About
ST.TERESAS
Enlightened by the passionate faith of St.Teresa of Avila and tempered by the zeal for service and the strength of prayer,our foundress,Mother Teresa of St. Rose of Lima,on May 9th 1887,laid the first foundation for St .Teresa’s ,the grand edifice that now towers as a great landmark and a centre of learning and women empowerment in the heart of the buoyant city of Kochi. St.Teresa’s convent school is having an enduring impact on the kerala society,it’s culture and civilization that this institution has impressed through it’s pioneering endeavour of educating women of all social strata of the society over these years.
When Mother Teresa of Rose of Lima had begun this educational institute for women ,she had envisaged an integral education of persons who in their turn will transform our society by implementing human and christian values in their families and social environments.
The late 1800- s was a time when the social and cultural milieu of kerala of was vitiated by the evils of casteism,feudalism and discrimination.The women especially were mostly ignorant and illiterate and were denied the rights of equality.The prelates of the catholic church experienced that only through education of women ,the great work of civilization could be achieved.The Archbishop of Verapoly,Dr. Leonard Mellano,planned to start an English Medium School for girls at Alleppey .Fr.Alphonsus OCD with the help of Fr.Doyle,from Madras found a qualified teacher for the St.Joseph’s school at Alleppey.A young and agile 21 year old Anglo-Indian maiden from George town,Madras named Grace D’ Lima,daughter of peter and Mary D’Lima alight on the shores of Kerala in the year 1879.She soon made her mark as a teacher and headmistress at the St.Joseph’s school,Alleppey.The fledging school in due coiurse,took to wings of progress.On April 20th 1883,Grace received the Religious habit ,taking the name of Sister Teresa of St.Rose of Lima and she was professed as a Carmelite Tertiary on 25th May 1885.She was imbued by the spirit of our patroness St.Teresa’s of Avila ,whose life examplified ‘contemplation in action’.
OUR HISTORY
Our foundress Mother Teresa of St.Rose of Lima was born on 29th January 1858 in Madras as the daughter of Mr.Peter D’Lima and Mary D’Lima .With her efficiency ,religious inclination and the excellent education and training she received under the Irish nuns at the presentation convent in Madras,she soon made her mark as a teacher and headmistress at the St.Joseph’s school,Alleppy.On April 20th 1883,Grace received the religious habit ,taking the name of Sr.Teresa of St.Rose of Lima and she was professed as a carmelite teritiary on 25th May 1885.
His Lordship Dr.Leonard Milano ,the first Archbishop of verapoly entrusted the mission to form a convent for religious sisters and to start an English Medium School,to sister Teresa.Thus on 24th April 1887,the convent took it’s humble birth in a private house belonging to Mr,Lee,rented at Rs.10/- per month.In 1895 there were 11 nuns to work with her.In 1887 May 8th,St.Teresa’s school was established with 31 pupils on roll and was indeed an open sesame in the history of Kerala.
Not contented with conducting just an English Medium School for the elite,she set up a vernacular school for the orphans and the marginalised.This was later raised to the status of an Anglo-Vernacular School.Records show that it is her incessant urges that gave rise to rise to St Albert’s, a school for boys.
She rehabilated errant and desolate women and established small scale industries like coir making for them.As the students continued their studies ,she dreamt of a college for women. As the first step to begin a college for women,she sent a sister for higher studies,in 1901 to Edilbaro University.
As years passed by the institution has flourished in the heart of cochin;the queen of Arabian Sea imparting education to all,irrespective of cast and creed,rich or poor. St.Teresa’s Convent and it’s institution become the corner in the empowerment of women in kerala.
For all this ,we owe our gratitude to that great beacon in whose hands the institution had it’s fair begining.From the proud past we are moving towards a vibrant future holding high our motto: