TAMILNADU

ST. SEBASTIN’S CHURCH

EAST MARIANATHAPURAM

The History of the Mission

    We, the Oblates came to the diocese of Dindigul and the Most. Rev. Bishop. P. Anthony Pappusamy DD., welcomed and bifurcated Marianthapuram into East and West. East Marianthapuram was given to us and it was erected as a Parish under the Patron of St. Sebastin on 05.07.2006. Rev Fr Pathinathan OMI,then the Delegation Superior in his council had accepted this parish from the Diocese of Dindigul. This parish has 8 villages and two chapels, one in East Marianathapuram Village which functions as the Parish Church and another in Balakrishnapuram, the substation.

    The entire population of this village belong to the poor and downtrodden community. This village and its surroundings are socially, economically, culturally and educationally very backward. The total number of catholic families are about 550. The substation Balakrishnapuram has very beautiful church and it was constructed by the people and blessed on 19.03.2017. The Oblates helped for buying a land as well as for construction of the church. There are about 68 catholic families living in Balakrishnapuram.

Our Pastoral Ministries

    To strengthen the faithful by creating Basic Christian communities (Anbiyam) and trained them, forming a choir and altar boys/girls, village leaders and Parish councils.

    We have done many charitable works and social works to the poor such as: education, housing, health care, counseling and etc.

    We have Pious associations they are: 2 Legion of Mary groups and Vincent de Paul. This parish has 19 Anbiyams (Basic Christian Community)

Pious Associations

    Legion of Mary Vincent de Paul Society, St Eugene Youth, Choir, Association for Altar Servants and the Parish Council. The parish has 19 ANBIAMS (Basic Christian Community). Sunday catechism is compulsory for all the children. Oblates are known for their charitable works and participation in all the pastoral service to the people.

Parish Priest: Fr. Martin SAVARIMUTHU OMI

Assistant Parish Priest: Fr. Maria Sebastin Infant Raj THIRUSELVAM OMI

Contact:

   Fr. Martin SAVARIMUTHU OMI

   The Parish Priest

   ST.SEBASTIAN’S CHURCH,

   EAST MARIANATHAPURAM,

   DINDIGUL - 624003

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH

KANCHIPURAM

The History of the Mission

     The late Arch Bishop of Mylapore, His Excellency Dom E. M. De Guerreiro sometime in 1940 - 1942 felt keenly the desirability of having a mission/parish in the world-famous Hindu Pilgrimage Centre namely, Kanchipuram which is one of the ancient civilizations and cultures of the Pallavas. A plot of land was purchased at Damalwar Street and a plan was made to build a Church in honour of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The late Rev. Fr. Thamby was appointed as Parish Priest and was given the responsibility of building the church. As the Church saw its completion in the year 1949, it was blessed open by Bishop Guerreiro. The Arch-bishop of Madras mylapore His Grace Dr. Louis Mathias had been inviting the Oblates of Mary Immaculate from Sri Lanka since 1964 into the Diocese but somehow the plan did not materialize in his time. In 1967 the Oblates accepted the invitation of Arch-bishop His Grace R. Arulappa and came to India as missionaries. The Arch-bishop with the consent of the two Oblate missionaries, entrusted Kanchipuram Parish to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. On 1st of July 1968 the two Oblate Missionaries from Sri Lanka namely, Frs. EmmmanuelMariampillai, OMI and Philip Stanislaus, OMI took charge of Kanchipuram Parish officially.

Parish Priest : Fr. Basil SALAKUNDALA OMI

Assistant Parish Priest : Fr. PaulrajARULANANTHAM OMI

Confessor/ Spiritual Director : Fr. Francis Xavier ANTHONYSAMY

Contact:

   Fr. Basil SALAKUNDALA OMI

   The Parish Priest

   Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

   15,GDAMALVAR STREET,

   KANCHIPURAM – 631 502.

   Tamil Nadu, India.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH

KOMBADIMADURAI

     Kombadimadurai, an interior village, was canonically erected as the 59th parish in the Diocese of Sivagangai on 20th June 1999 by Bishop Most Rev. Edward Francis DD and given to the oblates when for Rev. Fr. Antony Jeevaratnam was the Delegation Superior. The first parish priest and co-pastor were Rev. Fr. Lawrence and Chinnapparaj respectively. Earlier, this village was one of the sub-stations of the Salaigramam parish. This remote village Parish has five substations. Kombadimadurai parish has got 295 families inclusive of all the five sub-stations of the parish.

     According to the motto of our congregation, regular house visits, Basic Christian Community (BCC) meetings, daily Eucharistic Adoration, special Adoration of Lord in Blessed Sacrament on Fridays, daily Rosary and Novena to our Lady of Perpetual Succor on Saturdays are salient parish activities. For the purpose of efficient administration, Parish council, Finance Council, Education Council and Justice Council have been formed. Other pious associations in the parish are: St. Xavier Youth, St. Joseph Jerald Altar Boys and Girls, Children of Jesus and Joseph Zebula Catechism Association.

