THE UNFOLDING OF EVENTS
(A Chronological Narration)

1964 First contacts between servant of god Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser and servant of God Archbishop Mar Mathew Kavukatt concerning a foundation of the Hospitaller Order in India.

1966 February: Arrival of Bro. Savio Padinjarekutte at Frankfurt as the first Indian Postulant.

1967 February: Bro. Fortunatus visits India and decides to start a house and a hospital of the Hospitaller Order in Kerala. He visits Kattappana also.

1968 June 27: Blessing and laying of foundation stone for the new hospital at Kattappana by Mar Mathew Kavukatt, Archbishop of Changanassery.

1968 December 8: Opening of the dispensary (temporary ‘St. John’s Hospital’) at Kattappana.

1969 November 19: Arrival of Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser and Bro. Prakash Madappally at Kattappana.

1970 April 4: Arrival of Bro. Benignus Hinz (Provincial), Bro. Werenfried Diel and Bro. Alfons M. Höring at Kattappana.

1970 June 4: Canonical erection of the Kattappana Community.

1971 February 1: Opening of the ‘A Block’ of St. John’s Hospital.

1972 January 10: Visit by Rev. Fr. Casmir Metzger, General Councillor.

1972 October 5: Arrival of Bro. Savio Padinjarekkutte at Kattappana from Frankfurt, Germany.

1973 January 15: Bro. Makarius Klaholz, Provincial, came for canonical visitation. 1973 January: Kattappana and St. John’s Hospital get electricity.

1973 November 4: Solemn Profession of Bro. Savio Padinjarekutte at Kattappana.

1975 June 1: Blessing and opening of the ‘B Block’ of the Hospital by Mar Antony Padiyara, Archbishop of Chenganacherry.

1976 May: Conversion of part of the novitiate building into a home for the chronically sick, called ‘Pratheeksha Bhavan’.

1976 October: Blessing of the present Brothers’ Residence & Chapel.

1976 September: Admits patients in the ‘C Block’ of the Hospital.

1977 February 8: Blessing of the ‘C Block’ of the Hospital, Chapel and Brothers’ Residence at Kattappana by Mar Joseph Powathil.

1977 Bro. Savio padinjarekutte is elected as Prior of Kattappana Community and the Hospital.

1977 September 8: Foundation of the future ‘Congregation of Sisters of Charity of St. John of God’ by Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser and Bro. Prakash Madappally.

1979 Blessing of the newly erected Pratheeksha Bhavan (with 150 beds) by Fr. Mathew Vattakuzhy, the Vicar General of Kanjirapally diocese.

1980 Opening of the Eye Department of St. John's Hospital at Kattappana.

1981 February 1: Purchase of land at Poonamallee in Chennai for formation house and home for the aged.

1981 July: Classes by Bro. Raymond Hornby (Australia) for Brothers and Sisters.

1981 October: Canonical erection of Poonamallee ommunity and transfer of the novitiate to Poonamallee.

1982 January 10: Erection of the Indian Provincial Delegation of the Rhine Province, Germany. Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser becomes the first Provincial Delegate.

1983 January 18: Blessing and laying of the foundation stone of the home for the aged at Poonamallee.

1984 January 10: First religious profession of the seven founding members of the Sisters of Charity of St. John of God at Kattappana.

1984 September 9: Blessing of St. John’s School of Nursing building at Kattappana.

1984 October 21-26: ‘Mini Chapter’ at Kattappana. Bro. Brian O’Donnell and Fr. Gabino Gorestieto (General Councillors) took part.

1985 Bro. Savio starts service in the dispensary at Deshgaon, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.

1985 January 20: Blessing and inauguration of the home for the aged at Poonamallee.

1985 March 19: Blessing of the Formation House at Poonamallee.

1986 November 21: Bro. Fortunatus celebrates his Golden Jubilee of Religious Profession at Kattappana.

1988 May 3: Canonical erection of Deshgaon community. 1989 Beginning of Study the House at Velloor, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

1989 January 14-17: Meeting of the Indian Delegation at Poonamallee animated by Prior General, Bro. Brian O’Donnell.

1991 April 14: Priestly Ordination of Brothers Francis Mannaparampil and George Kizhakkekara by Mar Mathew Vattakuzhy at Kattappana.

