The untimely death of the Founder left the religious congregation and the home for the aged orphaned. The Arch Bishop Mar Augustine Kandathil took keen interest to fill the vacuum thus created. His Grace appointed Fr.George Valliarumpeth, hailing from Vaikom,then parish priest of ThrippunuthuaraForane church as the Director of the religious community and the Institution.

Fr. George Valliarumpeth, the new captain destined to steer the SD congregation was endowed with the spirit and magnanimity of its Founder Venerable Fr. Varghese Payappily. He was the most responsible and apt person to carry out this mission entrusted to him by God and legitimate ecclesiastical authority. In submission to the will of God,he took charge of the newly assigned responsibility on October 28,1929.Fr.In the persons of its founder and its newly appointed director, the SD too had the same ecclesial experience inherent in the words of Saint Paul  “I planted, Apollo watered ,but God gave the growth”(1Cor.3:6)

Family and Childhood

Msgr.George Valliarumpeth was the thirty first priest of the VAlliarumpeth family. It is said that the forefathers of this family were Brahmins.In olden days,Vallairumpeth families were primarily settled at aregion called Mulakuam. Parekadan was their family name there. The King of Vadakumcore brought this family from Mulakulam to Vaikom and made settled there. It was done because they were close friends of the King.The King bestowed on them a vast area of land on the river bank. So, they got the family name’Valliarumpeth’ in the course of time. This family originally hailed from pkalomattom family kuruvilangad.

Varkeychan was born as the youngest son of Varkey and MAriam on 6^th January 1889 in the Valliarumpeth ancestral home at Vaikom-Chemmanathukara. He had three brothers and two sisters. After the demise of his parents, Varkeychan was brought up under the guardianship of his elder brother ,Mathew and his wife, Mariamma who were staying back at the ancestral home. The primary education was done both at St.Louis School and Govt.HighSchool at VAikom.His high school was at St Albert’s HighSchool,Ernakulam.Being good nurtured and having keen interest in piety and ecclesiastical life,this lad excelled in thedevotion to the Sacred Heart and was captivated by the intercession and the pious life of the saints.

After his studies,receiving the divine call to priesthood, he entered the petty seminary at Ernakulam and commenced the studies for priesthood . Mar Louis Pazheparambil, the then Bishop of the Diocese of Ernakulam,pleased by his performance at the seminary, sent him to Kandy Papel Seminary for higher studies. He was ordained and anointed as priest on 17^th December.

The Early Days of Pastoral Ministry

The newly ordained priest began his pastoral ministry in his own native and parish at Vaikom. Later, he extended his pastoral services to parishes like Vallakom, Vechoor, Kokamangalam, Kothavara and Thripunithura. Wherever he rendered his ministry, Fr.George was a dearly admired exemplary priest to all the parishioners. One could hear from the parishioners that he was really a sacrificing good shepherd who toiled wholeheartedly for the spiritual and corporal uplift of his sheep.

His Personality

The life of Fr. George Valliarumpeth was deeply rooted in faith and love received in baptism. His consciousness of the abiding presence of the Holy Trinity influenced him deeply. With his baptismal name George, he suffixed ‘George of the Holy Trinity’. He solemnized the feast of the Holy Trinity with elaborate preparations with novena. He inspired and encouraged the SD to deepen in faith in the Triune God. He was also an ardent devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He used to hum the words, “Sweet Heart of Jesus, abide in me, my Love”. He had preferential concern and love for the poor. He used to qualify them as the ‘poor of Jesus’. He instilled in the sisters the ideal that the needs of the poor to be considered first. He had a large heart that could encompass everyone. He was capable and vigilant in imparting Christ-centered love to all and deal with them impartially. He encouraged the Sisters to maintain this selfless and serene demeanor in their reciprocal interpersonal relationship.

Rev: Fr Valliarampeth brought up the members of the community to grow mature in Christ without ever loosing the sanctity of religious life. His words inspired the sisters to lead a holy life with burning zeal and clarity of vision. He took great pain to treat each person warmly, be it an insider or an outsider. He himself attained maturity through his habit of self-control and asceticism. He was indifferent to the climatic changes; taste of food or medicine. His posture, while sitting, standing, kneeling or walking reveals his personal integrity and refinement in character. His equanimity, confronted with criticism or misunderstanding and his humble disposition to make amends if necessary, were inspiring and imitable. His still and concentrated pose in front of the Blessed Sacrament was of a recollected ascetic. He used to undertake self-imposed discipline like flagellation, wearing spiny wasteband.

