On May 11, 1831, a small house was started at Mannanam in the then Travancore State. Some more priests and clerics joined the Founding Fathers, and thus a small religious community took shape. Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara (whose beatification was on February 8, 1986), who was a devout disciple of Fr.Palackal, had associated himself with the religious community from its very beginning. On December 8, 1855, the religious congregation was canonically erected.

Since then the name of Mary Immaculate has been invariably attached to the title. Blessed Chavara, the only surviving founder, was appointed the first Superior of the Congregation. Since during the early period of this Religious Congregation the Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly were Carmelites and Carmelite missionaries were guiding the new religious community, the Carmelite influence was there from the very beginning of the Congregation.

The rules of the Carmelites with some modifications were given to them in 1855. In 1861 the Community was affiliated to the Order of Carmelites with the title T.O.C.D. (Third Order of the Carmelites Discalced). The Constitutions were approved ad experimentum by the Apostolic See in 1885 and definitively in 1904. In 1958 the name was changed to C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate). The Congregation was granted pontifical exemption in 1967. The Congregation from its beginning exercised engaged itself in such activities as the Church in Kerala was in need of at the particular times. It started with preaching retreats, conducting

seminaries for the training of priests; met the challenges of educating the youth and disseminating Christian literature; laboured for the transformation of non-Christians and for the reunion of separated brethren; undertook works of mercy and started charitable institutions. The mission work of the C.M.I. Congregation gathered new dimension and momentum as local churches were entrusted to it beyond the boundaries of Kerala. In 1962 Chanda took shape as the first missionary Ordinate of the Syro-Malabar Church and was entrusted to the Congregation. Since then New Mission Dioceses and Regions have been erected in Central and North India. There are now six dioceses in North India entrusted to the Congregation, viz, Chanda, Sagar, Jagdalpur, Bijnor, Rajkot and Adilabad. These six dioceses are headed by CMI Bishops. This is indeed a milestone in the progress of the CMI Missions and an abiding evidence of recognition by the Apostolic See.

The Prior General elected from the Congregation, assisted by four Councillors is at the helm of the administration. The Prior General's House, at Ernakulam, inaugurated on September 8, 1941 is the head quarters of the Congregation. A new building for the generalate is being constructed at Chavara Hills, Kakkanatt. For the sake of administration the congregation is divided into 13 provinces, one region and a few sub regions. At present the congregation has about 2808 members including 6 bishops, 1386 priests, 4 permanent deacons, 42 brothers and 1370 scholastics in formation. 200 of our priests are actively involved in pastoral services in 20 countries outside India.