The Capuchins began the Andhra Mission in 1968; but there was already
Franciscan presence in Andhra Pradesh from as early as 1541. They began the
work in Vijayanagaram even before St. Francis Xavier set foot in the Indian
soil.
In 1950, the Indian Capuchins wanted to begin a house in Guntur for
implanting the Order in Andhra Pradesh and it could not be materialized. But
later on at the request of the Archbishop of Hyderabad, Br. Seraphine of
Maijummel was sent to Bollaram, Hyderabad, where he worked for a year. But
being a military area, it was not found to be a suitable place for an
Ashram. At the invitation of Bishop Alphonse Beretta, PIME, of Warangal, Br.
Berchmans Puthuparambil, the then Provincial Minister of the undivided
Capuchin Province of India, sent Br. Adolph Kannadipara, who arrived at
Warangal on 13 May 1968. He was appointed as the Parish priest of Warangal
and on 3 July 1968, he took up his residence at Vangapadu (Reddipuram), one
of its sub-stations since there was neither church nor presbytery in the
town. Meanwhile Bishop Ambrose de Battista of Vijayawada invited the
Capuchins to his diocese. Accordingly on 5 September 1968, Br. Avito
Pottukulam arrived at Pedavutapally. He was appointed assistant to Fr.
Calderaro, PIME. A year later, Fr. Calderaro left the place after 43 years
of hard work as Parish Priest. Br. Avito Pottukulam succeeded him. These two
pioneering missionaries were followed by Bros. Oswald Pratap Kumpalakuzhy,
Jeremias Ambelathuruthel, Peter Canisius Palamthattel, Edgar Joseph
Kavalanal, Pastor Chettukulam, etc. Through the untiring efforts of these
brothers, the Andhra Pradesh Capuchin Mission made steady progress.
In 1974, it was established as Custody. Br. Peter Canisius was the first
Superior Regular. In the beginning, they engaged themselves in pastoral
ministry and in works of evangelization. The first step towards the
implantation of the Order was taken by starting the Minor Seminary at
Warangal in 1981 and recruiting local vocations. Later on as the brothers
increased in number, new houses were begun in different dioceses of Andhra
Pradesh. The ministry was also extended to the areas of education,
health-care, social and developmental sectors.
Another significant event in the growth of Andhra Pradesh Capuchin Mission
was the establishment of Vijnananilayam, an institute of Philosophy and
Religion at Janampet in Eluru Diocese. This opened up a new scope to serve
the church in Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states by imparting priestly
formation. With a view to implant the Order also in the neighboring state of
Orissa, the brothers began recruiting vocations there from as early as in
1992. In 1995, the first house in Orissa was started in the diocese of
Berhampur as a Minor Seminary. Later on, two more houses were opened in the
Arch-diocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. Br. Mathew Parinthirickal was appointed
as the first Vice Provincial Minister.
In recognition of the further growth and expansion of Marymatha Vice
Province, the General Definitory, in its meeting on 19 September 2007,
decided to raise it to a Province. The Province of Andhra Pradesh – Orissa
was established on 13 June 2008 (Prot. No. 00028/08) and Br. Thomas
Sebastian Panachickavayalil is appointed as the first Provincial Minister.
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