Late Bishop Conrad De Vito, the Founder of the first Secular Institute in India, Institute of the Maids of the Poor, was a visionary who could perceive the need of Secular Institutes in North India as early as 1947 when Pope Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic Constitution Provida Mater Ecclesia giving approval to a new way of Consecrated life.

Bishop Conrad was a missionary who wanted to dispel darkness around by the Light of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. So he became a Capuchin, gave up his homeland and opted to be in India after his spiritual and doctrinal training. He served Mother India in his capacity as parish priest, professor, rector of seminary, Vicar general and Bishop. As bishop his motto was 'Light dispels darkness'. He worked with great zeal and farsightedness depending on the providence and goodness of people. He lived for his people. With his love, wisdom and charity he won the hearts of many. He loved the poor and the abandoned. With courage, determination, firmness, perseverance and hard work he realized his dreams for the diocese and for the people. He served all irrespective of caste, creed and colour. Good news to the poor was his prime concern. The poor occupied an important place in his heart. His life was marked by Franciscan simplicity and ordinariness. He could cycle to many places to meet the poor and needy.

An Italian by birth, Bishop Conrad became one with the people of India and acquired Indian nationality. He felt the pulse of the political activities in India and in particular of Uttar Pradesh. He became familiar with Indian Constitution and Indian leaders like governors, ministers and other dignitaries. He attended to the urgent need of caring for the young and started many schools. As a pastor and shepherd he attended to evangelization. He published a short version of the Catechism of Pius X. He got it translated. He attended to the needs of the migrants of Pakistan. He established various clinics in the interior villages.

At the beginning of his Episcopate he established a seminary to train priests who carry on his mission. He founded the Secular Institute of the Maids of the Poor who would assist him in the realization of his deep aspiration of dispelling darkness around especially caring for the abandoned humanity. He was a prophet of his time who left a legacy to carry on the mission of Jesus with undaunted faith, to launch out into uncharted areas of contemporary world with missionary zeal. His adventurous Spirit and risk taking ability enthused many to get into unexplored territories of his diocese. He wrote many books to inspire and guide his followers. His pastoral letters cover a wide range of topics.