Mar James Kalacherry, bishop of Changanacherry, offocially established the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament on that date.
Today MCBS, a religious congregation of the pontifical right, is known as the Benedictines of the Syro-Malabar Church due to her unique liturgical, Eucharistic, and missionary charism and contributions.
Fr Mathew was sub-editor of the magazine Eucharist and Priest published from Puthenpally Seminary and was the founding editor of Vedaprachara Madhyasthan, the official tongue of Changanassery Archdiocese.
Fr Mathew died on 21 December 1977 and his mortal remains were buried in the church at the MCBS mother house, Kaduvakkulam.
After his ordination in 1914, Father Joseph served at several parishes including Mutholapuram, Bharananganam, Muttuchira, Thathampally, Kainady, Vadakara, Chemmalamattam, and Marangattupally.
The Holy See approved the Rule of Life for an experimental period of seven years and raised the congregation to pontifical Status on 2 December 1989.
In 1992 the districts of Satara and Solapur in Maharashtra, under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Kalyan, were entrusted to the congregation for pastoral care and evangelization.
[7] Shencottai Mission in South Tamil Nadu under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Tukala was started in the year 1996 for the pastoral care of the poor and afflicted.
Joseph Arumachadath, the then Vice-Rector of Sanathana MCBS Theologate, Thamarassery was nominated as the first bishop of the Bhadravati Diocese, Karnataka.
On 25 October 2007 – Consecration of Mar Joseph Arumachadath and the inauguration of the Bhadravati Diocese, Karnataka On 7 May 2008 – Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Congregation came to its end at MCBS Generalate, Aluva.
[10] The MCBS's ideal is to consecrate the entire life to the realisation of God's Kingdom (Matt 6, 10), placing the Eucharist at the core of its being.
The MCBS draws inspiration from the age-old spiritual wisdom of eastern Christian monasticism and from the quest of the sages (rishis) of India for the absolute.
They focus on living a religious life marked by love and single minded devotion (bhakti) to the Eucharistic Lord and missionary vitality.