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The origin of the Congregation of The Augustinian Sisters of the Most Holy Annunciation goes back to the beginning of the XVI century, at San Giovanni Valdarno, in Italy.
The after effects of the war in the XVth century were innumerable. The most notable consequence of the war was starvation and various types of contagious diseases. The most common and horrible disease at this period was plague. Dead bodies in the street were a common scene at that time. MARIA DI JACOPO FANTOSI, a rich and pious lady, filled with mercy and compassion started to help the dying and diseased. Slowly many other ladies, attracted by this service, started to come forward to join Maria di Jacopo. Very many years they continued in her charitable service.
By 1925 many other cloistered communities from different places joined with them. In 1954 Holy Father approved this community as a Pontifical Congregation. Slowly many other activities were adapted by the institute. In 1964 the missionary activities of the congregation were expanded out of Italy by opening a house at Mozambique, Africa. In 1987 the missionary service of the congregation was started in India.
The special Patroness Mother Mary, believed in God’s word and committed herself and co-operated with Gods plan for the salvation of the world. The members of the Congregation also, wherever mission field they may be, join with the Blessed Mother Mary and walk together with her, and bring the redemptory fruits of Jesus to the world. Every form of the apostolic activities of the Congregation will express themselves as a vivid sense of fraternity and service. In imitation of the Blessed Mother Mary, whose motherhood extends all over mankind, the Congregation helps everyone, without any distinction of cast and creed, in their onward path to heaven.
The contents of the nature of the Congregation:
The First Jerusalem Community is the model, on which St. Augustine wishes his religious community grow. So all the properties are considered to be in common and shared by all. The superior distribute everything to everyone according to one’s needs.
Name of the Founder: MARIA DI JACOPO FANTOZZI. Founded on: December 13,1528. Feast of our Congregation: August 28, March 25, November 13
HISTORY OF THE CONVENT (INDIA)
We the Augustinian Sisters of the Most Holy Annunciation arrived at Cochin on the 30th December 1986. It was a great desire of our superiors to open a house in Kerala to give the opportunity to the Indian sisters who are the members of the Congregation to work among their own people and to spread the Augustinian Spirituality in India. We were invited by His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Kureethara, the bishop of Cochin. He offered us a house near the Bishop’s House in Peter Cellie Street. On the 20th of January our temporary house was blessed by the bishop and he celebrated the Holy Mass in our chapel and that was the fulfillment of one of the dreams of our Congregation.
In 1988 we bought a plot of 3 acres at Palluruthy, with the help of the Augustinian Father, Rev.Fr.Francis Kothakath who was present in the diocese of Cochin and started to construct the convent where we have our present community. In 1991 on 19th February our convent was blessed by His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Kureethara.
Since education is one of the main activities of the Congregation we started an English Medium Nursery School in 1996. On 5th of November 1996 the new school building were inaugurated by His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Kureethara, the Bishop of Cochin. We actively participate in the pastoral activities of our parish. Teaching catechism, visiting families, bringing Holy Communion to the sick, etc. are some of our activities in the parish. Our sisters are working as animators of the St.Vincent De Paul-Women wing, Sodality, Mission League, Christeen, KCYM, which are the pious associations of children and youth.
With the generous help of our Italian benefactors we adopted more than 500 students from the poor families to help them in their studies.
With the collaboration of these benefactors and friends we help to build houses to the poor and help the poor girls to get married.
In the year 2000 we started Novitiate house at Pulloot, Kodungallur in Kottappuram Diocese and started St.Monica’s Tailoring Centre for the empowerment of women. In the year 2002 we started a dispensary and also we began a Nursery School in the year 2003. In the year of 2004 we opened our third community in the State of Andhra Pradesh, in the Diocese of Nalgonda, and we began our service there with a school in the name of St.Augustine – St.Augustine’s English medium School, Veeravally. We opened the fourth community in the Diocese of Varapuzha, Koratty in the year 2005 and considered as the formation house. In the year 2013 our school affiliated to CBSE, Delhi up to Class 10 and our school came to known as St.Rita’s Public School.
In the year 2015, with the concern of General Council (Mother General & Councilors) the Indian Delegation in the name of St.Monica came in to authority. Sr.Jeena Kannikattu elected as the Delegate Superior, Sr.Simla Christina elected as Vicar of Delegation( First Coucillor), Sr.Mini Agnes elected as Secretary(Councillor), Sr.Tegy Josephine as Councillor and Sr.Suja grace elected as the Delegation Procurator. By the grace of God Almighty our congregation blessed with the fifth community in the mission centre of Jhansi Diocese in the year 2015.
In the year 2018, in the month of May there conducted Delegation Assembly to elect new governing body for the “Delegation of St.Monica, India”. Sr.Tegy Josephine elected as the Delegate Superior, Sr.Simla Christina elected as Vicar of Delegation( First Coucillor), Sr.Mini Agnes elected as Secretary and Procurator (Councillor) and Sr.Mary Raphael electe as the third Councillor. In 2019 St.Monica’s Tailoring Center renovated with more Machinery and started the production of garments.
In the year 2022, after the corona pandemic, in the month of April there conducted Delegation Assembly to elect new governing body for the “Delegation of St.Monica, India”. Sr.Mini Agnes elected as the Delegate Superior, Sr.Sani Joseph elected as Vicar of Delegation ( First Coucillor), Sr.Lilly Markose elected as second Councillor, Sr.Mary Raphael elected as the third Councillor and Sr.Mary Josa (Susmi) elected as the Procurator of Delegation. In 2022 St.Monica’s Tailoring Center started to get order from the “Blossom Company “for the production of ladies inner wears. Along with this work we started to stitch the “Mass Vestments” and other Church clothes and garments. In the year 2022, on November 13th we opened a community in Kristhu Jayanthi Hospital with 3 sisters and they are doing service in this Hospital. In the year 2022, on 10th September, with three of our new Novices we shifted our Novitiate House from Pullut to Koratty. In the year 2023 on 17th June we opened a new community in Chhindwara (M P), in the Diocese of Nagpur. Three of our sisters are doing service in the School of Diocese.