The Founder of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (S.A.B.S) Congregation, Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry has been declared Venerable by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope signed the decree on 2nd April 2011.
It is a moment of great joy and jubilation for the entire Catholic Church especially for the SABS Congregation. It is a manifestation that the Church has approved his Heroic Virtues.
Bishop Thomas was born on 14th January 1873 as the Sixth Child of God fearing and devout parents Chacko and Accamma in the noble family of Kurialacherry at Champakulam, in Kerala. Being brought up in such a catholic family atmosphere Thomas imbibed the spirit of prayer from his childhood which paved the way for the studies to priesthood. When he finished his higher Secondary education, though his father passed away, he was selected to go to Propaganda Collage, Rome for his Priestly Studies. There he exhibited his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, Prayer Life, and Devotion to Mary Mother of God and his Compassion and Love to all.
While he was in Rome he also had the privilege to have close contact with the Saintly Priest Joseph Sarto, who later became Pope Pius X, the Pope of the Holy Eucharist. He also instilled in him the seeds of devotion to the Lord in the Holy Eucharist which was his dominating trait.
He was ordained a Priest on 27th May 1899. As zealous young Priest he returned to his native place, Champakulam, Kerala and took great interest to reform the Society in every field. He was consecrated Bishop on 3rd December 1911. He became the First Bishop of Changnacherry and as a Bishop he took the Motto “RENEW EVERYTHING IN CHRIST”. He did everything possible to uplift the people of his diocese and the society as whole, promoting Social Justice, Education for all especially Women’s and Renovation of the Families the basic unit of the Society. Through his 113 Pastoral Letters he exhorted the people in such a way to cultivate Christian Values and Spiritual Renewal in their lives and his apostolic activities were directed to achieve the same goal.
He died in Rome on 2nd June 1925 and his mortal remains were brought back to Changnacherry in 1935 and interred in the metropolitan Cathedral Church. Thus the cause of beatification was started in 1983. Forty-three witnesses were examined and 100 documents were submitted illustrating his heroic virtues. People from all walks of life visit his tomb to seek favours. The Congregation is looking forward to that day he will be elevated as Blessed. It may be mentioned that in the Catholic Church a person is declared Venerable, Blessed and subsequently Saint, when a person after his/her death, exhibit signs of holiness through series of miracles. Now that, the Church has recognized the holiness of Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry, it has become the felt need of the Church to initiate the cause of Beatification.
THE FOUNDING OF SABS CONGREGATION
The vision and ardent desire of Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry was to start a Religious Congregation for Women to spread the Devotion to the Holy Eucharist. While he was studying in Rome he used to visit a perpetual Adoration Chapel, where the sisters took turn to Adore Jesus in the Eucharist. He shared this inner call with Mother Mary Francisca De Chantal, the Co-Foundress. The Congregation came in to being on 8th December 1908 when 5 pioneering members began living in an abandoned Cattle Shed at Edathua in Kerala, guided by Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry. His dream was fulfilled when the first five members were given the Religious habit and profession on 10th December 1911.
This further led to the growth and subsequent spreading of the Congregation to different dioceses in Kerala. These independent units were unified under one Superior General in 1963 which was raised to Pontifical Status by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on 11th February 1968. The tiny seed that was sown by our valiant and courageous Founder has grown into a mighty tree with about 4600 members. At present it has 17 Provinces in 110 Dioceses with 89 perpetual Adoration Centers. The main apostolic activities of the SABS are Eucharistic Apostolate, Education, Healing Ministry and Social Apostolate.
PERESENCE OF SABS IN THE NORTH – EAST
At the invitation of Late Most Rev. Hubert D’Rosario SDB, the then Bishop of Dibrugarh, the first group of SABS reached their first mission station out side Kerala on December 14, 1965 at Hundung in Manipur. Slowly and but steadily the service of the SABS is rendered in the diocese of Imphal in Manipur; Kohima in Nagaland; Diphu and Tezpur in Assam; Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Jowai in Meghalaya; Agartala in Tripura. Our North-East Province has 26 houses with 127 Sisters. Among them 38 are from the soil of North-East belonging to 22 Tribes.
Adoration Sisters presence is there in almost all the states in India except 4 (four). And the sisters are working in Countries like Nepal, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, England, U.S.A, Italy, Philippines, Tanzania and Kenya in South Africa.
The Eucharistic Lord guided and directed in all through 1st century of our existence in the Church and as we stepped into the 2nd century we continue to go ahead to fulfill the vision of our Founder Venerable Thomas Kurialacherry that Jesus in the Holy Eucharist be widely known loved and adored by all, always and everywhere. Praise Be to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
SABS IN NAGALAND
Late Mr. Akum Imlong, the then Tuensang affairs Minister whose contact with the Fathers in Kohima convinced him of inviting the Catholic Priests and Sisters to Tuensang. Late Most Rev. Hubert D’Rosario SDB entrusted the task of bringing Sisters from Kerala to Rev. Mathew Uzhunnalil SDB who at the time was working at Kohima. Hence, the SABS were contacted and they in turn were willing to do pioneering work in Tuensang. Thus on 28th February 1967, the first group of 5 SABS with Rev. Fr. Mani Parrenkulangara reached the place to take over St. John’s School which was established in 1965, by Mr. Mrs. Graves.
Gradually our services are extended to Tobu, Mokokchung, Kiphire, Pungro, Jakhama, Chumukedima, and St. Paul Higher Secondary School at Signal Basti, Dimapur, the only institution owned by the SABS in the North-East. PRAIE THE LORD!
