Missionary Society of St.Thomas the Apostle (MST)
The Missionary Society of St. Thomas the Apostle (MST) is a missionary institute of the Syro-Malabar Church. It is a Society of Apostolic Life as the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches The MST was founded by His Excellency Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the first bishop of Palai in concurrence with the Syro-Malabar bishops and with the approval of the Holy See on 22nd February 1968 at Melampara in the diocese of Palai. The central administration of the Society functions at Deepti Bhavan, Melampara, in the diocese of Palai. An important milestone in the history of the Society was approval of it as a Society of Apostolic Life of Major Archiepiscopal Right, on July 3rd, 1997 by Mar Varkey Viathayathil the Apostolic administrator of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church. The new Constitution and Directives of the Society duly approved by the Major Archbishop came into force on 3rd September 1997 with it's promulgation by the Director General. The Society, which began with eighteen diocesan priests of the Syro-Malabar Church, has at present 315 priest-members and 150 students in different stages of priestly formation. The MST has now her own formation houses for all the stages of priestly formation.
Ujjain is the first mission territory entrusted to the Society in 1968. Three fathers from the society came to Ujjain in November 1968. When Ujjain was erected as an exarchate, the first Director General of the Society Mar John Perumattam was appointed its first Exarch. Thus from the very beginning of the mission, MST has collaborated in the missionary apostolate in the Eparchy of Ujjain. The present bishop Mar Sebastian Vadakel is also a member of the Society. Society took the eparchy, as it's own and served with dedication and full commitment. Society has been always providing the missionary personnel as per the requirements of the eparchy. The regional house of the Ujjain Region of the Society is situated at Mendya, Ujjain and at present, Rev Fr. Paul Pareckattil is the regional director of the region. At present 55 priest members of the Society are engaged in the missionary apostolate in the eparchy in various capacities.