Karunalaya

About Bethany Ashram

Bethany Ashram and its Founder

The Order of the Imitation of Christ (OIC) popularly known as Bethany Ashram is the first indigenous Religious Congregation (Sanyasa Ashrama) for men started in the Malankara Church. It was founded by Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios on 15 August 1919 at Ranni, Perunadu, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala – INDIA.

Name of the Organisation

Bethany in the Bible is the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus who intimately loved our Lord and were loved by Him. This Biblical name ‘Bethany’ indicates the nature and charism of our Congregation, which gives supreme importance to both prayer and action. An Ashram is the abode of a Sanyasi where strenuous effort for God experience is made in prayer, silence, simplicity and hard work.

Bethany Ashram and Malankara Catholic Church

Bethany Ashram became the Cradle of the Reunion Movement as Mar Ivanios its founder and others entered into the communion of the Universal Church on 20 September 1930, giving rise to the formation of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church. The founder, Mar Ivanios started charitable institutions under this organization disregarding the cast, creed, and colour of the inhabitants. Bethany Ashram was raised to Pontifical status on 14^th April 1966.

The charism of Bethany Ashram

The charism of the Order of the imitation of Christ is following Jesus Christ in his life of prayer and action, realized in the oriental monastic tradition and Indian sanyasa and aimed at the evangelization of India through the spiritual renewal of the Malankara Church.

About Bethany Social Apostolate

Fr. P.T. Geevarghese Panickaruveetil had a noble vision of doing good to all people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. He wanted to start charitable institutions (Dharma Sthapanangal) for poor and the destitute people. The schools started for the ignored ones in society are the best example of his social commitment. Bethany and its founder gave great priority to social apostolate from the very inception of the establishment of the Ashram at Mundanmala and thus Bethany Ashram became a place of consolation for scores of people soon after its foundation. The orphanage at Mundanmala and the visits of Bethany Fathers to help the poor in the neighbourhood have attracted many people to follow the simple bethanian lifestyle. At present, the social and charitable activities of Bethany Ashram have been spread to different states in India as well as to mission centers in Ethiopia. We thank all the benefactors for their great support for all these activities.

Bethany Social Apostolate at a glance

AREAS OF INTERVENTION	INSTITUTIONS/PROGRAMMES	BENEFICIARIES
Social welfare A. Home for Old Age and Destitutes	1. Trppaadam Old Age Home, Nedumangad 2. Bethany Karunalaya Old Age Home, Telangana 3. Bethany Jeevan Jyothi Old Age Home, Thiruvalla 4. Bethany Divyakarunyalayam, Kottoor	Around 300 people are benefitted
B. Centres for Orphans and Destitutes	1. St, Antony’s Home , Vencode 2. Bethany Boys Home, Ranni 3. Bethany Karunalayam, Hyderabad 4. Bethany Boys Home, Embedeer, Goro at Ethiopia	250 children are provided free education and other facilities.
C. Mental Health Care and Psycho Social Support	1. Trppaadam Old Age Home, Nedumangad 2. Bethany Karunalaya Old Age Home, Telangana 3. Bethany Jeevan Jyothi Old Age Home, Thiruvalla	100 people, in need of Psychological care and support are provided
D. Rehabilitation Centres	TB patients Rehabilitation Centre, Pulayanarkotta	15 TB affected people
Health A. Health aid activities	1. Grace Cancer Care Centre, Nalanchira: Financial aid to Cancer Patients is provided. 2. Anti-drug initiatives includes providing Medicines, organizing medical camps, treatment for Hepatitis etc are being facilitated in Desam, Nedumangadu to Alcoholic Anonymous group, Kumarapalayam	1000 people are benefitted in an year
B. Health Education	1. Physiotherapy College, Nalanchira 2. Nursing College, Bhilai 3. Special School, Mardala	500 students are provided educational facilities. Besides 10% students are facilitated with partial or complete educational assistance
C. Health Centres	1. Bethany Nature Cure Centre, Nalanchira 2. Grace Pain and Palliative Care Centre, Trppaadam 3. Primary Health Centre, Desam 4. Mobile Palliative Care Centres Kumarapalayam, Coimbatore and Nedumangad	More than 1000 people are helped
Rural Development A. Non-formal and free education	1. Literacy centres are functional at Tripura, Punjab and Ethiopia. 2. Vocational Training Centres at Kinnathukadavu and Ethiopia	More than 500 people are facilitated
B. Formal free educational Projects	1. Rural Schools at Ethiopia 2. Cherupushpa Bethany Vidhyalaya, Goro Ethiopia 3. St. Joseph Bethany Navajeevan Vidhyalaya, Telangana	More than 800 students are catered
C. Educational assistance through various agencies	1. Veronica Foundation 2. Breher Foundation 3. Ahan Church Foundation 4. Sun Ray Ethiopia	400 students are helped.
D. Tribal Welfare	1. Bodhi Project, Sulthanbatheri 2. Tribal Welfare Project, Ethiopia	400 families are cared
E. Agricultural Assistance	Ethiopia	400 families from 8 villages
F. Water and Sanitation	In Ethiopia, Projects with regard to Drinking water; Rain Water Harvesting systems, water purification are implemented	500 people from 8 villages
Housing Project A. House construction projects	Over the years, various house construction projects are implemented with the help of various social welfare agencies and well-wishers of Bethany	100 beneficiaries are helped either directly or indirectly
Charitable Interventions A. Financial Assistance	Marriage and medical assistance	500 people are benefitted annually
B. Free material distribution	Distribution of educational materials, Food items and clothes	500 people are helped annually
Training and Awareness Programmes	1. Life skills training programmes through educational Institutions 2. Sanitation Programmes, Anti-drugs campaigns at village level 3. Seminars on Naturopathy at Educational institutions	More than 1000 people are benefitted
Practical Trainings	Practical trainings are implemented at Kolkata, Mardala, Ethiopia and Vocational Training centres	More than 500 individuals
Social interventions in Mission areas	1. Bethany mission, Kanjiramkulam 2. Bethany mission, Nedumangadu 3. Bethany mission, Sulthanbatheri 4. Bethany mission, Ethiopia 5. Bethany Mission Kolkata, Tripura and Punjab. 6. Bethany mission, Tamilnadu	Activities undertaken by Bethany from the initial years; 1. Treatment for Hepatitis and poison 2. Homeo Clinics 3. Financial Assistance, 4. Training on Technical Education 5. Ensuring availability of food items
Bethany Flood Assistance Project	In Mavelikkara, Pathanamthitta and Trivandrum dioceses.	1. Housing aid project to 15 flood affected houses. 2. Assistance to flood victims in association with CHETANA; the social work wing of Mavelikkara diocese 3. Post flood assistance including providing temporary shelter and sanitation 4. More than 4000 individuals got benefitted.
Bethany Mission, Ethiopia	1. Medical aid to podoconiosis patients 2. Aid to children affected with malnutrition 3. Aid to mentally challenged people 4. Aid to goiter affected people 5. Ambulance Service 6. Drinking water project in 10 villages 7. Rain water harvesting 8. Water storage systems 9. Educational Aid to 50 children 10. Practical Education 11. Housing projects 12. Development of roads in rural areas 13. Awareness programmes 14. Food safety programmes 15. Anti-drug campaigns 16. Small-scale industries
Research and Development	Navajeevan Bethany integrated Research and Development Society

