Shrine of Our Lady of Veilankanni
Anna Nagar, Madurai-625 020.
In 1970’s the Tamilnadu government housing board allotted housing schemes in Anna Nagar and K.K. Nagar. The people settled here then from various places. The people settled in this newly formed extension of Madurai city, formed an association called Low cost colony welfare association, which was called Vaigai Colony later for the purpose of obtaining land for public worship from the Tamilnadu Housing Board. The church construction committee consisting of the scattered catholics in the welfare association took initiative to mobilize the Catholics and bring about the church for themselves. The secretary of the committee Mr. Rathinam along with the president Mr. Nambikkairaj approached executive engineer of the Tamilnadu Housing Board project in Madurai requested land for the Annai veilanganni’s church. Meanwhile he met the archbishop Justin Diraviam through the then procurator Fr. Jesudasan got the consent to build a new church by the diocese provided he obtains the land. He got allotment for 5grounds land from the government engineer at first in 1975 as the procurator was ready to afford money only for that much of land. In 1976 he made arrangements for the purchase of additional 9 grounds. The people also collected money in many ways on their part for the purpose. Mr. Rathinam transferred the ownership of the total area of the land to the diocese on 22nd July1976, which was allotted in his name as he was the secretary of the committee. Amidst the triangular negotiation between the housing board, the archdiocese and the committee, the thirst and eagerness of the newly formed catholic community was quenched by the Christmas night mass celebrated for the first time in the allotted land for church construction at 5 am in 25th1975. More than 150 catholics participated.
A small chapel was built and blessed by Archbishop Diraviam on 1st September 1976 after a long procession by the faithful, even from the other parishes, carrying the statue of our lady of Veilankanni from Nirmala hr sec. school. The first ever feast of our lady of Veilankanni (holy mass and car procession) in Annanagar was celebrated in 8th September 1976. The chapel not only catered the needs of the few Catholics in the locality by ministry of the parish priests of st Mary’s, but the novena and masses offered on Wednesdays drown also many people from the city of Madurai gradually.
Fr. N.P. Alphonse, who was of the secretary of evangelization commission, was in charge of this enthusiastic small community in Annanagar. He pastured the needs of faithful and also carried out evangelisation work in the locality. Later Fr. Lawrence was helpful in conducting liturgy. Purchasing the site and building the shrine within six months were nothing short of a miracle. Within a year this small chapel attracted hundreds of people during the week days and thousands at the time of the titular feast. As the number of devotees increased, a bigger and better church was thought of.
Archbishop Diraviam built the present new church with an innovative architectural grandeur. The bird’s eye view of the church would resemble the chalice with host. Fr. Jude Vadakarai was given in charge of building the new church. He helped to buy materials for the building. Fr. S. Jesudasan, the then procurator of the Archdiocese was instrumental in constructing both the small and new church. The new church was consecrated by Archbishop Diraviam on 6 October 1979. It is one of the beautiful churches built in his time. Later a land was bought in southern side of the church and present Maadha mandram was constructed.
Since many Catholics were settling down in the colonies around the church, Anna Nagar parish was created on 31 May 1985 with Fr. S. Jesudasan as the first parish priest. The parish council, Vincent de Paul society, legion of Mary and youth movements were formed by the first parish priest Fr. Jesudasan. A small piece of land was bought in K.K. Nagar a small church in the name of st. Antony of Padua was constructed in1990. It became a main substation to the parish. The Vandiyur area became a substation without chapel. People who lived in and around karuppayurani obtained kanmai purambokku for parish cemetery which was taken by the government in 2005.
Devotees visit the church every day in large numbers. So a small building is put up called ‘Thiruthala Pani Nilayam’ (Pilgrims Service Centre).adoration chapel was constructed by Fr. M. Dhivyanandam in 1996. In the 2000 the silver jubilee of the church was celebrated. ‘Thirupayanigal illam’ was built in memory of silver jubilee. Anbiams were started in the year 2003 by Fr. Y. Arockiam. A new land in Sakkimangalam was bought for parish cemetery. A new church was built and blessed in 2010 jubilee town by the effort of Fr. D. Gnanapragasam. In 2011 Annanagar Annai Veilankanni popular church was raised as the diocesan shrine by the archbishop Peter Fernando.
Sisters of the St. John the Baptist, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Holy Cross (chavnad) and the Seva Missionaries are religious who carry out the social and educational ministry and helpful in the pastoral activities of the parish.
The following are the substations of this parish with chapel St. Antony’s Church (K.K Nagar), Sahaya Annai Church (LKB Nagar), St. Francis Xavier’s Church (Jubilee Town).Vandiyur, Madhichiam, Pandikoil, Karuppayurani are the substations without churches.
The population was only 10 families in 1974 and there were 350 families at time of the erection of the parish. The population of the parish now is about 950 families altogether. The nature of population is floating. Most of people belong to the middle class; some are teachers and government employees. There is growth in the education level of the people. The parishners are so pious and faith oriented. They cooperate well with the parish priests in all the parish activities through parish council, finance council, Vincent de Paul society, Legion of Mary, Maraikalvi mantram, Altar boys association and st. Joseph’s senior citizens’ movement.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Fr. S. Jesudasan 1985 - 1992
2 Fr. N.A. Manuel 1992 - 1995
3 Fr. M. Dhivyanatham 1995 - 2000
4 Fr. M. Mudiappan 2000 - 2002
5 Fr. Y. Arockiam 2002 - 2007
6 Fr. D. Gnanapragasam 2007 – 2012
7 Fr. M. Appoline claret Raj 2012-
Anna Nagar, Madurai-625 020.
