Dear Parents and Students,
Nazareth Bhavan English Medium Nursery School is a blessing bestowed by God upon the children of CMC St. Mary’s, serving as a fulfillment for the faithful of this locality. This small institution, nurtured by the hand of God to sow seeds of goodness along with literacy in young hearts—equipping them to serve the world—now stands radiant in its Golden Jubilee year, proving to be a grace to the entire community. God, who walked alongside and guided us through every path, continues to extend His hand of providence toward us.
The Visionary Foundation
In 1864, St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, the then Vicar General of the Syrian Catholic Church, put forward a transformative message: education should be accessible to all, regardless of caste, creed, or religion. It was a new beginning. Catholic churches began establishing "Pallikkoodams" (schools attached to churches) to provide education to everyone without discrimination.
The generations we see today were shaped through these schools. It was in such institutions that the shackles of casteism were broken, and a unified society was formed. When school admissions opened up beyond religious boundaries, children like Madhavan, Mohammed, Matthai, and Chathan sat on the same bench, listened to the same lessons from one teacher, and befriended one another. It was then that people realized that touching "Chathan" would not cause "Madhavan," "Mohammed," or "Matthai" to turn into ashes. Through Chavara Achen, known as the creator of Kerala's civilized society, a common public community emerged.
"Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them." (Luke 2:51)
The Humble Beginnings (1974)
Nazareth Bhavan Nursery School was born on January 1, 1974, in a small classroom made of bamboo mats (panambu), starting with just 15 children. This was the realization of the keen interest and leadership of the CMI priests, especially Fr. Joseph Kunnel CMI.
Initial Phase: For the first year, it functioned as a Malayalam medium school.
Transition: It subsequently became an English Medium Nursery.
Pioneer Teachers: Sr. Innocent and Sr. Elize were the founding teachers.
As the years passed, the student enrollment continued to grow steadily.
Infrastructure and Growth
Since the bamboo-matted classroom was insufficient for further studies, the building was renovated with the help of Fr. Maria O.S. CMI. During that period, when the Amalapuri Church was being renovated, its windows and doors were donated to construct the nursery building.
1983 Milestone: By 1983, the building required further repairs. Provincial Superior Sr. Therese Mary decided to demolish and rebuild the existing structure.
Support: Fr. Job Mylladiyil CMI provided the necessary assistance and cooperation. On December 25, 1983, Fr. Job blessed the current building.
Gratitude: We remember with gratitude the sisters who worked behind this, especially Sr. Jacquelyn Mary and Sr. Elize.
Days as a Sanctuary
Originally, the chapel at St. Thomas Mount (the CMI Ashram in Marykunnu) served as the parish church. However, since climbing the hill to reach the Mount was difficult for many, the nursery building was cleaned and repurposed on Sundays for the Holy Mass and Catechism classes.
Until 1995, CMI priests served as the Vicars here. Nazareth Bhavan Nursery School served as the parish church until April 8, 1995, the day St. Anthony’s Church, Paroppady, was inaugurated.
Sr. Pavana
Principal