ABOUT THE PROVINCE >

HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE
Scroll down
Rev. Fr. Don Aloysius Luigi Piccenelli

Rev. Fr. Don Aloysius Luigi Piccenelli, an Italian missionary priest and a Parishioner of Sarnico Parish in the Diocese of Bergamo, Italy, laid the foundation to our congregation during the time of his mission here in Sri Lanka (1870-1885).

In 1877, Rev. Fr. Luigi Piccenelli had founded a Confraternity called ‘Immaculate Conception of Mary’. The purpose of this Confraternity was mainly the education in schools, adult catechism and taking care of the orphanages. Besides these apostolates, they were engaged in cultivation of paddy, cinnamon and coffee and self employments for their living. Their first monastery was established on September 12, 1878 at Maggona with five brothers namely; Bro. Marthinu, Bro. Jeromius, Bro. Marceline, Bro. Peter and Bro. Thomas. They were an indigenous religious community of brothers who voluntarily embraced a vowed life. By 1882, the number of the brothers increased up to 14.

After completing a successful mission in Sri Lanka, Rev. Fr. Luigi Piccenelli, the Founder of the said indigenous Congregation left for Italy on April 16, 1885. Before his leaving, he placed this Congregation under the care of the Arch Bishop of Colombo. Fr. Piccenelli then informed the Propaganda Fide (Congregation for the Evangelization of People) in Rome about the congregation that he established in Sri Lanka. After that, the Archbishop of Colombo was instructed by the Holy See to look into the matters of the indigenous Congregation. Thereafter, Monsignor Christopher Bonjean, OMI, the Archbishop of Colombo, with a decree on October 20, 1891, named this Confraternity as a diocesan religious Congregation.

Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul’ (F.B.V).

On March 26, 1892, with the canonical acceptance of the Postulants to the novitiate, the Confraternity of Immaculate Conception of Mary turned into an indigenous religious Congregation by the name of ‘Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul’ (F.B.V). As the ‘Congregation of Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul’ was a brother congregation. They were placed under the administration of Oblate Fathers for their spiritual and religious formation.

Franciscan Congregation

But once again, giving due respect to Rev. Fr. Pichcenelli, the founder of the former Confraternity ‘Immaculate Conception of Mary’, Holy See declared ‘Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul’ as a Franciscan Congregation on September 1, 1910. Very Rev. Bro. H. D. Marthinu (1910-1912) was appointed as the first Superior General of the Congregation.

Franciscan Brothers of Mary

On August 22, 1949, a group of Tamil speaking brothers, 14 in number, officially withdrew from the Congregation to form an independent Institute called the ‘Franciscan Brothers of Mary’, which was established by Most Rev. Bernard Rengno, the Bishop of the Diocese of Kandy. The reason for this separation should not be interpreted as an ethnic conflict, but it was due to an unrest created between speakers of two different languages. Later on, they were united with the Congregation of the Missionary Brothers of Saint Francis of Assisi (CMSF), Borivali, India.

In the year 1971, the Congregation of Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul numbered 35 members and was established throughout the Archdiocese of Colombo and in the Dioceses of Chilaw and Galle.

As time passed, the Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul tried several times to be united with the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. This long-awaited dream came true when they were amalgamated with the international religious Order ‘Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi’ in 1982.

The union of the Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul with the Third Order Regular was accomplished during the tenure of Most Rev.Fr. Roland J. Faley, the Minister General of the Third Order Regular. At the invitation of Very Rev. Bro. Thomas Tissera, the Superior General FBV, Most Rev. Fr. Roland J. Faley TOR and Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Ramanattu TOR, the General Councilor came to Sri Lanka on December 4, 1978 to visit the Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul.

After the sudden death of Very Rev. Bro. Thomas Tissera FBV, Very Rev. Bro. Thimothi Kolamunne FBV was elected the Superior General of the Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul on October 18, 1980. It is praise worthy to mention here that Very Rev. Bro. Thimothi Kolamunne FBV had done a tremendous work in the process of amalgamation with the Third Order Regular.

Meanwhile, Rev. Fr. Michael Edamanapadavil TOR, the Director of Novices for the Province of St. Thomas, India, was sent to prepare the Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul for the union with the Third Order Regular. After 2 years of preparation, consent of all the Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul and the ‘beneplacitum’ of Mons. Peter Mark Fernando, the Archbishop of Colombo was sent to TOR General Curia, Rome for the approval. The proposal to be amalgamated was given the consent of the TOR General Curia on July 2, 1982. Finally, the Sacred Congregation of Religious (Holy See) published the Decree of Union on September 8, 1982.

Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Ramanattu TOR

Commissariat of Our Lady of Lanka

The official ceremony took place in Sri Lanka on November 13, 1982. Since then, the Congregation of Franciscan Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul had been known as the ‘Commissariat of Our Lady of Lanka’ of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. On the day of amalgamation, 34 friars renewed their vows in the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. Very Rev. Fr. Antony Ramanatu TOR, the General Councilor was appointed as the first Provincial to this newly established Commissariat.

Within a period of 10 years, the friars of the Commissariat were able to meet the requirements to be a Vice Province of the Order. Therefore, the Commissariat of Our Lady of Lanka was declared a Vice Province in the Order of TOR Franciscans on August 10, 1992.

Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka

With the mighty blessings of the Lord, on February 4, 2022, the Vice Province was elevated to the status of a Province in the Order of TOR Franciscans and it is now called the ‘Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka’. At this wonderful juncture, the Congregation was blessed to have 58 Solemn Professed friars (Priests -51, Brothers - 07) and 8 Temporary Professed friars.

Thereafter, Most Rev. Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano TOR, the Minister General of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis placed the Commissariat of St. Bonaventure, Bangladesh under the Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka by a decree on August 15, 2022. Accordingly, Province of Our Lady of Lanka was pleased to welcome 12 (Priests -08, Solemn Professed Brothers -03, Temporary Professed – 01) Bangladeshi Friars to the Province.

As TOR Franciscan Friars, we commit ourselves, personally and corporately, to a life transformed by prayer and contemplation, to an on-going conversion of heart, mind and soul, and to a revelation of the Lord by our words and works, enabling the bruised and broken to hear and receive the message of reconciliation and healing embodied in Christ.

Dearly Departed

With the mighty blessings of the Lord, on February 4, 2022, the Vice Province was elevated to the status of a Province in the Order of TOR Franciscans and it is now called the ‘Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka’. At this wonderful juncture, the Congregation was blessed to have 58 Solemn Professed friars (Priests -51, Brothers - 07) and 8 Temporary Professed friars.

Thereafter, Most Rev. Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano TOR, the Minister General of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis placed the Commissariat of St. Bonaventure, Bangladesh under the Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka by a decree on August 15, 2022. Accordingly, Province of Our Lady of Lanka was pleased to welcome 12 (Priests -08, Solemn Professed Brothers -03, Temporary Professed – 01) Bangladeshi Friars to the Province.

As TOR Franciscan Friars, we commit ourselves, personally and corporately, to a life transformed by prayer and contemplation, to an on-going conversion of heart, mind and soul, and to a revelation of the Lord by our words and works, enabling the bruised and broken to hear and receive the message of reconciliation and healing embodied in Christ.