SISTERS OF THE ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

The Congregation of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS), a congregation of religious women within the syro-malabar church, was founded at Champakulam in 1908 by Bishop Thomas Kurialacherry, with the assistance of its first member Mother Mary Chantal. After the death of Bishop Kurialacherry in 1925, Father J. Kandathiparampil directed the Congregation. In 1930 the Congregation was introduced in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. Independent diocesan communities of the Congregation which were established in the various Syro-Malabar dioceses were united under a Superior General in 1963. The Congregation was raised to the pontifical status by Pope Paul VI in 1968.

Prime importance is given to the Eucharistic apostolate. Each day every SABS spends one hour of eucharistic adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. The whole Congregation is taken as a single unit to have a chain adoration both day and night throughout the year. Besides the Eucharistic apostolate, SABS extends their services in the fields of education, care of the sick, pastoral ministry and other social welfare activities when and where need arises. The Sisters wear a white habit, white coif, black veil, and a medal of the Blessed Sacrament.

By the end of 2000, the Congregation had grown to over 4000 members including a few from outside Kerala, distributed in seven provinces, six vice-provinces and two regions.

Bibliography: The Silver Jubilee of the Sisters of Adoration and the Inaguration of Perpetual Adoration, Mannanam, 1936. sr. metilda sabs, Oru Kudumbathinte Kadha, "The Story of a Family" in Malayalam (Aluva 1991). SABS Constitution (Aluva, 1991). Indian Christian Directory, (Kottayam 2000), 1288.

[a.m. mundadan]