The 3rd Decision of the sixth Election Chapter of St. Joseph Province in 1990 was: “The Chapter fully endorses the establishment of a hermitage according to the rule of St. Francis for such houses.” Br. Francis Alappatt, the originator and proponent of the idea, was deputed to execute this project. Accordingly, a plot of land was purchased on 3rd of April 1991 at Vellarampadam, Mupliyam, in the eparchy of Irinjalakuda. A building was erected there under the supervision of Br. Francis Alapatt. It was blessed by Br. Thomas Jacob Thekkumkattil, Provincial Minister on 23rd of May, 1993. The request for a chapel attached to Dhyana Ashram was sanctioned and the foundation stone was blessed on 6th of April 1995. The completed chapel was blessed and inaugurated by His Excellency Mar James Pazhayattil, Bishop of Irinjalakuda, on 18th of August 1996.
The 07th Decision of the first Election Chapter of St. Thomas Province was, “Dhyanashram shall be called a Prayer House and not a Hermitage”. The Prayer House holds annual Prayer-Days of Friars in groups. A new block on the first floor was constructed with the help from Swizz Capuchin Province. This was blessed on 31st of July 2013 by Mar Pauly Kanookadan, Bishop of Irinjalakuda.
The deluge of 2018, which had racked the whole of the state with casualties and miseries, affected The Prayer House the worst among all of our Ashrams between 15-17 August. The adjacent river with its inundating flood-waters changed its course through our compound, shattering the compound walls and soiling the whole area with mud and dirt, even the Chapel, Tabernacle and all the living rooms of the first floor. Our Friars were saved from the havoc by some neighbours. The damaged altar and tabernacle were renewed and blessed by Mar Pauly Kannookadan, the Bishop of Irinjalakuda in October 2018. The re-construction of the compound wall was completed in March 2020.
Prayer House
The 7th Decision of the first Election Chapter of St. Thomas Province was, “Dhyanashram shall be called a Prayer House and not an Hermitage”. The Prayer House, holds annual Prayer-Days of Friars in groups. A new block on the first floor was constructed with the help from Swiz Capuchin Province. This renovation was guided by Br. Vincent Kannanaikkal during the service of Br. Jos Ponnor as Guardian. This was blessed on 31st of July 2013 by Mar Pauly Kanookadan, Bishop of Irinjalakuda in the presence of Br. Raphie Paliakkara, the Minister Provincial.SFO Fraternity
The SFO fraternity was started in Dhayanashram in 1994 by Br. Francis Alappat. Since the members of the SFO Fraternity had been very active in the construction of their parish Church at Vellarampadm it was freezed for a while. It was revived by Br. Jose Mundadan in 2015. But without much delay he was directed to stop its function in the Ashram by Fr. Pauly Kannookkadan, the Parish Priest. Though we are entitled to have SFO fraternities established in our houses (Constitutions 102/4) and are canonically permitted to do so (CCEO 575/ 3/2) it had to be shifted to the Parish Church.
Jubilees
May 5, 2018 is a special day as there was a triple celebration of Jubilees, the Silver Jubilee of the Ashram, the Golden Jubilee of Br. Ranjith Pulikkan’s Relgious Profession and the Silver Jubilee of Br. Xavier Christi’s Religious Profession. The Bishop of the eparchy of Irinjalakuda was the main celebrant of the Qurbana, joined by Br. Pauly Madassery, the Minister Provincial, the Jubilarians and by Fr. Joseph Thekkethala representing the Eparchial Clergy. The chief Guest of the day was Br. Francis Alappatt, the founder-father of the Ashram. Everything was well organized by Br. Davis Thottapilly, the Guardian.
The Deluge of 2018
The deluge of 2018, which had racked the whole of the state with causalities and miseries, affected The Prayer House the worst among all of our Ashrams between 15-17 August. The adjacent river with its inundating flood-waters changed its course through our compound shattering the compound walls and soiling the whole area with mud and dirt even the Chapel, Tabernacle and all the living rooms of the first floor. Our Friars were saved from the havoc by some neighbours, using boats.
The damaged altar and tabernacle were renewed and blessed by Mar Pauly Kannookadan, the Bishop of Irinjalakuda on October 2018. The re-construction of the compound wall was completed on March 2020.
Main Ministry: Prayer House, SFO.
