History

St. Joseph’s Monastery, Khetri, is a missionary community of the Regional Vicariate of West Bengal and North-East India under the South Kerala Province of St. Joseph, Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD). Situated in the Archdiocese of Guwahati, the monastery serves as a center of prayer, fraternity, pastoral ministry, and evangelization.

The origins of the mission date back to *2007, when the Archdiocese of Guwahati extended an invitation to the South Kerala Province to establish a Carmelite presence in the region. Responding to this call, **Rev. Fr. Albert Peter OCD* joined the Archdiocese on *7 September 2009*. He was initially assigned to the Parish of Sonapur to study the pastoral possibilities for a future Carmelite mission.

After a few months, Fr. Albert Peter was entrusted with a new responsibility by the Archbishop and was sent to *Nowgaon (Nagaon)*, about 350 kilometers from Guwahati. There he worked to establish a parish community and supervise the construction of a school building for the Diocese. His pioneering efforts laid the foundation for the future Carmelite mission in Assam. In 2011, he was appointed Superior of St. Joseph’s Ashram, Ambalapuzha, and returned to Kerala.

Towards the end of *2012, **Most Rev. John Moolachira, Archbishop of Guwahati, renewed the invitation to the Province and offered a mission center at **Khetri*, located about 25 kilometers from Guwahati. The mission initially consisted of a small Catholic community of about fifteen families, with the possibility of extending pastoral care to neighboring villages.

Accepting the Archbishop’s invitation, the Carmelite missionaries began the gradual development of the new mission. Among the pioneers who contributed significantly to the growth of the community were *Fr. Jess OCD* and *Fr. Marydasan OCD*, whose dedicated pastoral presence strengthened the foundations of the mission. Through their visits to families, pastoral outreach, celebration of the sacraments, catechetical instruction, and accompaniment of the faithful, they helped nurture the young Christian community and prepared the way for future expansion.

Subsequently, *Rev. Fr. Robert Bellarmine OCD* took charge of the mission and continued the work of evangelization, pastoral ministry, and community building. Through the dedicated efforts of the Carmelite friars, the mission gradually developed into a vibrant center of faith, serving the spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful and promoting the Carmelite charism in the region.

Over the years, the monastery has become a center of spiritual renewal and missionary outreach. The friars minister to the faithful through the celebration of the Eucharist, administration of the sacraments, catechetical formation, youth ministry, family apostolate, and the promotion of Carmelite spirituality. Their presence has contributed to the strengthening of the local Church and the growth of Christian communities in the region.

Dedicated to *St. Joseph*, the patron of the Province, the monastery continues to witness to the Gospel through prayer, fraternity, and apostolic service. Inspired by the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the community remains committed to serving the local Church and fostering the growth of God’s Kingdom in Assam.

## Mission

* Parish and sacramental ministry
* Evangelization and missionary outreach
* Promotion of Carmelite spirituality
* Formation of Christian communities
* Vocation promotion
* Spiritual accompaniment and retreats

*Motto:* Prayer • Fraternity • Mission

Read more : https://southkeralaprovinceocd.com/guwahati/