Marvellous Beginning

The origin of our Congregation is traced back to 19th Century in the State of Tamilnadu, India. It was founded by Thatipathri Gnanamma, a lay woman. She was an ordinary woman who hailed from Phirangipuram, a small village in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. She was given in marriage to Innaiah, a catechist of Phirangipuram. This pious couple were blessed with five sons. Unfortunately, she became a widow at the early age of 37 years. Left all alone with five boys to bring up, she put her entire trust in the Divine Providence and raised her children strong in the basics of the Christian faith. Four of her sons joined the religious life and one settled down in family life. Freed at last from all family commitments, Gnanamma moved to a village called Kilacheri, 40 km from Chennai and settled down there, although she had no acquaintances there. Thus, the infinite wisdom of God led her step to Kilacheri the cradle, the very Bethlehem of the new Congregation.

During her time, the education of young girls was an impossible dream. Gnanamma kept constantly in touch with the illiterate girls in the locality and identified education as a principal means of empowering them. Rev.Fr.Arokianathar, parish priest of Kilacheri, helped her to reflect concretely and go ahead with founding a school for girls in Kilacheri. For the vision to materialize, she started a school exclusively for girls in 1863. Inspired by the committed service to the cause of women, two young girls requested Gnanamma to let them help her in her awesome work and even expressed their desire to do so as nuns. Gnanamma, who was anxious to ensure that her work should continue, accepted their request and sent them to be formed at St.Anne’s Novitiate of the Good Shepherd Congregation in Bellary. After their initial formation, these two became sisters on 04.10.1874 and thus a religious Congregation with a specific vision for the betterment of women known as “Sisters of St.Anne - Madras” was born. Our Congregation was founded out of the pressing need for empowering the women through education. Therefore, it was the mission that demanded the formation of our Congregation.

Our widening horizons

Our Congregation was raised to the Pontifical status on 6th December, 1979 by Pope John Paul II. The Generalate is located in Madavaram, Chennai. In 1987, our Congregation was divided into three administrative regional units with separate headquarters in Bangalore, Chennai and Tanjore. These regions were elevated to the status of Provinces in 1999. In 2014, the Congregation was divided into two administrative regional units (North and North East India and Vijayawada regions) with separate headquarters in Barasat and Vijayawada respectively: and three Provinces (Bangalore, Chennai and Tanjore) with separate headquarters in Thambuchettypalaya - Bangalore, Perambur - Chennai and Yagappa Nagar - Tanjore respectively.

At present, we are 613 sisters with 131 houses in 38 Dioceses. Our Congregation has spread its wings to Jharkhand, Meghalaya and West Bengal to uplift the lives of the tribals there. With a view to extend our mission and reach out to the less privileged, we have established our foundations in Australia, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Today, there are a number of challenges that perpetuate sadly the marginalization of certain segments of the population. We, the followers of Mother Gnanamma, address these issues through various specific services.

As our predecessors were true to the vision of our Foundress Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma by opening schools in remote villages to educate girls, we keep the fire of this vision alive by rendering services to those we identify as marginalized in the places we are based at. We involve ourselves in education ministry, health ministry, social work, and evangelization to meet the needs of the Church today.

An endless journey to end the sufferings of the hapless people

The journey which Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma took in 1874 with just two young professed sisters has reached the state where we are today. We march on with great vigour reaching out to the people who are on the periphery. We continue to engage in ministries that affirm the original spirit of our Foundress. Today, we are a band of willing hands, committed minds and compassionate hearts. And we are confident that the strong vibrations of our Foundress will continue to illuminate, guide, protect, preserve, increase and strengthen us in our journey of religious life and committed mission towards a just and equal society.

Mother Gnanamma’s Spirit Lives On

Our Congregation submitted a petition for the Cause of Beatification of Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma to Most Rev.Dr.George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Madras - Mylapore, on 21.09.2013 to obtain the necessary Nihil Obstat from the Congregation for the Cause of Saints and eventually appoint a Board of Inquiry. After having examined the petition and consulted the competent Congregations at Vatican City, the Holy See declared Thatipathri Gnanamma Innaiah as Servant of God on 21.01.2014. The Archdiocese of Madras - Mylapore thereby has initiated the Cause of the Sainthood of Servant of God Thatipathri Gnanamma. By the grace of God, the Solemn Closing Ceremony of the Diocesan Inquiry on Life and Heroic Virtues of Servant of God Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma happened on 22.07.2022 in St.Thomas Cathedral Basilica at Santhome, Chennai. Let us continue to pray for this special intention.