The Congregation of Missionaries of Little Flower (MLF) was established in 1992 in the Archeparchy of Changanacherry as part of God’s special plan. This congregation does not have provinces. The Mother General of the congregation is Sr. Merlin Jacob, and it consists of 150 members. It is a eparchial congregation, and for the past 32 years, its members have been witnessing Christ’s compassionate love through various ministries in the Archeparchy of Changanacherry, other Syro-Malabar eparchies in Kerala, and in mission areas such as Agra, Adilabad, Germany, and Italy.
The heavenly patroness of this congregation is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the universal patroness of missions and a scholar of divine wisdom. The congregation’s mission is to embrace the spiritual intensity, prayer, and sacrifice of St. Thérèse, drawing from the presence of God, experiencing His merciful love, and sharing it with the underprivileged in various sectors of society.
The founder of the congregation is His Excellency Mar Joseph Powathil, a visionary and scholar of the Church. His ideal was: “For me, life is the Church.” This aligns with St. Thérèse’s realization: “At last, I have found my vocation. My vocation is love. In the heart of the Church, I will be love.” His Excellency’s words emphasize that consecrated life is a life within the Church. His guidance, “Religious life is in the Church,” continues to be a source of direction for the congregation, which prioritizes ecclesial life and aims for growth within and for the Church.
Recognizing that every vocation is a response to the cry of God’s people, the congregation extends Christ’s compassionate love to various ministries, including: Healthcare services, Homes for the elderly, Cancer palliative care units, Educational activities, Catechetical ministry, Parish services, Other social services based on contemporary needs
In Kerala, the sisters actively engage in family renewal programs, including: Home visits, Home missions, Counseling, Retreat programs for youth and children (Christeen Retreats), Leadership roles in various parish organizations. Additionally, they fulfill Christ’s great commission to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”, participating in missionary evangelization across different regions
Sr. Merlin Jacob MLF
