DHARMARAM COLLEGE

"Isabhakti Paramjnanam"

Devotion to God is the Supreme Wisdom

Dharmaram College, a major study house of the CMI Congregation, was replanted in Bangalore on 1st June, 1957. The name 'Dharmaram' is a combination of two Sanskrit words, dharma (virtue) and aram (garden), which together means the 'Garden of Virtues'. Dharmaram is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the motto is 'Isabhakti Paramjnanam' (Love of God is the Supreme Wisdom). Dharmaram aims at educating people who are prepared to commit themselves to the service of the Church and the world, which is accomplished through a holistic, spiritual, intellectual and cultural formation.

OUR INSPIRATION

St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara is the inspirational presence behind founding the first Indian indigenous religious Congregation, the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). On 23 November 2014, he was canonized at Saint Peter's Square by Pope Francis. 

Pope Francis stated that, Father Kuriakose Elias was a religious, both active and contemplative, who generously gave his life for the Syro-Malabar Church, putting into action the maxim:

Sanctification of Oneself and the Salvation of All

The Congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) is the first indigenous religious congregation in the Catholic Church of India. 

Fr. Thomas Palackal, Fr. Thomas Porukara and Fr. Kuriakose Chavara of the Syro-Malabar Church of apostolic origin, felt that “a lot of good had not been done due to the absence of a Thapasu Bhavanam (House of Discipline) and a Darsana Veedu (House of Vision)”. They had the utmost vision of providing spiritual leadership and fostering unity and growth in the Kerala Church. 

At present the Congregation has about 3000 members including 10 bishops, 1840 priests, 1 permanent deacon, 22 brothers and 1200 brothers in formation. More than half of the priests are working outside Kerala, of whom about 367 are doing pastoral services in 31 countries around the world. 

Fr Prior General: Fr. Thomas Chathamparambil CMI

Rev. Fr. Thomas Chathamparampil, former Vice-Chancellor of Christ University in Bengaluru, was on March 13 elected the Prior General of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). 

He succeeds Fr. Paul Achandy. Fr Prior General will hold the office for six years. He was born in 1953 in Pulincunnoo, Alappuzha, and was ordained a priest in 1983.

He has a doctorate degree and authored a book “Organisational Commitment of Teachers of Higher Education” based on his doctoral study. The federal Ministry of Defence awarded him the rank of Honorary Colonel in 2012 when he was the vice chancellor of Christ University, a post he held until 2019.

Rector: Fr. Varghese Vithayathil  CMI

Rev. Fr. Varghese Vithayathil CMI is the Rector of Dharmaram College for a tenure extending from 2023 - 26. Formerly, he was the Vicar General of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. 

Fr. Varghese Vithayathil holds a Master’s Degree and Licentiate in Theology from Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium. He served as the parish priest for eleven years in the Archdiocese of Paderborn, Germany. He was the Provincial of the CMI St. John's Province, Bijnor, for two terms consecutively before being elected as the Vicar General of the CMI Congregation in 2014.