The Congregation of the Daughters of Mary (DM), a missionary Congregation in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church has the missionary duty of the Unity of Christian Churches among the non-Catholic Churches and witnessing the holistic Christian faith among the non-Christians as well. The humble beginning of the Congregation was on 8 May 1938 at Marthandom at Kanyakumary District in Tamilnadu State. The Congregation was officially approved by the Holy See with the name Daughters of Mary having Our Lady of Harvest as the heavenly patroness. Fr. Joseph Kuzhinjalil from the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is the Founder of the Congregation. Rev. Mother Mary Kallarckal is the Co-foundress. Sr. Agnes and Sr. Theresa are the first members of the Congregation. The Charism is that every member of the Congregation is called, “to be pure and poor and to contemplate, witness, and proclaim the Word Incarnate for the Kingdom of God. The Congregation was bifurcated into Six Province. The names of the provinces are respectively St Joseph’s Province, Marthandom, St. Mary’s Province -Pongumoodu, Nirmala Province -Venniyoor, Kristuraja Province -Punjab, Mary Matha- Province- Bathery and Amala Province -Chanda-Maharashtra. Currently the Congregation has 172 houses and 30 service centres, serving in 56 dioceses in India and abroad with 1037 professed sisters. DM sisters are today working also in various dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church, Latin Church and the other foreign dioceses. The Congregation has extended its service to Continents of Europe, America and Africa. Our main activities are Pastoral Ministry, House Visits, Education Ministry, Healing Ministry, Social Activities, Ecumenism, Mobile Team and Ministry in the Retreat Centres and Communication Media.
The Congregation expanded its mission to various states of India and opened the way to unwrap its mission to abroad and restructured it in to two provinces. Thus the St. Mary’s Province Pongumoodu of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary began her history on the dawn of 1st May 1987. The province was guided and grown under the leadership of Sr. Felix DM and team (1987-1990 &1990-1993) Sr. Stephany and team (1993-1996), Sr. Felicita and team (199-1999) Sr. Francina and team ( 2000-2003), Sr. Lily Thomas & team (2003-2005 & 2005-2008), Sr. Lisue Jose and team (2009-2011), Sr. Alex & team (2012 -2014), Sr. Lily Thomas & team (2015-2017) Sr. Mercy John & team (2018-2020). The province is now moves under the servant leadership of Sr. Anjali Therese and team. St. Mary’s province is the Mother Province of the Mary Matha Province Bathery & Amala Province Chanda, Maharashtra. Responding to the Divine Call of the Lord, the members of the St. Mary’s Province are fully involved in selfless service for the uplift of the people of God at large and for the salvation of the souls. The province consists of 261 sisters and 46 convents including special school, Bala bhavan, aged home, Social Service Centers, Health Care Centers, Mission Centers Service Centers in India and Abroad.