Mother Rose Teresa SABS
St. Paul Hr. Sec. School, Dimapur
It is a moment of great joy and jubilation for the entire Catholic Church especially for the SABS Congregation. It is a manifestation that the Church has approved his Heroic Virtues.
Bishop Thomas was born on 14th January 1873 as the Sixth Child of God fearing and devout parents Chacko and Accamma in the noble family of Kurialacherry at Champakulam, in Kerala. Being brought up in such a catholic family atmosphere Thomas imbibed the spirit of prayer from his childhood which paved the way for the studies to priesthood. When he finished his higher Secondary education, though his father passed away, he was selected to go to Propaganda Collage, Rome for his Priestly Studies. There he exhibited his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, Prayer Life, and Devotion to Mary Mother of God and his Compassion and Love to all.
While he was in Rome he also had the privilege to have close contact with the Saintly Priest Joseph Sarto, who later became Pope Pius X, the Pope of the Holy Eucharist. He also instilled in him the seeds of devotion to the Lord in the Holy Eucharist which was his dominating trait.
He was ordained a Priest on 27th May 1899. As zealous young Priest he returned to his native place, Champakulam, Kerala and took great interest to reform the Society in every field. He was consecrated Bishop on 3rd December 1911. He became the First Bishop of Changnacherry and as a Bishop he took the Motto “RENEW EVERYTHING IN CHRIST”. He did everything possible to uplift the people of his diocese and the society as whole, promoting Social Justice, Education for all especially Women’s and Renovation of the Families the basic unit of the Society. Through his 113 Pastoral Letters he exhorted the people in such a way to cultivate Christian Values and Spiritual Renewal in their lives and his apostolic activities were directed to achieve the same goal.
He died in Rome on 2nd June 1925 and his mortal remains were brought back to Changnacherry in 1935 and interred in the metropolitan Cathedral Church. Thus the cause of beatification was started in 1983. Forty-three witnesses were examined and 100 documents were submitted illustrating his heroic virtues. People from all walks of life visit his tomb to seek favours. The Congregation is looking forward to that day he will be elevated as Blessed. It may be mentioned that in the Catholic Church a person is declared Venerable, Blessed and subsequently Saint, when a person after his/her death, exhibit signs of holiness through series of miracles. Now that, the Church has recognized the holiness of Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry, it has become the felt need of the Church to initiate the cause of Beatification.
THE FOUNDING OF SABS CONGREGATION
The vision and ardent desire of Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry was to start a Religious Congregation for Women to spread the Devotion to the Holy Eucharist. While he was studying in Rome he used to visit a perpetual Adoration Chapel, where the sisters took turn to Adore Jesus in the Eucharist. He shared this inner call with Mother Mary Francisca De Chantal, the Co-Foundress. The Congregation came in to being on 8th December 1908 when 5 pioneering members began living in an abandoned Cattle Shed at Edathua in Kerala, guided by Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry. His dream was fulfilled when the first five members were given the Religious habit and profession on 10th December 1911.
This further led to the growth and subsequent spreading of the Congregation to different dioceses in Kerala. These independent units were unified under one Superior General in 1963 which was raised to Pontifical Status by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on 11th February 1968. The tiny seed that was sown by our valiant and courageous Founder has grown into a mighty tree with about 4600 members. At present it has 17 Provinces in 110 Dioceses with 89 perpetual Adoration Centers. The main apostolic activities of the SABS are Eucharistic Apostolate, Education, Healing Ministry and Social Apostolate.
PERESENCE OF SABS IN THE NORTH – EAST
At the invitation of Late Most Rev. Hubert D’Rosario SDB, the then Bishop of Dibrugarh, the first group of SABS reached their first mission station out side Kerala on December 14, 1965 at Hundung in Manipur. Slowly and but steadily the service of the SABS is rendered in the diocese of Imphal in Manipur; Kohima in Nagaland; Diphu and Tezpur in Assam; Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Jowai in Meghalaya; Agartala in Tripura. Our North-East Province has 26 houses with 127 Sisters. Among them 38 are from the soil of North-East belonging to 22 Tribes.
Adoration Sisters presence is there in almost all the states in India except 4 (four). And the sisters are working in Countries like Nepal, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, England, U.S.A, Italy, Philippines, Tanzania and Kenya in South Africa.
The Eucharistic Lord guided and directed in all through 1st century of our existence in the Church and as we stepped into the 2nd century we continue to go ahead to fulfill the vision of our Founder Venerable Thomas Kurialacherry that Jesus in the Holy Eucharist be widely known loved and adored by all, always and everywhere. Praise Be to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
SABS IN NAGALAND
Late Mr. Akum Imlong, the then Tuensang affairs Minister whose contact with the Fathers in Kohima convinced him of inviting the Catholic Priests and Sisters to Tuensang. Late Most Rev. Hubert D’Rosario SDB entrusted the task of bringing Sisters from Kerala to Rev. Mathew Uzhunnalil SDB who at the time was working at Kohima. Hence, the SABS were contacted and they in turn were willing to do pioneering work in Tuensang. Thus on 28th February 1967, the first group of 5 SABS with Rev. Fr. Mani Parrenkulangara reached the place to take over St. John’s School which was established in 1965, by Mr. Mrs. Graves.
Gradually our services are extended to Tobu, Mokokchung, Kiphire, Pungro, Jakhama, Chumukedima, and St. Paul Higher Secondary School at Signal Basti, Dimapur, the only institution owned by the SABS in the North-East. PRAIE THE LORD!
Mother Rose Teresa SABS
St. Paul Hr. Sec. School, Dimapur
