The founder of FIHM congregation Louis Savinien Dupuis was born on 18th August, 1806, at the city of Sens in France. His father’s name was Edme-Louis Dupuis and his mother’s name was Victoire Remy. Dupuis was his family name. He completed his high school education in Sebastian High School at Sens. He was ordained as a priest on 25th April, 1829, and he joined in the Congregation of MEP on 25th May, 1831. He was a fervent and zealous priest. He was a man of heroic faith and seraphic charity.
He spent his life in the service of the church, restoring moral customs. He dedicated himself to seek the perfection of charity in the service of God’s kingdom, for the honour of God, the building up of the church and the Salvation of the world. He started his voyage on 4th July, 1831, towards India as a missionary. He reached India on 9th April, 1832.
In the 19th Century, a wrong notion that women should not get educated was rooted in the minds of Indians. An educated woman felt shy to reveal that she knew to read. In the Synod held in 1844, it was decided that a Congregation of women was needed to liberate women from such disgrace, so this Congregation was born and began to develop with many convents and schools. The synod members began to contemplate the possibility of establishing a congregation of Indian sisters to whose care the education of women, imparting of moral and religious instructions along with secular education could be entrusted.
It was at this juncture that Louis Savinien Dupuis, MEP, impelled by his earnest devotion to the accomplishment of the Divine will, came forward to make this venture a reality and founded our Franciscan Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary Congregation on 16th October, 1844. He worked tirelessly for the growth of the Congregation till his death on 4th June, 1874.
