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Little Flower Province, Bangalore

Owing to the administrative difficulties, St.Joseph’s Province Tezpur was divided into a Province and a Region. Thus Little Flower Region of the MSMHC was carved out from the Province of Tezpur and canonically erected on 13th December 1996, with Sr.Ivy Joseph as it’s Regional Superior and Sr.Alma Joseph as the Asst. Regional. She along with her team members steered the Region from 1997 to 2002. The Region comprised of Communities in West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. At the creation of the region, there were 101 sisters in 19 communities. St. Joseph’s Convent, Emani, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh was kept as the temporary Regional House.

The inauguration of Little Flower Region was held on 24 February 1997 at St. Joseph’s Convent, Emani. Rt. Rev. Dr. Gali Bali, the Bishop of Guntur presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Mother Elizabeth Packumala installed Sr. Ivy Joseph as the first Regional Superior in the presence of Rt. Rev. Dr. Gali Bali, the Bishop of Guntur, Sr. Mary Sebastian, the General Councilor, Sr. Elsa Puthenpurackal, the provincial of Tezpur and Rev. Fr. Benjamin Puthetta, the Salesian Provincial of Hyderabad. A good number of sisters, fathers, friends and well wishers were present for the occasion.

The twin provinces  Little Flower Province, Bangalore and Mary Immaculate Province, Calcutta came into existence on 9th December 2002 which were forked from Little flower Region. Sr. Bridget Jacob and Sr. Nancy Augustine were appointed as the maiden provincials of these newly erected provinces respectively. The Province comprising of four states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala) of South India in 2002, with 15 communities and 69 sisters has been on the path of a marvelous growth ever since its inception.

Now there are 65 finally professed and 27 temporarily professed active and vibrant members, who reach out to the poor and needy through 16 communities spread over the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Being the channels of God’s unfathomable love, we have launched ourselves into the mission of the congregation through pastoral activities, social apostolate, schools, orphanages, home for the aged, boardings etc.

On 11th February 2003, during the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Mathew Maruvathinal SDB, the Salesian Provincial of Bangalore, Sr. Mary Thadavanal, the Superior General of the MSMHC installed Sr. Bridget Jacob as the first and incumbent Provincial of the newly erected province of Bangalore and entrusted her with the baton of animating the Province, at Pushpa Sadan, Kengeri, Bangalore, the cradle of the Province, the newly built Provincial House. Sr. Philomena Mathew, the Assistant General, Sr. Teresa George, the Bursar General, Sr. Ivy Joseph, the Regional Superior, a good number of priests, sisters, friends and well-wishers participated in the function. On the same day the provincial Councillors were also appointed to help the provincial in the administration of the province. Sr. Tessy Joseph, Sr. Alice Antony, Sr. Lisy George, Sr. Matilda Xaxa and Sr. Mercy Scaria were the members of the Provincial Council. With all the initial difficulties, the Provincial and her team with their dynamic leadership and undying zeal worked untiringly for the tremendous growth of the Province. During her tenure, on 24th May 2005, the Province began a new presence in Red Hills, Chennai in collaboration with the Salesians of Chennai Province. In the same year, on 5th June the province extended its service to Yadgir in North Karnataka along side with the Salesians of Bangalore Province. Due to financial constraints, the province was compelled to terminate its service at Pallivela, Andhra Pradesh, in 2005.

Soon after the General Chapter in January 2006, Sr. Bridget Jacob was re-appointed as the provincial of Little Flower Province. The members of the new provincial team are Sr. Tessy Joseph, Sr. Pushpa Surin, Sr. Alice George, Sr. Regi Chacko and Sr. Molly Mathew.

Sr. Alice Antony was re-appointed as the Provincial Bursar. The activities of the province were once again rejuvenated by the Provincial and her Council. On 4th November 2006, a new foundation was laid in KGF, Karnataka solely for the pastoral ministry. Two sisters were sent to Karunashreya, a center for terminal cancer patients, run by a trust in Bangalore. The province is now compelled to close down its’ another centre in Nallajerla, in May 2009.