WE ARE
We, the Daughters of Divine Grace (DDG) Monastery sui iuris in the Eparchy of Kanjirapally, are consecrated women deeply in love with Jesus Christ—the Crucified One, who gave Himself for love. Our mission is to follow Jesus Christ as prophetic witnesses, living our lives as a pilgrimage to our Heavenly Father. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to a life of prayer, penance, fraternity, simplicity, and proclaiming the Word of God.
We have chosen to leave behind the allure of the world to offer our entire lives to God through the profession of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. As Daughters of Divine Grace, we also vow to bear witness to the Word of God until our last breath. We are the Handmaids of Grace, living testimonies of Divine Love.
WHY WE ARE
Our hearts are irrevocably set on the sole love of our lives—Jesus Christ. We seek to remain united with Him always and everywhere: in the sacred liturgy and in our daily labours, in moments of solitude and in the warmth of fraternal life, in deep contemplation and in the joyful proclamation of His Word. To conform ourselves to Him, to become one with Him, to truly become Christ-like, Jesus asks for our hearts in their entirety—with all their affections, all their love, and every faculty and power of our being. For He alone is the source of true joy, both on earth and in Heaven. He is the Beloved of God, the One in whom God delights. As spouses of Jesus Christ, we are called to live in conscious union with Him, embracing His mission as our own, for He has made us His. Only in union with God can we truly do good for souls.
Moved by the Spirit of the Lord, we are compelled to participate in the mission of Christ and His Church—a mission fuelled by a burning passion for the salvation of lost souls. It is His thirst for souls that drives us to pray and offer sacrifices for His Mystical Body, the Church. We exist to restore sight to the eternal truth and to reveal the immeasurable value of every soul to God the Father. In this, we join in Christ’s mission “to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set free the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). Like the apostles, we proclaim “that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and touched with our hands—the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). By experiencing the Risen Lord and faithfully following His commands, we strive to recapture the spirit of the Early Church in our radical commitment to Christ.
As Daughters of Divine Grace, our prayer life is a profound relationship with the Holy Trinity. It is liturgical, contemplative, ascetical, and Marian, rooted in the Word of God and the Body of Christ. Through this sacred rhythm of prayer and devotion, we draw ever closer to the heart of God, becoming living witnesses of His grace and love.
OUR FOUNDER
REV. FR. DOMINIC VALANMANAL
Founder & Director, Daughters of Divine Grace (DDG)
Our Founder, a devoted priest, stands as a radiant model of a life entirely consecrated to God and His people. Through his divine wisdom and profound encounters with the Risen Lord, he reveals to us the joy and reality of God’s infinite love. His life is a living testament to the transformative power of wholehearted devotion to the Divine Will.
As a diocesan priest, he was inspired by a fervent desire to
ignite a profound revival within the Catholic Church. His mission was
to spread the true faith in Jesus Christ—the one and only Savior—through ministries anointed by God’s grace. A humble instrument of the Holy Spirit, he was gifted with unique charisms, including the discernment of spirits, deliverance, and healing, through which he brought hope, restoration, and renewal to countless souls
THE FOUNDING
VISION
Inspired by the Spirit of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Fr. Dominic envisioned a monastery dedicated to radical discipleship, rooted in an intimate union with the Word, a life of holiness and reparation, and the revival of the Catholic Church. His dream was to form a community that would embody the love of Christ and the joy of the Gospel through humble lives of prayer, sacrifice, and the proclamation of Truth—Jesus Christ. This community would stand in reparation with Christ (cf. Galatians 2:20) for their own sins and those of the entire world.
The Founder, Fr. Dominic, guides his spiritual daughters to fix their hearts on heavenly desires—the infinite, unconditional love of God for each soul and the eternal spiritual realities.
The Guiding Charism Imparted by the Founding Father
1. Deep and Personal Intimacy with God:
- - Eucharist-Centred: The Eucharist is seen as the source and summit of Christian life, a profound encounter with Christ.
- - Founded on the Word of God: Scripture is the foundation for understanding God's will and experiencing His presence.
- - God Experiences: Personal encounters with God through prayer, sacraments, and life events.
- - Companionship and Filial Trust: A relationship with God characterized by trust, love, and a sense of being a child of God.
