The Syro-Malabar church had a long cherished wish to get her own Bishops for her growth and tried constantly for it. Rev. Fr. Louis Pazheparambil who was a member of the Carmelite Monastery, Mannanam together with other 7 Carmelite priests took the initiative to send a representation to the Holy See requesting to appoint Bishops from the Syro-Malabar church.

After waiting for a long time, the Ernakulam Vicariate was established. Rev. Fr. Louis Pazheparambil who became the spiritual father of the Syro-Malabar Catholics was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Ernakulam Vicariate by Pope Leo XIII on 11th Aug. 1896

Bishop Mar Louis , so kind to the orphans and the poor ; started Holy Family orphanage in 1913 adjoining to the Bishops House. He also decided to found a religious brothers congregation to look after these orphans. Mar Louis Pazheparampil decided to bring Bro.Louis Pullely his co-worker and member of the Carmelite Monastery Mannanam to run the orphanage. Bro.Louis Pullely was doing apostolic activities and charitable works in the Mannanam Monastery. Bro. Louis reached Ernakulam Bishop’s House from Mannanam by a country boat owned by the Monastery.

Due to the poor economic condition of the new Diocese, the orphanage started functioning in a rented building owned by the neighbouring church. Then Mar Louis handed over the charge of the orphanage to Bro. Louis Pullely to look after the orphans well. Since there was no permanent source of income to run the orphanage, the collections from the public was the source of income. Bro. Louis visited several places to accept contributions and donations from generous people for the maintenance of the orphans and destitutes.

Once Bro.Louis went to Thuravoor Church near Angamaly for donation. There he accidently met Sri Gervasis Kulangara, a generous man from Mookkannur. Bro.Louis discussed with Gervasis Kulangara about the functioning of the orphanage. Then Sri Gervasis Kulangara began to think seriously what he can do for the orphanage.

Sri Gervasis Kulangara was a broad minded, unmarried and generous man. He decided to donate his properties to start an orphanage and to found a Religious Congregation of Brothers to look after the orphanage and to do other apostolic activities and charitable works. Then Bro.Louis Pullely and Shri. Gervasis Kulangara together went to the Bishops House, Ernakulam to meet Mar Louis Pazheparambil for discussion about land-donation. Shri. Gervasis discussed with the Bishop several times about handing over his properties to Bishop Mar Louis Pazheparampil. Consequently he donated 50 acres of land in 3 register deeds to Mar Louis Pazheparambil in the years 1910,1911,and 1915. Deed numbers are 3587, 521, 162 respectively.

After taking possession of the land from Shri Gervasis Kulangara, the Holy Family orphanage was shifted to Mookkannur and was established in the name of the Sacred Heart in Mookkannur. For the smooth functioning of the orphanage, Bishop Mar Louis appointed Bro.Louis Pullely as its Director. Bro Francis was his co-worker. Both of them together looked after the orphanage and its properties well.

Mar Augustine Kandathil, the successor of Mar Louis Pazheparampil was a multifaceted personality. He was a man of charity and compassion. Mar Augustine Kandathil faced all the obstacles and went forward. He sacrificed everything for the sake of the people of God. He was a courageous man. In 1921 Mar Augustine Kandathil called back Bro. Francis to the Bishops House, Ernakulam to start Mar Louis Memorial Press.

Mar Augustine Kandathil was a great devotee of ST. Therese of Child Jesus. In 1923, Pope Pious XI established the Syro-Malabar hierarchy through encyclical ‘Romani Ponthifictures’ and raised Ernakulam Diocese to the status of a Archdiocese and Mar Augustine Kandathil was promoted as its first Archbishop. Soon after his promotion as the Archbishop he went to Rome to visit the Pope and to express his gratitude to him for all the privileges from the Holy See. He also participated in the canonical ceremony of St. Therese of Child Jesus.

While visiting Rome, he also visited European countries, especially Ireland. Meanwhile he got a chance to meet the Irish Christian brothers. He visited the educational institutions, vocational training centers and other charitable institutions run by the Irish Christian brothers. Their dedication in running these institutions very well and in praiseworthy manner impressed Archbishop Mar Augustine Kandathil very much.

After visiting Rome and other European countries Mar Augustine Kandathil returned to Ernakulam. While evaluating his experience, he consulted with his council about the thought of founding a Religious Brothers congregation like that of Irish Christian brothers in the name of ST. Therese of Child Jesus, the mission patroness of the Universal Catholic Church in his diocese. The miraculous cure from a seriousillness he had at Vendimilia in Europe through the intercession of St. Therese became one cause to think of founding a religious congregation. He started the procedures to found a religious congregation. Donation of land to the orphanage by Sri Gervasis also helped Mar Augustine Kandathil to form a Religious Order. He was of good impression about the functioning of the orphanage at Mookkannur under the leadership of Bro.Louis Pullely. Mar Augustine Kandathil forsaw the need for Bro.Louis Pullely’s successors to run the orphanage. He realized the charism of the congregation is to share the merciful love of Christ with the poor and the needy. “Unless you convert and become like children you will not enter into the Kingdom of God”. ST. Therese of Child Jesus put into practice this gospel message in her life. Imitating her as a model he decided to found a religious brothers congregation.

Advertisement was given in the Kathachandrika (Sathyadeepam) weekly and in Parish churches for vocation promotion to brotherhood. As a result, candidates like Benedict Kachira and Ouseph Kochukunnumpurath of Arakuzha Parish, Joseph Nedumpuram of Nellimattom Parish and Varkey Mampilly of Njarakkal Parish came to Mookkannur with the recommendation letters of their Parish priests to join the congregation. Bro. Louis Pullely made all the arrangements for them. Mar. Augustine Kandathil received the candidates to the brotherhood order according to the Canon law.

The candidates made 3 days retreat as a preparation for their religious life. They understood the meaning of religious life and its rules and regulations. They made profession during the Holy Mass on 19th March 1931, the day of the feast of St. Joseph. The following day these brothers visited Mar Augustine Kandathil at the Bishops House, Ernakulam and submitted to him their testaments. The Bishop gave them valuable advices.

The Bishop informed the newly professed brothers officially that St. Therese of Child Jesus is the Heavenly Patroness of the Brothers Congregation and the Brothers will be known as Little Flower Brothers and their Ashram at Mookkannur will be known as Little Flower Ashram. Thus Mar Augustine Kandathil established CST Brothers congregation at the Archbishops House, Ernakulam on19th March 1931.