Bodhi Institute of Theology

The year 1932 marks an important moment in the history of both the Indian Capuchins and Bodhi Institute of theology, because it was on this year that the Capuchin presence was made real in Kerala by establishing a Friary at Tillery, in the diocese of Quilon. It was also on the same soil of St. Antony’s Friary that the Bodhi Institute of Theology sprouted out.

The Friary was opened as the Major Seminary of the undivided Indian Capuchin Province. The Philosophical Formation of the Indian Capuchins in India began at St. Antony’s Friary in 1933. After a year the Capuchins in India commenced the theological formation here. Until 1937, St. Anthony’s Friary, Quilon, was a combined House of Study for both Theology and Philosophy. In 1937 Assisi Friary at Alwaye was opened and the Philosophy house was transferred to Alwaye. In 1942, when Alwaye was vacated in favour of the Poor Clare Colettine Nuns from Pegu (Burma), the Philosophy brothers were brought back to Quilon. It was once again a combined house of Theology and Philosophy till 1944, when the Theologians this time migrated to Srirangam (Trichy). From 1944 onwards, it was the house of Philosophy. But from 1963 onwards, there was only the first year of Philosophy, which too was transferred to Trichur in 1965. In the same year of 1965, the first year of Theology and in 1966, the fifth-year course of Pastoral Theology were transferred from Kotagiri to Tillery. The junior Professorium for Brothers, started here in May 1959, was transferred to Monte Mariano in 1966 and the Senior Professorium from Kottagiri was brought here in the same year.  St. Antony’s Friary afforded a superb environment also for the Minor Seminary until 1997. During the Extra-ordinary Provincial Chapter of 1997, it was decided to start the study house of Philosophy and the Theology in St. Antony’s Friary, Quilon. Thus Bodhi Institute of Philosophy and Theology came into being and it was formally inaugurated on 13th June 1998, by then-Provincial Rev. Fr. Godwin Gama. During the academic year 1998-1999 Bodhi Institute simultaneously offered courses of Theology and Philosophy in St. Antony’s Friary. Owing to the increase in the number of students there was a shift of the Philosophate to Marygiri Ashram in 1999.

      Since its inception, Bodhi Institute of Theology has been steered forward under the right guidance and wisdom of our Rectors- Fr. Leny Connully, Dr. John Baptist, Dr. Sunil Sesadima, Dr. Joseph P. S., Fr. Peter Poyyathuruthy, Fr. Jude Thaddeus and our Prefects Fr. Essow Yohannan, Fr. Andrews Alexander, Dr. Pious Antony, Fr. Joseph Roy, Fr. Robinson M., Fr. Peter Thomas, Fr. Thomas Liju and Fr. Shaji Wilfred.Then on twenty batches of Priests have come out gloriously. Offering great hope of further development and expansion of the academic system, Bodhi continues to function successfully as the Institute of Theological Formation. The Institute was affiliated to St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute on 23 July 2019, and the official declaration of the affiliation was done by His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Antony Mullassery, Bishop of Quilon.