While James McCluskey (St Ninian’s Conference, Hamilton) was holidaying in India he spent time in the company of Fr. Johny Vettickal Abraham VC, a Vincentian Congregation priest. Traveling with Fr. Johny, he visited all the Vincentian houses which Fr Johny had been involved with, including the Vincentian Genaralate (HQ in Kerala).
The Vincentian Congregation is a clerical society in the Syro-Malabar Church with its Generalate at Edappally, in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly . Upholding the charism of St. Vincent, the Congregation established and built the SSSMILE Village for the benefit of the most abandoned.
The SSSMILE Village is a great gift, and humble initiative, given by the Vincentian Congregation to the Church in 2000. Beginning as temporary shed, it has since developed into home for some 80 people and will continue to grow to house around four hundred people; with various needs and disabilities to live a life of human dignity and respect.