In 1970’s the Tamilnadu government housing board allotted housing schemes in Anna Nagar and K.K. Nagar. The people settled here then from various places. The people settled in this newly formed extension of Madurai city, formed an association called Low cost colony welfare association, which was called Vaigai Colony later for the purpose of obtaining land for public worship from the Tamilnadu Housing Board. The church construction committee consisting of the scattered catholics in the welfare association took initiative to mobilize the Catholics and bring about the church for themselves. The secretary of the committee Mr. Rathinam along with the president Mr. Nambikkairaj approached executive engineer of the Tamilnadu Housing Board project in Madurai requested land for the Annai veilanganni’s church. Meanwhile he met the archbishop Justin Diraviam through the then procurator Fr. Jesudasan got the consent to build a new church by the diocese provided he obtains the land. He got allotment for 5grounds land from the government engineer at first in 1975 as the procurator was ready to afford money only for that much of land. In 1976 he made arrangements for the purchase of additional 9 grounds. The people also collected money in many ways on their part for the purpose. Mr. Rathinam transferred the ownership of the total area of the land to the diocese on 22nd July1976, which was allotted in his name as he was the secretary of the committee. Amidst the triangular negotiation between the housing board, the archdiocese and the committee, the thirst and eagerness of the newly formed catholic community was quenched by the Christmas night mass celebrated for the first time in the allotted land for church construction at 5 am in 25th1975. More than 150 catholics participated.
A small chapel was built and blessed by Archbishop Diraviam on 1st September 1976 after a long procession by the faithful, even from the other parishes, carrying the statue of our lady of Veilankanni from Nirmala hr sec. school. The first ever feast of our lady of Veilankanni (holy mass and car procession) in Annanagar was celebrated in 8th September 1976. The chapel not only catered the needs of the few Catholics in the locality by ministry of the parish priests of st Mary’s, but the novena and masses offered on Wednesdays drown also many people from the city of Madurai gradually.
Fr. N.P. Alphonse, who was of the secretary of evangelization commission, was in charge of this enthusiastic small community in Annanagar. He pastured the needs of faithful and also carried out evangelisation work in the locality. Later Fr. Lawrence was helpful in conducting liturgy. Purchasing the site and building the shrine within six months were nothing short of a miracle. Within a year this small chapel attracted hundreds of people during the week days and thousands at the time of the titular feast. As the number of devotees increased, a bigger and better church was thought of.
Archbishop Diraviam built the present new church with an innovative architectural grandeur. The bird’s eye view of the church would resemble the chalice with host. Fr. Jude Vadakarai was given in charge of building the new church. He helped to buy materials for the building. Fr. S. Jesudasan, the then procurator of the Archdiocese was instrumental in constructing both the small and new church. The new church was consecrated by Archbishop Diraviam on 6 October 1979. It is one of the beautiful churches built in his time. Later a land was bought in southern side of the church and present Maadha mandram was constructed.
Since many Catholics were settling down in the colonies around the church, Anna Nagar parish was created on 31 May 1985 with Fr. S. Jesudasan as the first parish priest. The parish council, Vincent de Paul society, legion of Mary and youth movements were formed by the first parish priest Fr. Jesudasan. A small piece of land was bought in K.K. Nagar a small church in the name of st. Antony of Padua was constructed in1990. It became a main substation to the parish. The Vandiyur area became a substation without chapel. People who lived in and around karuppayurani obtained kanmai purambokku for parish cemetery which was taken by the government in 2005.
Devotees visit the church every day in large numbers. So a small building is put up called ‘Thiruthala Pani Nilayam’ (Pilgrims Service Centre).adoration chapel was constructed by Fr. M. Dhivyanandam in 1996. In the 2000 the silver jubilee of the church was celebrated. ‘Thirupayanigal illam’ was built in memory of silver jubilee. Anbiams were started in the year 2003 by Fr. Y. Arockiam. A new land in Sakkimangalam was bought for parish cemetery. A new church was built and blessed in 2010 jubilee town by the effort of Fr. D. Gnanapragasam. In 2011 Annanagar Annai Veilankanni popular church was raised as the diocesan shrine by the archbishop Peter Fernando.
Sisters of the St. John the Baptist, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Holy Cross (chavnad) and the Seva Missionaries are religious who carry out the social and educational ministry and helpful in the pastoral activities of the parish.
The following are the substations of this parish with chapel St. Antony’s Church (K.K Nagar), Sahaya Annai Church (LKB Nagar), St. Francis Xavier’s Church (Jubilee Town).Vandiyur, Madhichiam, Pandikoil, Karuppayurani are the substations without churches.
The population was only 10 families in 1974 and there were 350 families at time of the erection of the parish. The population of the parish now is about 950 families altogether. The nature of population is floating. Most of people belong to the middle class; some are teachers and government employees. There is growth in the education level of the people. The parishners are so pious and faith oriented. They cooperate well with the parish priests in all the parish activities through parish council, finance council, Vincent de Paul society, Legion of Mary, Maraikalvi mantram, Altar boys association and st. Joseph’s senior citizens’ movement.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Fr. S. Jesudasan 1985 - 1992
2 Fr. N.A. Manuel 1992 - 1995
3 Fr. M. Dhivyanatham 1995 - 2000
4 Fr. M. Mudiappan 2000 - 2002
5 Fr. Y. Arockiam 2002 - 2007
6 Fr. D. Gnanapragasam 2007 – 2012
7 Fr. M. Appoline claret Raj 2012-