Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry – Secular Institute

Mar Kuriakose Kannachery

Bishop

In founding the Caritas Secular Institute, Bishop Thomas Tharayil used to consult Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Kunnacherry, who was then pursuing his Doctorate in Canon Law in Rome. He greatly helped the Bishop in concretely articulating and fulfilling the canonical requirements for the erection of a Secular Institute.
On May 8, 1965, Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Kunnacherry was appointed by the Bishop as the Spiritual Director of the Caritas Secular Institute. From that time onward, and later during his episcopate, Bishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry gave regular spiritual instructions and guidance to the members. He also took great interest in sending members for higher training in various disciplines and was instrumental in the overall growth and apostolic expansion of the Institute, especially in Germany.
During his time, the Institute made great progress in the apostolates of service to the sick, social service, parish ministry, and family apostolate.
In 1986, the revised Constitution and Rules of the Caritas Diocesan Secular Institute for Women were approved by Bishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry (Decree No. 17B/86).
In 2002, the Constitutions of the Caritas Secular Institute, its Directory, and Ratio Studiorum were provisionally approved for three years by Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry.