St.Mary Joseph Rossello(1811-1880) found the congregation of the Daughters of our Lady of Mercy, on August 10,1837 in Savona, Italy. St. Rossello was an Italian woman with an open heart, mind and a prophetic vision filled with a strong character, proclaimed the mercy of God and shared the message of salvation with all the people in the world. She was born on May 27th, 1811 in Savona, Italy. She was canonized on June 12, 1949. Her body is intact in Savona at General house, after long rest of 40 years in the grave. The aim of the congregation is to diffuse the Mercy of God in the world being like Mother Mary-Mother of Mercy, the one who appeared in Savona on March 18th and April 8th, 1536 to Antonio Botta. MOTHER GEMMA ALLENA is the one who planted the seed of mercy in India. Her desire and divine inspiration fulfilled the ardent desire of our Holy Mother Foundress. She was attracted by a group of young Indian sisters, belonged to Grottorosa – Franciscan, at St.Peter’s square (Vatican city) in the year 1968. Mother Gemma was curious to know about their vocation story and knew about, Fr.Cyriac Puttampura from Kerala who was the source of inspiration and vocation promoter. This insight inspired Mother Gemma to pray for the vocations from India and expressed it in the community on the Feast of Hearts day to strenghthen their prayers for welcoming girls from India through Fr.Cyriac. From then onwards, she started to pray to the Lord of harvest to send laborers from India to work for His kingdom. This was her sincere desire and prayer. With lot of enthusiasm Mother Gemma expressed her desire to Rev.Fr.Cyriac and he agreed to send the candidates who aspire to serve the Lord. In the year 1969 twenty young girls from Kerala gathered together in one of the convents, under the guidance of Fr.Cyriac, they stayed for one month, had spiritual retreat and preparations, meanwhile Fr.Cyriac done with all the procedures to travel to Italy and 10 of them were selected. They are- Sr.Maria Teresa Thekkeparambil, Sr.Elia Pannathanath, Sr.Cicilia Mangalamkandathil, Sr.Elizabeth Kizhakkedath, Sr.Mary James Padinjarekuttu, Sr.Giuseppa Vadakan, Sr.Giovanna Kakkarayil, Sr.Teresina Kizhakkemailikachalil, Sr.Elsy Muthukattu and Sr.Teresa Pannathanath became her first Daughters of O.L.Mercy from India. In order to become the long arms of our Holy Mother Foundress and to fulfill her heartfelt desire in the year 1974 March 2nd three sisters reached India. (Sr.Carla, Sr.Leontina and Sr.Luigia Chakkiath ). Two of them went to Bishop Aldo Maria Patroni (Calicut) and expressed their desire to start our mission in India. Bishop was very happy to hear their request because already the people of Poomulla spoke to him earlier, of the need of the sisters in their parish. On the same day Bishop arranged to visit the Poomala parish and the place for convent, Sisters in prayer placed a medal of St.Joseph in the well and today this place is replacedd with the beautiful statue of St.Joseph. Afterwards the sisters went back to Italy happily because they felt that Poomulla mission was a need of the hour. Later God selected Sup.Ausilitrice Moraldo, Sr.Carla salamone, Sr.Maria Teresa Thekkeparambil and Sr.Giovanna Kakkarayil to become the humble instruments to channalise the works of Mercy in the Indian soil. In the year 1974 Nov.19th Mother Gemma, General Councilor Sr.Immaculata, Sr.Carla, Sr.Leontina, Mother Giovannina Lusso, Sr.Paola Lusso, Sr.Ausiliatrice Moraldo, Sr.Maria Teresa and Sr.Giovanna Kakkariyil started the new mission. The seed that was sown in Indian land at Poomala, Kerala has grown as a tree today and its branches are spread across the nation into 7 states in 33 communities.HISTORY
THE REAL STORY OF INDIAN MISSION