NAVAJEEVAN BIRDS

Navajeevan Bethany Integrated Research and Development Society

(Navajeevan BIRDS)

Navajeevan Birds is the social service wing of Bethany Navajeevan Province of the Order of the imitation of Christ, which was founded by Rev. Fr. P.T. Geevarghese Panickeruveetil, later Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios Panickaruveetil OIC in the Jacobite Church on August 15, 1919, at Mundanmala, Ranni, Perunad in Kerala.

Fr. P.T. Geevarghese had a noble vision of doing good to all people irrespective of caste, creed, and religion. He wanted to start charitable institutions (Dharma Sthapanangal) for poor and the destitute people. The schools started for the ignored ones in society is the best example of his social commitment. Bethany and its founder gave great priority to social apostolate from the very inception of the establishment of Ashram at Mundanmala and thus Bethany Ashram became a place of consolation for scores of people soon after its foundation. In 1925 Fr. P.T. Geevarghese was ordained a Bishop with the name Mar Ivanios OIC. The orphanage at Mundanmala and the visits of Bethany Fathers to help the poor in the neighborhood has attracted many people to follow the simple bethanian lifestyle. In 1930, Mar Ivanios and his followers left Mundanmala. Bethany and its mission continued with the blessings of the founder. Bethany Ashram became the cradle of the historic re-union movement.

Along with the reunion movement, Bethanians began to undertake a wide range of apostolic activities with an “All India Missionary Vision”. In 1966 the congregation was raised to pontifical status. On 24th April 2000 two provinces namely Bethany Navajeeven Province and Bethany Navajyothi Province were erected in the Bethany Congregation. At present, the Bethany Congregation is having 216 members and 73 students. There are 56 Bethany Ashrams and 70 different apostolates and educational institutions.

NAVAJEEVAN BETHANY SOCIAL SERVICE was founded in the year 2000 with the erection of the Bethany Navajeevan Province of the Order of the imitation of Christ. NAVAJEEVAN BETHANY SOCIAL SERVICE is rechristened as NAVAJEEVAN BIRDS in 2018 and is driven by the spirit and dynamism of 100 years of history that narrates the beginning of Bethany from August 15, 1919, at Mundanmala. It has ever been inspired by the faith and social teachings of the Catholic Church. It has an extensive reach to the poor and marginalized communities and has initiated many grass-root development interventions during its 18 years of existence.