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Women
have been always a part of the Dominican Order. In the
History of the Dominican Order we see that St. Dominic
first founded a convent for contemplative nuns at
Prouile in 1206, then the convent of Sansisto in Rome
and a convent in Madrid. Around that time in various
parts of Europe, there was a unique trend. Pious
religious minded women began to live together in groups.
They were called “Beguines”. They did not belong to any
Order or Congregation. They lead a community life in
poverty. One of such groups of pious women originated in
Augusberg, Germany, in the year 1335.
Six
young girls baught a house with courtyard and garden in
Augsburg in order to lead a common life in poverty. They
were Adelheid, Agnes Auf den stein, Gertrud Bornilizin
Margareth, Agnes and Gertrud Ludwig. These young girls
called themselves “Sisters of Voluntary poverty”. They
occupied themselves in handicrafts, caring for the sick
and poor and in accompanying the diseased to their last
resting place.
Their
good example attracted other young women to join them
and in a matter of fifteen years, their number became so
large that they had to open new places.
Though
in the beginning this particular group did not have any
traditional rules, their spiritual guidance was looked
after by the Dominican Friars of St. Magdalena,
Augsburg and they initiated these virgins into religious
life. On 3rd November 1394, the community of sisters of
Voluntary poverty moved into a cloistered community with
a religious constitution given by Bishop Burkhard of
Erbach. The sisters received the Rule of St. Augustine
and the statutes of the third Order of St. Dominic. In
1431 Pope Eugene IV approved their community and bound
the sisters under the rule of St. Augustine and under
the customs of the Friars of the Order of Preachers. The
main convent was named ‘the convent of St. Ursula’.
The
time of reformation was a period of severe trial.
Sisters had to leave the convent of St. Ursula. In 1537
ten sisters left their convent and moved to the convent
of the Franciscan sisters of Dillingen. In 1548 three of
them along with six candidates returned to the deserted
convent of St. Ursula.
In
1635, at the request of Bishop Henry of Knoringen,
sisters entered the teaching Ministry. But later they
gave up this assignment, in pursuit of a more
contemplative Order. In 1695 the convent was affiliated
to the second Order of St. Dominic with strict cloister
and more solemn recitation of the Divine Office.
The
French Revolution adversely affected religious life. In
1802 the convent of St. Ursula was suppressed and there
were 21 sisters. They were not permitted to go out and
to take any candidates. They lead a very poor life and
many of them died there itself. In 1818 sisters sent an
application to the government to permit them to work in
the field of education and the care of the sick. By 1828
there were only four sisters and they built a primary
school, an industrial school and a school of handicraft.
In
this century the main community at Augsburg spread to
new places and interestingly each of these became
independent congregations. By 1930, there were five
independent Dominican convents in the Diocese of
Augsburg itself. They are:
1. St. Ursula in Augsburg {1719}
2. The Queen of Angels in Bad Worishofen {1843}
3. St. Ursula in Donanworth {1839}
4. The most Holy Trinity in Landsburg am Lech
{1845}
5. The Queen of the Holy Rosary in wetten hausen
{1855}
Of
these independent Dominican convents, the convent of the
Most Holy Trinity in Landsburg is of particular
importance to us, the Dominicans in Mannarkkad.
Four
of our sisters who joined the convent of Dominican
sisters in Landsburg, Germany in 1966, completed their
formation and after working for some years returned to
India to start a new house. They were Sr. Klara
Maliackal OP, Sr. Martina Enchodikaran OP, Sr. Daniela
Vasupurathukaran OP, and Sr. Sebastiana Kariyatty OP. On
17th December, 1975 they came to India and
found a convent at Mannarkkad, Palakkad, Kerala. Sr.
Gertrudis Wilschika accompanied them and stayed for
three months with them.
The
inspiration behind this venture was Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph
Irimpen, the bishop of Palakkad . This diocese was newly
erected and the bishop was happy to have some sisters.
Till
1998, this convent was known as Dominican sisters of
Mannarkkad, a branch of Landsberg community. On 28th
January in 1998 the congregation became an independent
congregation and adopted the traditions of the Syro
Malabar church and its juridical status as a
congregation of the Major Archiepiscopal Rite. The
congregation received a new name “The Dominican Sisters
of the Holy Trinity”.
At
present the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Trinity have
11 communities with 88 sisters. Preaching as the special
charism of the Dominicans, we strive to preach Jesus
through various apostates like education, school for
mentally challenged, Nursing, Parish ministry and social
work.
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