The Congregation of the Sisters of the Destitute was founded at Chunanagamvely, Aluva, and Kerala on 19 March 1927by the Venerable Fr.VarghesePayapilly with four members as pioneers. It was a very humble beginning in a guard house. VenerableFr.VarghesePayapilly was anointed by the Holy Spirit with a special charism. It was to carry on the mission of Christ by becoming a channel of compassionate love to the poor and destitute by personalizing the inner attitudes of Christ. He was fascinated by the word of God, As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”(Mt.25:40).Until the 19 century there was no organized way of charitable service in Kerala to take care of the poor and the destitute ,aged and infirm. Deeply moved by the compassionate love of Christ he came forward with the idea of founding a congregation to realize the special charism he has received. The founder gave training to the pioneer sisters to make home visit in the locality and to take care and shelter the abandoned, destitute with compassion.
The founder Venerable Fr.VarghesePayapilly was called to his eternal reward on October 5, 1929 and Msgr. George Valliarumpath was appointed as director and under his able guidance and untiring efforts, the congregation continued to grow and flourish.
Venerable Fr. Varghese Payapilly was a priest of the Diocese of Ernakulum in Kerala. He was born on August 8, 1876 at Konthuruthy a typical village in Kerala in the Diocese of Ernakulum. He was ordained on Saturday 21 December 1907 at the age of 31 at Papal Seminary Chapel, Kandy by the then Bishop of Kandy, Msgr. Clemens Pagnani OSB. After completing fruitfully his syriac study, Fr. Varghese was assigned to pastoral ministry at Kadamakudy as the parish priest.
Later, he served also as the vicar of Alangad (1910-1913 and 1916-1920), manager of St. Mary’s School, Aluva (1913-1918 and 1922-1929) and vicar of Arakuzha (1920-1922). It is during his ministry at Arakuzha that he founded the St. Joseph’s parish at Meenkunnam as a token of his compassion on the people who had to walk a long distance to reach the Church at Arakuzha to attend Holy Mass. During this period of his ministry in these parishes for 10 years he lived with his fellow priests in fraternal love and communion sharing all resources as in the proto Christian community of Jerusalem. He was also a member of the diocesan council, and served as director of the provident fund for priests and director of apostolic union.
SR. JOSEPHINA KUPPIYIL EDAKALA SD
(1896-1977)
(Nobility in Lowliness)
Sr. Josephina, who hailed from KuppiyilIdakala family of Kizhakkambalam in Kerala state, India was the first member of S.D. Even when she chose an adventurous life without any financial stability on security, her mind that was rooted in the simple faith that she possessed from Baptism soared high unto God. She used to meditate, with the help of books for meditation; she prayed gazing at the Eucharistic Lord. From this prayer & meditation she acquired the spirit of lowliness and simplicity of Jesus. A sense of contentment in being the humblest of all prevailed in her. She had a sincere and spontaneous love and respect for all. Consider others better than yourselves- Phil.2:3. This word of God had a deep impact on her.
SR. CICILY MADATHIPARAMPIL SD
(1897-1950)
(Embodiment of asceticism)
The charism of the SD in its totality has flowed into Sr.Cicily (Aleykuty) born to Mr Antony and Mrs Anna Madthiparampil of Kizhakkambalam. Driven by the inner urge of the love of God, she came forward courageously. She spent her days and nights in fasting, prayer and penance until the will of God was revealed through the authorities of the Church.SrCicily who spent a lot of time on her knees in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament drew out the honey of His merciful love thence and shared it with her younger generations by her words and deeds of love.
SR. GERTRUDE MAZHUVANCHERRY SD
(1900-1987)
(Joyfully Lived Life)
Sr.Gertrude, Rosa, daughter Mr Antony and Mrs Alley Mazhuvancherry, also hails from Kizhakkambalam. He was filled with joy because of her sincere love, appreciation and respect for the Congregations. She could not share but with emotions of love her opinion on Fr Founder, the early days of the Congregation, or the service rendered by the two Carmelite sisters. Her tender love the superiors and her fellow sisters and her attitude that they are her own, were her hearty experiences. In case anyone had to suffer anything, she would pray sincerely like an affectionate mother and used to ask after their well-being.
SR. KOCHUTHRESIA OTTANCHERRY SD
(1903-1977)
(To God through Man)
As one of the brave virgins who came forward to build up the SD Congregation, Sr. Kochuthresia is an important person filled with God-given natural talents and gifts of grace. She has a distinction among the pioneer group as the lone sister from Chunangumvely. She was the daughter of Mr Anthony and Mrs Mariam Ottancherry.She was endowed with the grace of discernment and prudence. She, with her jovial nature, made the community happy.
She was equally filled with interior recollectedness and spirit of prayer and she was also very down to earth in her approach. The spirit that Fr. Fonder demonstrated in his service of the sick elderly persons which he had passed on to her calling her by name was with her as her patrimony.
Fr. George Valliarumpeth was the most responsible person to carry out this mission as director of SD, entrusted to him by God and legitimate Ecclesiastical authority. In submission to the will of God, he took charge of the newly assigned responsibility on October 28, 1929. In the persons of its founder and its newly appointed director, the SD too had the same ecclesial experience inherent in the words of Saint Paul I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the growth (1 Cor 3:6).