2. Unwavering Faith in God:
- - Spirit and Life: Faith is rooted in the spiritual truths revealed by Jesus, as highlighted in John 6:63. The Holy Spirit guides and sustains this faith.
- - Life in the Holy Spirit: Living a life led by the Spirit, characterized by fruits such as love, joy, peace, and patience.
3. Accepting Sufferings and Trials:
- - Salvific Suffering: Embracing suffering as a way to unite with Christ's sacrifice for the salvation of souls.
- - Love and Suffering: The idea that true love often involves sacrifice and suffering, which is seen as a grace.
4. Passion for Lost Souls:
- - Satiating Jesus' Thirst: A deep desire to bring souls to Christ, reflecting Jesus' own longing for the salvation of all.
5. Discernment of Spirits:
- - Recognizing God's Will: Helping others discern God's will in their lives, guiding them toward eternal life.
6. Healing:
- - Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Restoration: Through prayer and faith, seeking healing in all aspects of life.
7. Deliverance:
- - Freedom from Evil: Liberating souls from the oppression of evil and leading them into God's light.
8. Devoted Servant of the Lord:
- - Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Restoration: Through prayer and faith, seeking healing in all aspects of life.
9. Maternal Presence of Mother Mary:
- - Freedom from Evil: Liberating souls from the oppression of evil and leading them into God's light.
We Take Four Vows
Everyone must love God intimately, but for a monk, it is a special obligation. Our Founder Father boldly summons us, “Why become a monk if not to be a saint?” Through prayer and monastic life, God, in His abundant love, sanctifies a monk to sanctify the whole world in Him (cf. John 17:19).
We detach ourselves from all worldly desires to unite ourselves with God alone. The true source that drives us to this purification and unification is intimacy with God. Our life is guided by the evangelical counsels of obedience, chastity, and poverty. We take a fourth vow to proclaim the Word of God. These vows reflect our total consecration to God and our commitment to live as witnesses of His Word until our last breath. For as you give yourself entirely to God, He will give Himself entirely to you.
1. Obedience: Surrendering our will to God’s will, communicated directly or through human intermediaries or life situations, guided by filial trust in God.
2. Chastity: Offering our hearts entirely to Christ, loving Him above all and serving others with purity of heart. We become souls that love Him alone and, in Him, all His children, striving to make Him loved by others.
3. Poverty: Embracing simplicity and detachment from material possessions, trusting entirely in God’s providence and finding contentment in Him.
4. Preaching the Word of God
Through this fourth vow, our aim is to participate actively in the liturgical spirituality, community life, and to support the Church by conducting retreats for the people of God with the charisms of the Holy Spirit, according to the typicon.
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)
“If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)”
And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
OUR EMBLEM
The emblem of the Daughters of Divine Grace (DDG) is rich in symbolism, reflecting the core values, spirituality, and mission of the order. Here’s a breakdown of the key elements and their meanings:
- 🔵 The Eucharist at the Center: The emblem of the Daughters of Divine Grace (DDG) is rich in symbolism, reflecting the core values, spirituality, and mission of the order. Here's a breakdown of the key elements and their meanings:
- 📖 The Holy Bible: The Bible represents the fourth vow of the DDG nuns, which is the proclamation of the Word of God. It underscores their commitment to spreading the Gospel and living according to its teachings.
- 🌹 The Three Roses: The three roses signify the messages of Maria Rosa Mystica (Mystical Rose) to her children, emphasizing prayer, penance, and sacrifice. These virtues are integral to the spiritual life of the DDG nuns, guiding them in their devotion and service.
- 🕊️ The Dove: The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit and the grace of God. It recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus during His baptism (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10) and serves as a reminder of the Spirit's presence and guidance in the lives of the nuns.
- 💫 The Seven Stars: The seven stars represent the call to holiness and perfection (1 Peter 1:15) and the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. These sacraments are the means through which the faithful receive God's grace and are strengthened in their spiritual journey (Sacrosanctum Concilium 10).
- ⛪ The Dome Shape: The dome shape of the emblem evokes the Church, particularly the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica, and the miter/headdress worn by Popes and cardinals. It symbolizes the Church's connection to heaven and the nuns' commitment to carry the Church in their hearts.
