History of Malabar Province

The Discalced Carmelites came to India in the beginning of the 17th Century. They founded their first residence at Tatta in Sind, now in Pakistan, and the second, in Goa in 1620. The missionary activities of the Carmelites extended to the great Mughal Empire, Surat, Bijapur, Bombay, Karwar etc. At the request of the Archdeacon Thomas Parambil in the name the St. Thomas Christians, Pope Alexander VII sent two groups of Discalced Carmelites to Malabar in 1656, one under Fr. Hyacinth of St. Vincent by sea and another under Fr. Joseph of St. Mary, later known as Msgr. Joseph Sebastiani by land, to settle the dispute and bring harmony between the St. Thomas Christians and their Jesuit Archbishop of Cranganore. Though intended as a temporary mission, events turned in such a way that the Carmelite mission in Kerala came to be permanent. They have made significant contributions to the Church in Kerala by their persistent activities especially in the reunion movement, pastoral care of the faithful, evangelization of Non-Christians, formation of native clergy, founding of the native religious congregations and socio-educational activities.         >>more>>