St. Maximilian Kolbe once dreamt of opening a foundation for a new City of the Immaculate in India during his lifetime. St. Francis Xavier, wrote a plea for missionaries to the University of Paris to come to Asia especially in India, for there is a need for missionaries in these places when the truth of the Gospel is scarcely known.

The possibility of opening a foundation in India for the Franciscans of the Immaculate began when an Italian priest friend introduced the friars to his cleric friends in India. It was in Kerala (the city’s name means: God's own country) that the mission will take place. Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. To its east and northeast, Kerala borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka; to its west and south lie the Indian Ocean islands of Lakshadweep and the Maldives, respectively. Kerala nearly envelops Mahé, a coastal exclave of Pondicherry. Kerala is one of four states that compose the linguistic-cultural region known as South India. The principal spoken language is Malayalam, but other languages are also spoken. Kerala ranks 21st by area and 12th by population nationwide.

Map of India with the state of Kerala in the western part of India

It was in the Diocese of Neyyattinkara that the Franciscans of the Immaculate planned to begin its foundation. Although Bishop Vincent Samuel, the bishop of this diocese was favorable, there are many signs that indicate that another diocese would be a better alternative.

The friars moved to Trivandrum in 2008. The Archbishop Soosa Pakiam favorably allowed the presence of the community of friars on April 5, 2008. After having consulted the presbyteral council of his diocese, he formally approved the stay of the community of friars on November 17, 2008.

From then on, numerous young candidates came to visit to experience the life of the friars. Vocations in India begin to be recruited as early as 15 years old, after they finished their 10th standard. This is the customary age being accepted both in the religious and diocesan seminaries and convents. Hence, the primary task of the missionaries is to provide formation to these young vocations who are to undergo three years of aspirancy and a year of postulancy. In this period, they are introduced to different levels of formation both human and spiritual, intellectual and social. After having passed this four-year program, they are to enter the novitiate which is completed in the Philippines, the "mother-delegation" of the Institute to which the Indian mission belongs.

As of the present, there is an Indian novice being trained in the Philippines, a postulant doing his formation in Maine, New York and a professed friar studying for the priesthood in Rome. There are four junior aspirants and one senior aspirant under formation in our community in Kerala.

Occasional outreach activities are being rendered by the friars such as offering Mass on invitation, giving recollection days to religious communities or seminary as well as some volunteer works connected with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.

This is the story of the humble beginning of the Mission of the Franciscans of the Immaculate in India. Its is through those consecrated to the Immaculate sealed by the Marian vow, that the presence of the Immaculata is made tangible. St. Maximilian wrote: "Where you (Immaculata) enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and sanctification, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us, from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus."