History and Background
Camillians arrived in India through the vision of a zealous Camillian missionary –Fr. Antonio Crotti, who with the support of Mananthavady Diocese through it’s Bishop Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy planted seeds of Camillian mission in India. Initially Fr. Crotti recruited local aspirants and the Diocesan minor seminary gave them the initial formation. Then in 1983 we started our first seminary. In 1984 St. Camillus seminary was inaugurated by Fr. Calisto Vendrame, the superior General of the Order marking it as the first house of the Order in India. In 1995, adjacent to the seminary “Pratheeksha Bhavan”(Abode of Hope) was opened for the care of the “birds of the air”(those who were homeless) and began serving homeless and poor sick till 2006. At present the community is involved in the early formation of candidates from Kerala and community based health care activities with a priority for the palliative care of cancer patients. |
St. Camillus Seminary, Mananthavady