[ FIH Congregation ]
Mother Mary
St. Francis of Assisi
F.I.H Congregation
The Franciscan sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (FIH in short)
congregation was founded on 16th October 1844 by servant of God,
Louis Savenien Dupuis M.E.P, a French Missionary, in Puducherry to
liberate the women and make them self - reliant. The proud privilege
of our congregation is that, it is the First Indigenous women religious
congregation in the continent of Asia. The congregation of FIH is an
outcome of the 'felt need' of the fathers of the Diocesan Synod of
Puducherry, as a result of their concern for the education of women.
The Fathers of the Synod believed that the education of women
become instrumental in fostering true piety in families and generally in
raising the quality of families. During the Diocesan Synod held at
Puducherry in 1844, The President MSgr. Clement Bonnard, the Vicar
Apostolic of Puducherry, spoke emphatically about the necessity for
the education of women. The Fathers proposed the idea that an Indian
Sisters' Congregation should be started and the sisters should be
entrusted with the responsibility of teaching women secular education
together with religious and moral education. By the Grace of God, and
the blessings and consent of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVI and His
Grace Msgr. Clement Bonnand, the Vicar Apostolic of Puducherry, the
seed for the new Congregation of FIH was founded. The founding
father, Fr. Louis Savenian Dupuis tirelessly worked for the growth of
the Congregation till his death on the 4th of June 1874. Following the
footsteps of our founder, the Directors and the Superiors General
paved the way for the growth of the Congregation.