ST. JOSEPH CONVENT, KOZHIKODE -1862

Nestling along the palm-fringed shores of the Arabian Sea, the historic city of Calicut has been a place of great significance. Over centuries, with the advent of the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, British, and diverse local Hindu communities, Calicut evolved into a cosmopolitan hub. It was here that Venerable Mother Veronica, the Foundress, conceived the idea of establishing a Carmel for Missions. His Excellency Michael Antony, the Bishop of Mangalore, sought to open a school for girls in Calicut, and on 1st April 1862, St. Joseph’s Convent School was founded with English as the medium of instruction. Mother Veronica of St. Joseph of the Apparition became the first superior of the convent and headmistress of the school, serving from 1862 to 1864.

In Calicut, Mother Veronica received the inspiration to start a Carmel for Missions. She was sent to the Great Carmel at Pau, France, by Rev. Fr. Marie Ephrem OCD, the Vicar of the Mother of God Cathedral, to embrace the spirit of Carmel and bring the Apostolic Carmel to life. The Apostolic Carmel was officially founded at Bayonne, France, on July 16th, 1868. St. Joseph’s Convent, Calicut is honored as the only institution of the Apostolic Carmel where the Foundress herself lived and worked for two years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Apparition.

In 1929, St. Angela’s Malayalam Elementary School was established with two sisters and two lay teachers. The school’s tradition of excellence, both academic and non-academic, has continued through its nursery, high school, and higher secondary divisions, the latter sanctioned in 2000. On 7th March 2001, the foundation stone for the Plus Two building was laid by District Collector Mrs. Usha Titus, and on 29th December 2001, the Millennium Block was blessed by Bishop Maxwell Noronha and inaugurated by Sri. Jayakumar, District Collector. In a significant ceremony on 9th March 2002, Rev. Fr. Tom Arackal blessed the Mother Veronica Memorial Hall.

The centenary of Mother Veronica’s passing was commemorated on 4th November 2005, with an impressive rally featuring three thousand participants, including Sisters, Parents, Teachers, Carmel Blossoms, and ACAs. On 3rd September 2014, Monsignor Vincent Arackal blessed the renovated chapel, adding another chapter to the school's legacy.

In June 2019, the old high school building was demolished, and on 16th July 2019, Bishop Vargheese Chakkalakal blessed the foundation stone for the new building, which was laid by Sr. Susheela, the Superior General.