- 🔥 The Flaming Tongues of Fire: The flames represent the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) and the zeal and love that should burn in the hearts of the DDG nuns. Their monastic life, rooted in Carmelite-Benedictine spirituality, calls them to be fervent in their love for God (1 Kings 19:10).
- ♱ The Cross: The cross at the top of the emblem symbolizes the Crucified and Risen Lord, affirming that salvation comes only through Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. It is a reminder of the central mystery of the Christian faith.
- ˗ˏˋ ✞ ˎˊ˗ The Inner Circle and the Four Arms of the Cross: The inner circle represents the world, healed by the Eucharist and the Word of God (Isaiah 53:5-6).
The four arms of the cross inside the circle symbolize the four vows of the DDG nuns:
- Chastity (top arm with the cross),
- Poverty and Obedience (the other two arms),
- Proclamation of the Word of God (the arm with the Holy Bible).
Our History
“God has a beautiful plan.” These words, spoken by our Founding Father, continue to guide us in the name of Jesus Christ. On June 13, 2022, we were formally established as a Public Association of Christian Faithful, with the vision of becoming a Monastery sui iuris of eparchial right, through the decree of His Excellency Mar Jose Pulickal (Kanjirapally Bishop’s Order Prot. No. 203/R.W.01.22).
By God’s grace, we commenced our religious formation on July 13, 2022, the feast day of our Patroness, Our Lady of Rosa Mystica, Mater Ecclesiae. Grounded in the rich traditions of Oriental monasticism, we are deeply inspired by the spiritual legacies of the Carmelite and Benedictine traditions. As we take our first steps within the nurturing embrace of the Mother Church, our initial group of seven novices looks forward to consecrating their lives to the Lord, Our God, on February 11, 2025.
SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES
Our Heavenly Patroness: Maria Rosa Mystica
Maria Rosa Mystica, the radiant Mystical Rose, is the heavenly patroness and spiritual mother of the Daughters of Divine Grace. With unwavering trust, we consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart, seeking her maternal protection and guidance to her Son, Jesus Christ, that we may be transformed and perfected according to God’s divine will.
Inspired by her example, we wholeheartedly embrace a life of prayer, penance, and sacrifice, striving to imitate her profound humility and unwavering fidelity to God’s plan. Our Lady, Rosa Mystica, tirelessly intercedes for priests and consecrated souls, for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and for those who face trials or weariness in their sacred ministries. Through her maternal care, she nurtures authentic ecclesial communion and fulfills her role as the true Mother of the Church.
As Daughters of Divine Grace, we are called and sent by Jesus Christ to labor for the salvation of souls—beginning with our own—with a special emphasis on priests, religious, and the youth. Through the ministries of the Kingdom of God, we seek to bring the light of Christ to a world in need of His mercy and love.
Following Mary’s example, who treasured and pondered the divine mysteries in her heart, our lives are deeply nourished by the Word of God. This Word is revealed to us in Sacred Scripture, celebrated in the Holy Eucharist, and encountered in the ordinary moments of daily life. Through this divine nourishment, we are strengthened to fulfill our mission and to radiate the grace of God to all we encounter.
Maria Rosa Mystica, pray for us, that we may become living witnesses of God’s love and instruments of His divine will. Amen.
Our Sisters
Sr. Elizabeth Grace of the Holy Cross.
“To suffer with the suffering Christ and to be one with Him is my joy.”
Sr. Hannah Maria of the Holy Eucharist.
“My beloved is mine, and I am His.” (Song of Solomon 2:16)
Sr. Clare Maria of the Holy Eucharist.
“Lord has made me His own. He is my greatest treasure in this world, and everything else is just vanity.”
Sr. Anna Grace of the Immaculate Mary.
“Oh! Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
Sr. Maria Grace of the Holy Trinity.
“Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'(John 14:23).
“I belong to the Most Holy Trinity, and in my heart burns His fire for souls.”
Sr. Elishuva of the Holy Spirit.
“Here am I, the handmaid of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”( Luke 1:38)
Sr. Faustina of the Divine Mercy.
“May your will be done in me perfectly, and may I arrive at the place you have prepared for me.”