On 8th Sep.1980 Bp.Clemens Thottungal CMI the first Bishop of Sagar instituted the pious union of ‘Sisters of Jesus’. The recruitment of candidates to the new congregation was done by Co-Founder Rev.Fr.Alex Ukken CMI. He recruited the first seven batches with the help of the Congregations of CMI, FCC and OSB. The first 9 members came from different Syro-Malabar dioceses of Kerala. On 14th Aug 1980 the first batch candidates reached at Vidisha, Sagar. The first nine batches were formed by the able guidance of the fathers of CMI Congregation and sisters from CMC, FCC, CSC and CHF Congregations till 1992. The first members committed themselves to a life of renunciation through religious promise in the pious union of Sisters of Jesus on 15th August 1983. Bp.Clemens framed the rules for the new Congregation with the help of Fr.Alex Ukken CMI and the then director Fr.Jose Paul Eduthan CMI. After the retirement of Bp.Clemens, on 22nd February 1987 Bp.Joseph Pastor Neelankavil CMI was consecrated as the Bishop of Sagar. On 1st January 1990 Rt.Rev.Joseph Pastor Neelankavil erected by a decree (No.057/15/780/90) the pious union of the Sisters of Jesus as a Religious Congregation of eparchial rite of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Administration of the Congregation was carried out by the directors under the guidance of Bp.Clemens the founder and later under the guidance of Bp.Joseph Pastor Neelankavil. After the perpetual profession of the first batch sisters in 1989 the charge of formation of aspirants and postulants were entrusted to the SJ sisters. On 15th September 1991 Rt. Rev. Bp. Clemens the founder breathed his last in Carmel Ashram, Sagar and his funeral was on 18th September. The first General Synaxis was conducted from 3rd to 5th October 1991 and Rev Sr.Ancy Mathew was elected as the first Superior General of the Congregation.
Jesubhavan, the Mother House of the Congregation is situated, 8km away from Sagar city in the village Gadoli Khurd on the Bina-Khurai road. It was constructed in the year 1981 under the supervision of late Rev Fr.Jose paul EduthanCMI the then director of SJ Congregation and it was functioning as the formation house for postulants, novices and juniors. After the first General Synaxis in 1991 and the erection of the novitiate house in Rehli, Jesubhavan has become the Generalate of the Congregation.
The Holy See directed His Eminence Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil CSSR Major Arch Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Church to appoint an Ecclesiastical Advisor to the Congregation of Sisters of Jesus to give guidance in their life and apostolate according to the Charism of Founder and in accordance with the statutes to uphold the rights of the eparchial bishop as well as the legitimate autonomy of the Congregation according to the provisions of the ecclesiastical law. On Feb. 6th 1998 Rev. Fr. Sebastian Puthenchirayil CST was appointed as Ecclesiastical Advisor and he guided the Congregation in true religious spirit. After the consecration of Bp. Anthony Chirayath as the Bishop of Sagar on 25th March 2006, Fr. Sebastian Puthenchirayil CST was relieved. Rev.Fr.Alex Ukken CMI the Co-Founder of the Congregation was called to eternal rest on 11thJune 2006. Fr. Jose Paul Eduthan CMI who was the first Director of the Congregation breathed his last on 27th March 2013. A new administration block was built and blessed on 2nd February 2016 and named as Clemens block. The Congregation had eleven Ordinary General Synaxis. The present Superior General of the Congregation is Rev.Sr.Kusumum Joseph SJ.
The Congregation has passed 43 years of its foundation and at present there are 113 professed sisters out of which 93 are finally professed and 20 are temporarily professed. There are 28 Jesubhavans involved in different ministries, 18 in the diocese of Sagar and other ten in the dioceses of Ranchi, Jabalpur, Thrissur, Rome,Chanda, Baghalpur, Dumka, Simdega, Miao and Great Falls Billings in USA. We are indebted to many, for their valuable contribution in its growth and development specially to the Diocese of Sagar, CMI Congregation, many women religious congregations and the benefactors.