     The Presbytery was built-in 2001. The parish has a primary school functioning from 1939. It is 78 years old school administered by the diocese of Sivagangai. During the time of Frs. Pathinathan and Francis Nallappan, then Delegation Superiors, Fr. Ambrose Antonysamy (2004-2009) as parish priest, a high school was built to cater to the educational needs of the children of this area. As of now 100 children are studying in the school.

     Another milestone in the history of Kombadimadurai parish was the construction of the Parish church dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the parish. During the tenure of Frs. Amalraj, OMI and Varaprasatham, OMI, then parish priests, the church was built and blessed open in the year in 2016. Recent developments in the parish include a Library and the erection of a Flag Post made of brass and silver.

Parish Priest : Kanickai William ARUL MARIANATHAN OMI

Assistant Parish Priest : Fr. James XAVIER OMI

Contact:

   Fr. Kanickai William ARUL MARIANATHAN OMI

   The Parish Priest

   ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH,

   KOMBADIMADURAI, AZHIMADURAI P.O.,

   EMANESWARAM – via, SIVAGANGAI– 623701

   Tamil Nadu, India.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH

PERAMBAKKAM

The History of the Mission

     Immaculate Conception Church is situated at Irulanchery near Perambakkam. It was the substation of Pinchivakkam Parish. Oblates have a farm and a formation house in Perambakkam. Therefore, at the request of the Parish Priest of Pinchivakkam the Oblates have been taking care of the Pastoral needs of the people for quiet long time. On 12thJune, 2011 Most Rev.Dr. A.MChinnappa, the Archbishop of Madras - Mylapore erected this Substation as Parish by bifurcating from Pinchivakkam Parish. Rev.Fr. Pragasam, OMI was appointed as the First Parish Priest. The Parish has around 60 families. It has also one Substation Narasingapurm which has around 75 families.

Parish Priest : Fr. Benedict LENADIMAI OMI

Contact:

   Fr. Benedict LENADIMAI OMI

   The Parish Priest

   Immaculate Conception Church

   Irulanchery,Thandalam-Arakonam Road,

   Perambakkam – 631 402

   Thiruvallur Dist.,Tamil Nadu,India.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

KARAYANCHAVADY, POONAMALLEE

The History of the Mission

     Karayanchavadi in Poonamallee was the place where the British had their army camp and hospital for the army. The place now functions as the major seminary of the Arch Diocese of Madras-Mylapore. There was a chapel from 1818 onwards for the British army and people who were assisting in the administration. Later this chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist was made the parish church for the people in this vicinity. A bell tower in the church campus is the only remains of the church built in the year 1840 and is still there. Fr. Fitz Patrick an Irish missionary had been the Chaplin for forty years and had been the ex-officio member in the cantonment board during the British rule in India. In 1978 the Oblates were invited and entrusted with the parish by then arch-bishop Arulappa.

     Presently, more or less, there are 1500 families in the parish taking into account the floating nature of some families. Regular spiritual activities of the parish include Mass, praying of Rosary, Novena Masses, adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, special devotion to Mother Mary, St. Eugene de Mazenod, John the Baptist and other saints. Pious associations in the parish are: BCC, Legion of Mary, and Movement of the Eucharistic Lord (NarkarunaiNaatharIyakkam - Eucharistic Chapel).

     Many women religious congregation sisters actively participate in the parish. In view of 200th year of the foundation of the Oblate Congregation and 50th year of the Oblates presence in India, grand celebrations were held from 22nd June 2018 to 01st July 2018 bishops, priests from the parish and former parish priest presiding over the liturgy on different days. In order to cater to the spiritual needs of the ever-increasing Catholic population, extension of the existing church was undertaken by adding wings on both the sides with the financial support from the people. The Extension of the Church was inaugurated on 3rd of February 2019.

Parish Priest : Fr. AmalrajVETHAMUTHU OMI

Assistant Parish Priest : Fr. SalamonCHINNAPPAN OMI

Assistant Parish Priest : Fr. Johnson LOURTHUSAMY OMI

Contact:

   Fr. AmalrajVETHAMUTHU OMI

   The Parish Priest

   St. John the Baptist Church

   Buckimgham street,Karayanchavady,

   Poonamallee – 600 056

   Thiruvallur Dist.,Tamil Nadu,India.

OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH CHURCH

THATHAIYENGARPETTAI

The History of the Mission

     The Parish is composed of the following missions/substations; Urakkarai, Valasiramani, Mahadevi, Valayeduppu, Poomalaipuram and Mettupalayam. The above missions were part of the then Tholurpatti parish and now Thottiyam parish and Musiri Parish since 1933, eventually all the missions came under the Musiri Parish. In the year 2014, ThathaiyengarPettai Parish was bifurcated from Musiri; Whilst the parish church is surrounded by two catholic families, it serves as the faith hub for all the substations. The substations Urakkarai and Valayeduppu have thirty catholic families each and the other substations have ten and five catholic families.

Parish Priest : Fr. Peter Rajan ALPHONSE OMI

Assistant Parish Priest : Fr. RathisBabin NORBERT ANTONY OMI

Contact:

   Fr. Peter Rajan ALPHONSE OMI

   The Parish Priest

   Our Lady of Good Health Church

   3rdNesavalar Colony,ThathaiyengarPettai,

   Trichy – 621 214

   Tamil Nadu,India.