Provincial Minister
Rev. Fr. John Alwyn Dias, OFM Cap.,

Director
Rev. Fr. Dr. Salvador Fernandes, OFM Cap.

Assistant Director & Program Coordinator
Rev. Fr. Henry D'Souza, OFM Cap.

Administrator
Rev. Fr. Robin Minin Lopes, OFM Cap.

Group Management
Rev. Fr. Noel Vinay D'Almeida, OFM Cap.

Staff Member
Rev. Fr. Preetham Rayan Mendonca, OFM Cap.

Staff Member
Br. Joseph Francis, OFM Cap.

Recent Activities

Congregation Day of Franciscan Sisters of our lady of bon secour (FBS)

Shanthi Sadhana – Franciscan Institute of Spirituality in India – FISI, celebrated the Congregation Feast Day of Franciscan Sisters of our Lady of Bon Secour (FBS) on the 13th of August 2021. There was a solemn Mass presided over by Fr. Robin Victor D’souza, Director of the institute along with Other fathers, the choir and the liturgy was conducted by Bon Secour Sisters with the help of other sisters. Everybody joined together in wishing Bon Secour Sisters happy feast in the dining hall.

The Bon Secours congregation has a fascinating prehistory that starts 126 years before it official foundation in 1732. Father Gaston Laurence Coeurdon, French Jesuit missionary was caught in storm on his sail to India. He Vowed to start a Carmelite convent and a refuge home if he reached safely. Father Coeurdon’s, touched the shore in Pondicherry safe and he was happy that it was God given time to exercise his missionary Zeal and fulfill his vow. The Bon Secours Sisters celebrate 13thAugust as their convent feast as they adopted Our Lady as guardian. The Congregation received the special blessings of the papal Internuncio on 22 August 1953. With the support of a pious young woman and two widows he started a small home in a hut in Ariyankuppam 1748. This Carmelite home was the forerunner of Bon Secours Congregation. Fr.Coeurdon was looking for a chance to start an orphanage to fulfill his second vow to the Almighty. The arrival of Fr.Michael Ansaldo to Pondicherry in 1771, enabled Fr. Coeurdon to fulfill his second vow as they together started two Refuge Homes.

Bon Secours Refuge Home and St.Louis De Gonzaga Refuge Home. These two Refuge Homes later he came Bon Secours and Gonzaga Congregation. The Refuge Homes sheltered orphan Childrenand young widows. They were trained to live orderly pious lives. Fr. Micheal Ansaldo aimed to preface them for life through education and spiritual formation. Fathers LehodeyDefius , Friar, Daras and Ligeon strived to elevate the orphanages into religious orders. Fr.Lehodey became Parish Priest of Pondicherry Cathedral in 1843. He selected few dedicated girls from the orphanages and formed the first group of Aspirants. After 3 years of training they were to be accepted as sisters of the order and adopted the Franciscan rules and wore black saree. The investiture of the first Postulants took place on 17th September 1858. In the year 1861, 7 sisters took their final vows as religious.

NEWS/HIGHLIGHTS