He could accomplish the over-all growth of the Congregation with his personal experience gained through self-sacrificing efforts   in every field. Using his God-given and acquired talents    he gave leadership and direction to the SD. The Superiors who were appointed in consultation with the members of the community followed his instructions in every sphere. Valliachan trained his daughters to render dedicated and service-minded leadership in submission to the promptings of the Spirit and in the freedom of the children of God. The Founder’s punctuality, broadmindedness and magnanimity to accord due recognition and acceptance to each one, stood out in their totality in the father-director. Valliachan went out of his way to invite personals of social standing like ecclesiastical, civil authorities, and heads of religious institutions to the institute and extended dignity to each one, according to his rank. His rendering of humble service to the other, anticipating each one’s need and exhorting the Sisters to do the same, gave inspiration and example to them in the service of authority. He trained the Sisters to make adequate preparations well in advance of the arrival of invited guest and to determine their programme in advance and to make arrangements for their meal. This gives testimony to Vallichan’s humanness, concern, hospitality and punctuality. The nobility latent in the congregation is a special characteristic feature that has derived from its Founder and Msgr.George Valliarumpeth. An astute man of principle, Valliachan was appointed the Vicar General of the diocese by Archbishop Mar Augustine Kandathil in July 1936. However, he continued to remain director of the SD and the ‘Home for the Aged’. He faithfully carried out meticulously both his assignment entrusted to him. Even though he was stationed in Ernakulam as Vicar General, Valliachen continued to take keen interest in the affairs of Chunangamveli. Even amidst his busy  undertakings, he made it a point never to miss his regular exhortation on the day of monthly recollection.

Innovative and Creative Leadership

Under the innovative leadership of the Director, the SD congregation surged on. Many elderly persons came to the Home for the Aged seeking refuge. So a new annex had to be erected to accommodate them. He sought ways and means to manage the institute with its growing strength. Various possibilities to increase venue from agriculture were explored. He continued to send applications for subsidy from the Govt. In the light of this many civil officials including Divan of Travancore came of enquiry to the institute. He used to approach many prominent personalities seeking assistance for the institute. Arrangements were made to avail the assistance of the doctors from the state-run hospital at Aluva from 1933 onwards.

Msgr.Valliarumpeth encouraged in every way to make the community self-sufficient. With the assistance of tailors from outside, he trained sisters to stitch the dress worn by them. With the increase of the members of the institutes, outside hands had to be called in to meet the requirements. Even then he insisted on the Sisters laundering the dress of the inmates of the institute.

 Religious Formation of Sisters

 Msgr.Valliarumpeth was very particular the formation of the SD community should be Christ-oriented, person oriented and integral in accordance with its particular charism.With the blessing and explicit direction and approval of the ArchBishop,Msgr.Vallairumpeth admitted 8 sisters to the canonical novitiate on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12,1931. Msgr.Valliarumpeth had insisted on the community members to live in the family spirit renouncing every vested interest. He laid emphasis on a lifestyle of poverty, renouncing everything and accepting what is necessary as a gift in the spirit of humility and simplicity. He trained the members to hold everything in common in the spirit of poverty, to keep with permission whatever was necessary and to depend on the common supply for the additional requirements.He did not hesitate to send away from the ashram anyone found unfit for religious life.If ever he saw the members of the community slothful and idle he would call the community together and exhort them with paternal affection and advise them to pray. He appointed Fr.George Thayil to give the novices a retreat as an immediate preparation for their profession of vows.

Marthas Home

Msgr.Valliarumpeth had a great desire to provide a secure life for the girls wishing to live a devout life but with insufficient education. The ArchBishop Mar Augustine Kandathil gave his blessing to it. Accordingly, Msgr.Vallaiarumpeth founded an institute under the name ‘Marthas Home’ on 7^th May 1956. The pioneer members of this institute are the ten girls selected from the early applicants. One of the Sisters from the convent was appointed as their mistress under the supervision of the superior. The aim of this institute was to help its members to acquire holiness through prayer and work. They were appointed to help sisters in external activities and agriculture. In addition to they are being trained in devotional practices they were also given training in handicrafts. Two salient features of their life are their sincerity and faithfulness in whatever is entrusted to their care.