Idhaya Engineering College for Women
Nainarpalayam Road, Chinnasalem, Kallakurichi - 606202
The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (FIHM) Congregation (“Immaculate Congregation” in short) was founded on 16th of October 1844 by Servant of God, Louis Savenien Dupuis M.E.P, a French Missionary, in Puducherry to liberate the women and make them self-reliant. The proud privilege of our Congregation is that, it is the First Indigenous Women Religious Congregation in the Continent of Asia. The Congregation of FIHM is an outcome of the ‘felt need’ of the Fathers of the Diocesan Synod of Puducherry, as a result of their concern for the education of women. The Fathers of the Synod believed that the education of women would become instrumental in fostering true piety in families and generally in raising the quality of families.
During the Diocesan Synod held at Puducherry in 1844, The President Msgr. Clement Bonnard, the Vicar Apostolic of Puducherry, spoke emphatically about the necessity for the education of women. The Fathers proposed the idea that an Indian Sisters’ Congregation should be started and the sisters should be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching women secular education together with religious and moral education. By the Grace of God, and the blessings and consent of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVI and His Grace Msgr. Clement Bonnand, the Vicar Apostolic of Puducherry, the seed for the new Congregation of FIHM was founded. The founding father, Fr. Louis Savenian Dupuis tirelessly worked for the growth of the Congregation till his death on the 4th of June 1874. Following the footsteps of our founder, the Directors and the Superiors General paved the way for the growth of the Congregation.
By the efforts and hardships of our ancestors today FIHM Congregation is spread all over India and abroad (U.S.A., Africa, Germany, PNG, Italy and France). The Congregation at present has 186 houses in four Provinces. Our Lady of Lourdes Province with its Provincialate at Cuddalore covering the Puducherry and Cuddalore area; Infant Jesus Province with its Provincialate at Madurai covering the Madurai, Salem, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Tuticorin and Sivagangai area; St. Joseph Province with its Provincialate at Trichy covering the Trichy and Vellore area and Assisi Province with its Provincialate at Keesara (Andhra Pradesh) covering the Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chingleput, Chennai and the North Indian area. There is a region covering the East African houses under the name Dupuis Region. In 176 years, the Congregation is spread over five countries with 1050 sisters. The motto of the Congregation is “Love and Sacrifice”. The Charism is “The Sanctification of Sisters for the Sanctification of Women”.
Education has been the sole weapon to strive for the development of the women society. Until a couple of decades ago, the Congregation had been concentrating mainly on imparting basic education to women, as it was its crucial need by running more than 100 Primary, High and Secondary schools in both state and central board. But the rapid progress in human civilization, science and technology necessitated the Congregation to provide higher education to the womenfolk as they were still found in miseries and lurch. Therefore, it was strongly thought that only the higher and professional education could make them to face challenging future. Today, the sisters of Immaculate run 14 higher educational institutions in India and abroad.
Nainarpalayam Road, Chinnasalem, Kallakurichi - 606202
Viriyur Post, Pandalam ,Sankarapuram
Address :
Immaculate College of Arts & Science for Women,
Viriyur Post, Pandalam Via
Sankarapuram T.K, Villupuram Dt -606402
04151 - 295937
Pondicherry
Pakkumudiyampattu , Pudhucherry
Pudhucherry
Pondy
Address:
Pakkamudayanpet
Pondicherry - 605 008.
0413 - 2252988
No.4,Bharathi Road, Cuddalore - 607001.
No.4,Bharathi Road, Cuddalore - 607001.
Kumbakonam . Thanjavur Dt.
P.B.No.:66,
Mariamman Kovil Street, Sakkottai,
Kumbakonam - 612 001. Thanjavur Dt.
Sarugani - 630 411,Sivagangai District - Tamil Nadu.
Arockia Nagar,
Sarugani - 630 411,
Sivagangai District - Tamil Nadu.
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This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.This is basic card with image on top, title, description and button.
The founder of FIHM congregation Louis Savinien Dupuis was born on 18th August, 1806, at the city of Sens in France. His father’s name was Edme-Louis Dupuis and his mother’s name was Victoire Remy. Dupuis was his family name. He completed his high school education in Sebastian High School at Sens. He was ordained as a priest on 25th April, 1829, and he joined in the Congregation of MEP on 25th May, 1831. He was a fervent and zealous priest. He was a man of heroic faith and seraphic charity.
He spent his life in the service of the church, restoring moral customs. He dedicated himself to seek the perfection of charity in the service of God’s kingdom, for the honour of God, the building up of the church and the Salvation of the world. He started his voyage on 4th July, 1831, towards India as a missionary. He reached India on 9th April, 1832.
In the 19th Century, a wrong notion that women should not get educated was rooted in the minds of Indians. An educated woman felt shy to reveal that she knew to read. In the Synod held in 1844, it was decided that a Congregation of women was needed to liberate women from such disgrace, so this Congregation was born and began to develop with many convents and schools. The synod members began to contemplate the possibility of establishing a congregation of Indian sisters to whose care the education of women, imparting of moral and religious instructions along with secular education could be entrusted.
It was at this juncture that Louis Savinien Dupuis, MEP, impelled by his earnest devotion to the accomplishment of the Divine will, came forward to make this venture a reality and founded our Franciscan Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary Congregation on 16th October, 1844. He worked tirelessly for the growth of the Congregation till his death on 4th June, 1874.