India is known to the world over as an ancient land of saints and sages,hermits and holymen belonging to a variety of religious traditions such as Hindhu,Buddist, Jain,Islamic etc….The church throughout the world rejoices with the church in India especially, Keralates as Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara raised as a saint to the great communion of saints. Fr. Kuriakose along with Palackal Thoma Malpan, Porukara Thomas Kathanar stood hand in hand for establishing vibrant Christian community through service and education. Thus formed the first indigenous catholic religious congregation for men, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I). The first two possess a vibrant pastoral life, apostolic zeal, enlightened preaching, fraternal counseling and the latter is the highly motivated broader visioned, who blended together with these divine soul’s in shaping the spirit and vision of the fledgling community.
A cloud can turn out to be a nurturing rain; a word can turn out to be a beautiful poem; a whisper can turn out to be a melodious song; a simple moment can turn out to be a golden memory and a person can turn out to be a holy history! The holy history of a unique person - ‘ST KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA’. Born to an affluent family in kainakary,Kuttanad. With his suave and sweet nature,friendly and amiable behavior, sharpintelligence, quick perception, he had transformed a history of people and church into an excellent epic by his amazing talents and unselfish commitments. He served as a bridge between God and man, between the developed and undeveloped milieu, between spiritual insights and charitable actions. From his profound simplicity and intense spirituality God realized many of his own dreams for a grace–filled world. The leadership of St.Chavara in the spiritual, formative, social and educational fields was truly a heroic and an extraordinary one. He was a unique gift and blessing for our land and its people.
Chavarian concept of education ”palliodu chernnu pallikudam” is the total out come of Christian philosophy of education based on the values of life like truth,love,freedom,tolerance and social commitment aiming at the evolution of an egalitarian society with social justice all embracing charity. ST. Chavara hoped and take care to expel the darkness of ignorance from the students by sheding before them flaming lights of true wisdom. His ideological view is on purposive education that stood for the integral development of students not the performance under pressure.
In the folios of human one can find the amazing providence of God who in due time send to his people powerful prophets to establish peace and well being, true liberation and development both in spiritual and social spheres. These prophets have always should be ineffable love and compassion of God and served as the mouthpiece of God, announcing the truth and justice and they were also in the forefront to bring out God’s dreams for a people who are oppressed and distressed. It can be observed in the lives of Palackal Thoma Malpan, Thomas Porukara. These great visionaries labored generously for the renewal and enrichment of Christian life. They are in ardent love with Christ and their apostolic zeal made them careful in promoting the church.
C.M.I congregation and its educational policies are truly inspired by the firm belief that Mother India’s future is in her enlightened children. The three passionate disciples raised this temple of learning ,against great odds on the enchanting shores of this soil ,consecrating it to the ‘Divine Master’ serves the foundation and inspiration.
The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I), right from its inception in 1831, found education as one of the principal avenues of their apostolate, and considered educational institution a second home having close collaboration with the families of the students.
The college proudly bears the name of very Rev. Fr. Thomas Porukara, an illustrious priest of the 19th century and the visionary co-founder of the CMI congregation along with St.Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Fr. Thomas was the son of the soil.