The life of Fr. Valliarumpeth was the blossoming of faith and love infused at baptism. His consciousness of the abiding presence of the Holy Trinity influenced him deeply. He suffixed to his baptismal name George, with of the Holy Trinity. He solemnized the feast of the Holy Trinity with elaborate preparations, with novena. He inspired and encouraged the SD to deepen in faith in the Triune God and in love for Him. He was also an ardent devotee of the sacred heart of Jesus. He used to hum the words, Sweet heart of Jesus, abide in me as my love.
We, the Sisters of the Destitute are specially called, set apart and sent to configure with Christ the Compassionate and the Destitute who became obedient unto death on the cross and thus enter into the Trinitarian communion of love, by living as a community in the Church.
It is our goal to participate in the Trinitarian love and give greater glory to God by constantly becoming a holocaust through our configuration with Christ the Compassionate and the Destitute who became obedient unto death and leading the humanity, especially the destitute and the poor to this communion of love.
We commit ourselves with a single-minded irrevocable and firm determination to strive towards these goals. Hence, we free ourselves from all that prevent us from living the perfect configuration with Christ and manifesting His inner attitudes in the community and all in the humanity especially among those who are destitute and poor, and further more we direct all our wishes, desires, choices, decisions and actions towards the realization of that goal
Santhidham is one of the six provinces of the congregation of the Sisters of the Destitute. It is situated in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The formal establishment of the province took place on 25th July 2000.Santhidham province, having 40 communities with 189 Sisters, spread out in18 dioceses in India and one in the vicariate of Nepal & Pucallpa and In the Diocese of Jinja.
| Name of State | Name of District | Name of Diocese | Name of the communities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Ghaziabad | Faridabad-Delhi | 1.Jeevandhara, Ghaziabad, Provincial House 2.Jeevandhara welfare centre, Deendayalpuri |
| Delhi NCR | North West Delhi | Faridabad-Delhi | 1.St.John’s Institute, Kherakurd |
| Delhi NCR | North West Delhi | Faridabad-Delhi | 1.SD Convent, Yesunivas ,Jahangirpuri |
| Kerala | Ernakulam | Ernakulam | 1.Santhidham Mission House, Aluva |
| Kerala | Thrissur | Thrissur | 1.Santisadan SD Convent, Palakkal |
| Himachal Pradesh | Kangra | Jalandhar | 1.Baijnath |
| Punjab | Moga | Jalandhar | 1.St. Joseph’s Convent, Moga |
| Punjab | Hoshiarpur | Jalandhar | 1.Little Flower Convent, Nandachoure |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bijnor | Bijnor | 1.Santi Nivas, Bhikkawala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bijnor | Bijnor | 1.Santi Nivas, Bhikkawala 2.St.Mary’s Convent, Afzalgarh 3.SD Convent, Bedapur |
| Uttar Pradesh | Gharwal | Bijnor | 1.Premdham Convent, Damdeval |
| Uttarakhand | Chamoli | Bijnor | 1.Maria Ashram, Ghat |
| Uttarakhand | Rudraprayag | Bijnor | 1.Snehalayam, Gholtir |
| Uttarakhand | Deharadun | Meerut | 1.Santisadan, Dehradun |
| Uttarakhand | Udham Singh Nagar | Bareilly | 1.SD Convent, Jaspur |
| Uttar Pradesh | Saharanpur | Meerut | 1.Santhidham, Sarsawa |
| Uttar Pradesh | Moradabad | Meerut | 1.Sisters of the Destitute, Sirsanal |
| Gujarat | Kutch | Rajkot | 1.St. Joseph’s Hospital Gandhidham |
| Gujarat | Jamnagar | Rajkot | 1.St. Joseph’s Convent |
| Gujarat | Junagadh | Rajkot | 1.Stella Maris Trust, Veraval |
| Maharashtra | Thaneh | Kalyan | 1.SD Convent, Vashi |
| Maharashtra | Raigad | Kalyan | 1.Jyothis Care Centre, Kalamboli 2.Jyothis Care Centre, Taloja |
| Jharkhand | Gumla | Gumla | 1.Santisadan, Gumla |
| Jharkhand | Ramgarh | Ranchi | 1.Santhisadan, Ormanchi |
| Jharkhand | Dumka | Dumka | 1.SD Convent, Gopikandar |
| Jharkhand | Dumka | Dumka | 1.SD Convent, Majidiha |
| Jammu Kashmir NCR | Jammu | Jammu & Srinagar | 1.Jeevandhara, Mandal 2.SD Convent, Prem Nagar |
| Meghalaya | Nongstoin | Nongstoin | 1.Santhidham, SD Convent, Mawthong |
| Meghalaya | Jowai | Jowai | 1. SD Convent, Sahsniang |
| Tripura | Agartala | Agartala | 1.Burburia |
| Manipur | Imphal | Imphal | 1. SD Convent, Pangmoul 2. SD Convent , Koiide Bisho |
| Punjab | Firozpur | Faridabad -Delhi | 1.SD Convent Mallanwala |
| Nepal | Vicariate of Nepal | Tribhuvanvasti |
|---|---|---|
| Latin America | Apostolic Vicariate of Pucallpa | Peru |
| Uganda | Diocese of Jinja | Jinja |
