu.

            There are also many other institutions run by the conferences like Coffin making, garments, tailoring institutes, supplying tailoring machines, cow-bank, goat-bank and type-writing institutes.

            In Tellicherry Central Council there are 13 Area Councils(PC) and 136 conferences.

Statitics as on 31^st March 2007