The Congregation of ‘‘The Daughters of Mary” is a Missionary Pontifical Congregation, founded in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church with the intention of proclaiming the Good News and striving for Christian Unity, according to the teaching and spirit of the Second Vatican Council and the directives of the Apostolic See by imitating Jesus Christ who is pure and poor and following the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Congregation started at Marthandam, India in 1938 by Rev. Msgr. Joseph Kuzhinjalil with the blessing of the late Archbishop His Grace Mar Ivanios, approved by His Holiness Pope Pius XI. Mother Mary Kallarackal, the co-foundress; Sister Agnes; and Sister Theresa were the first members.
On October 15,1988, His Holiness Pope John Paul II raised the Congregation to the Pontifical Status.
Currently the Congregation has 1024 sisters and 158 houses serving in India and abroad. We are working in 36 Diocese of the 4 different Churches sui iuris. Our Province has 207 sisters.
Every member of the Congregation is called to, "be pure and poor, contemplate, witness, and proclaim the Word Incarnate for the Kingdom of God".
The Spirit of the Congregation is a missionary spirit; it is one of prayer, purity, poverty, humility, passion to proclaim the Gospel, zeal and love of God's people, commitment to serve the poor, and service of the church.
This missionary spirit marked the lives of the Founder and Co-Foundress and has been passed down to all the members of the Congregation. The members share the missionary spirit of the Founder and Co-Foundress and faithful to the heritage of the Congregation, and are attentive to the needs of the Church and signs of the time.
Two provinces were established in South India and again in 2002 it was expanded to six provinces including the North, East and Western part of India. St. Joseph’s province was established in the year 1987.
House visiting, Pastoral assistance in different mission stations in the Dioceses where we serve, education, social work, hospitals, hostels, vocational training centers for women, re-habilitation centres for aged, handicapped, mentally disabled, T. B. and leprosy patients and orphans, family apostolate, counseling and prayer centers. .