The Order of Servants of Mary is a Catholic Congregation of Priests and brothers. It was founded by Seven Holy Men in the year 1233 in Florence, Italy. The Charism of the Order is to promote true Marian devotion and preach the good news through humble service to all. For 790 years, the Servites have quietly and very devotedly rendered their service all over the world and to all classes of people: Christian, non-Christian, secular, communist, rich, and poor.
The Order’s presence in India was established in 1974 with its first Pastoral place at Mahabalipuram, a place of historical and cultural importance but at the same time, a place where many impoverished people lived. Soon it grew to become numerous religious, pastoral, educational, and mission institutions. The total number of native priests is 71. The province is blessed with 15 professed seminarians, 9 Novices, 8 pre-novices, and 4 postulants. The formation period for seminarians expands from 11 to 13 years providing ample time for formation and training. It enables them to prepare spiritually and intellectually to respond to God’s gracious call in Christ and to put faith into action.
The purpose of mission appeal is to be able to assist financially the following ministries.
Servite Friars are engaged in evangelization and pastoral ministry in the south of India and in Thongwa, Myanmar. Since most of them are in rural areas, they require assistance even for their day-to-day operations. The following are Servite mission parishes and institutes:
In our administration of the parishes, the lay formation is given more importance. In all the parishes various associations are active and dynamic. The Basic Christian Communities strengthen and foster faith and fraternal communion. By our presence and way of life, we witness Christ to all people of faith. Our Mission work in Myanmar, a country that is once again under rigid military rule, is primarily evangelization combined with accredited social service that removes barriers to self-sufficiency and wholeness, such as life skills education, counseling, family stabilization, service to the sick and the vulnerable, living assistance to impoverished/orphaned children, relief during natural disasters etc… We do this along with our Servite sisters whose presence has been established more than ten decades ago and who are blessed now with over 100 and more institutions that include orphanages, boys & girls’ hostels, schools, Tuition & Vocational training centers and evangelization in rural countryside. We serve the poorest of the poor. We have been evangelizing since the last military Regime and amid all the challenges of survival.
Formal education: We operate three matriculation schools: Senario Matriculation School in Muppaiyur, Vailankanni Matriculation School in Perumaleri and Jegan Matha Matriculation School in Trichy. The first two schools are in rural areas. Through our Schools, we provide education for the poor and the less privileged section of the society. In Siluvaipuram we and the staff administer the diocesan schools. In Kilanthur we just now started Servite Nursery and Primary School among the poor people.
Relief and Rescue Operations: During Tsunami, we extended our helping hand in a big way. We worked in many places. We rendered our service from preliminary relief work to providing them a permanent housing and equipment for living, like boats, nets, etc. To the riot victims of Orissa, we provided permanent housing through the Archdiocese of Cuttack – Bhubaneswar.
Healing Ministry: Through the propagation of St. Peregrine devotion, we try to bring solace to the sick and the suffering. We organize prayer services in our churches and visit the sick. Propagation of Marian Devotion: Through preaching, we try to propagate the true Marian Devotion. We have a Mariological institute in Chennai where periodical classes and seminars are organized to teach the right knowledge and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The proceeds from the Mission Co-op are spent on evangelization, mission expansion, education to the less fortunate children, and care for the aged and the sick. We do not have significant external support for our mission works. The income generated locally is barely enough for the ordinary expenses of the religious communities. We rely on the support of the mission co-op to make our mission flourish.