Convent in Detail

 Maniakunnu Clarist Convent - 1902

The third of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation and the first in the diocese of  Pala was constructed by Rev. Fr. Chandy Kattarath  on 13th November 1902  at Maniyamkunnu  in Poonjar after  Mother of  Dolours.  The first members were Sr. Mariam Thresia Kozhukottayil and Sr. Mariam Clara  Kunnethottathil  who had come from Changanacherry Clarist Convent. Later ladies from nearby places joined the convent.  Due to some unfavourable circumstances, the sisters were forced to leave Maniamkunnu for Bharananganam. At Bharananganam Rev. Fr. Chandy Kattarath  built a convent for the sisters. When circumstances were favourable for them ... the sisters returned to Maniamkunnu on 30th September 1916  and started an LP School there in 1917. This was the first Catholic Educational Institution in that place. 

One of the members of this convent Rev. Sr. Mariam Thresia went to Ernakulam archdiocese to start a Clarist convent at Angamaly in 1928. Credit goes to the hard work of the first members of this convent who started convents in different parts of the Pala diocese. The convents at  Kannadiyurumbu, Bharananganam, Teekoy(1939), Peringulam(1946), Maniyamkulam(1953), Poonjar(1955) and Thidanad (1957) ,Aruvithura (1961) , Pachickal (1972) were started as the branches of Maniamkunnu convent in different times. Rev. Mother Bernerditt who was a member of this convent had served as the Mother General of the Congregation before the division of the diocese. Further,  Mother Bernerditt had played a major role in the construction and development of the Tellecherry Clarist Convent. 

Quite unknown to the world lived a simple and  holy sister by name  Rev. Kolethamma Aarampulickal, known as the mediatrix of trivial matters,  in this convent. She died in 1984. Many visit  her tomb and her room seeking her intercession and return with grateful heart to offer their thanks.