1992 November 1: Canonical erection of the Velloor Community.

1992 November 28: Perpetual profession of the first 17 Sisters of Charity of St. John of God at Kattappana.

1992 September 29: Silver Jubilee celebrations of Bro. Savio Padinjarekutte at Kattappana.

1993 Opening of the Cardiological Intensive Care Unit at Kattappana.

1994 January 12: Laying of foundation stone for the new School of Nursing and Hostel by Bro. Florentin Langthaler at Kattappana.

1994 January 15: The Sisters of Charity of St. John of God are given the status of a Diocesan Congregation of the Syro-Malabar Church.

1994 January 15: Blessing of the Generalate of the Sisters of Charity of St. John of God at Kattappana by Mar Mathew Vattakuzhy.

1994 November 19: Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the arrival of Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser and Bro. Prakash Madappally at Kattappana.

1995 January 7: Bro. Fortunatus Thanhäuser receives the ‘Distinguished Service Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany’ from Dr. Gudrun Vogel, German General Consul at Kattappana.

1996 March 14-16: Seminar on St. John of God, conducted by Bro. Brian O’Donnell at Poonamallee.

1996 March 9: Opening of the ‘Social Welfare Centre’ at Kherda, in Khandwa Diocese.

1996 July 31: One month English Course started by Bro. Vianney Welch.

1996 November 24: The Diamond Jubilee (60) of the religious profession of Bro. Fortunatus is celebrated.

1997 May 5: Aggregation of the SCJG to the Hospitaller Order at Kattappana.

1997 January 1: Erection of the ‘Indian General Delegation of St. Thomas the Apostle’.

1997 January & October: seminar on “Letters of St. John of God” by Bro. Joseph Magliozzi (Philippines) at Poonamallee.

1997 October 6-7: Asia Pacific Inter-Provincial Meeting (APIPC) at Poonamallee.

1997 November: Course on ‘Counselling’ at Poonamallee by Bro. Vianney Welch.

1998 February 26: Blessing and opening of the new School of Nursing and Hostel building at Kattappana.

1998 May 1: Opening of the ‘St. John of God Centre for Persons with Learning Disabilities’ at Velloor.

1998 June 13-15: Seminar on the ‘Missionary Dimension of the Order’ by Brothers Brian O’Donnell and Vianney Welch.

1998 June 16: Seminar on Learning Disabilities conducted by Bro. Brian O’Donnel, Bro. Vianney Welch and a team from Ireland.

1998 June 19-22: First Chapter of the Indian General Delegation at Poonamallee.

1998 December 5: Death of Fr. Mathew Kuzhimulloram (chaplain) at Kattappana.

1999 December 4-17: A group of Brothers and SCJG Sisters participate in Cyclone Relief Work in Orissa.

1999 May: Classes for Brothers and Co-workers on ‘St. John of God: the Man and His Co-workers’ by Bro. Brian O’Donnell.

2000 May 23-25: Seminar on “Managing Challenging Behaviours” by 3 Co-workers from Australia. 2000 June 16: Mid-term Assembly of the Delegation at Poonamallee.

2000 November 14: Bro. Benito Mathew (Novice) dies of brain tumour at St. John's Hospital, Kattappana.

2001 February 16: Blessing of the Christu Jayanti Memorial Block of the St. John’s Hospital at Kattappana.

2001 February 21-24: Second Chapter of the Indian General Delegation at Poonamallee. 2002 September 8: Silver Jubilee celebration of the foundation of the SCJG.

2003 January 9-14: Regional Meeting of the General Government of the Hospitaller Order with Brothers & Co-workers of the Asia-Pacific Region at Poonamallee.

2003 November 1: St. John’s College of Nursing starts functioning at Kattappana.

2003 November 1: Blessing and inauguration of the new buildings of the St. John of God Special School at Velloor.

2004 February 12-15: Third Chapter of the Indian General Delegation at Poonamallee.

2004 May/June: Seminar for Brothers and Co-workers on ‘St. John of God Leadership’ by Bro. Brian O’Donnell at Velloor and Kattappana.

2004 May 15: Rev. Fr. Ignatius Rathappally CMI (chaplain) dies at Kenkery, Bangalore. 2004 August 18: Visit of His Grace Pedro Lopes Quintana, the apostolic nuncio of India at Kattappana.

2005 Blessing of the Brothers’ Residence at Trichy (Tamil Nadu).

2005 Construction of the new Hospice at Trichy started. 2005 June 15: Elevation of the Indian General Delegation to the status of a Province.