St. Xavier’s Church
Ayan Nathampatti, Srivilliputhur Tk, Virudhunagar Dt. - 626 138.
Fr. Trincal arrived at Kansapuram in 1872 and commenced his ministry in 1875 having W. Pudupatty as the centre. Making it as a place of his stay, he reached out to other places and brought them to Christ. He travelled across many villages and converted people to Christianity. One such place that got converted to Christianity in 1870s was Vellore. Having embraced Christianity, the people of Vellore entered into marital ties with the people of Ayan Nathampatty. Greatly influenced by their marital partners, the people of Ayan Nathampatty desired to become Christians. On meeting Fr. Trincal in W. Pudupatti, they expressed their desire. He then laid down certain strict conditions. He told them firmly that if they desired true conversion, they should shed any sign of their past religion. Coming back to their village, they discussed the people and fulfilled all the conditions stipulated by Fr. Trincal and sent to him their message of readiness. Fr. Trincal sent immediately his assistant priest Fr. Thairiyam and had 148 people baptized on one day. Following that, he also baptized another 300 people belonging to 60 families. It was thus that Ayan Nathampatty village believed in and embraced Christ after 1875. In 1872, four youths and their families who became Christians in Kansapuram got settled in Kunnur and the people of Kunnur attained conversion through them in 1876. In 1926, Fr. Paul Morayar took charge of W. Pudupatti parish as the first parish priest. In his tenure, he spread Christianity in Kunnur, Pudur and Sangilippatti and turned the people into Christians. When there arose a need to erect a new church in Ayan Nathampatty, Fr. D. Rochli, a French missionary sent Rs.200 and thus helped them have a new church built. With regard to education, Fr. Paul Morayar started a primary school in Ayan Nathampatty in 1911. Followed by that, in 1935, the school was upgraded to middle school. Continually in Pudur, Sallipatti and Kadaneri, R.C. Primary schools were started.
Ayan Nathampatty that was so far under W. Pudupatti was declared as a separate parish with 10 substations by Archbishop Casmir. From then on, this parish grew in its faith, education and solidarity. Fr. Francis Britto built the presbytery. Fr. Stanislas built new churches dedicated to St. Antony in Kuppachipatti and to St. Joseph in Pudur and renovated the Sacred Heart Church in Silarpatti. Fr. Irudayaraj erected a building for R.C. Primary School in Kadaneri. Fr. Gandhi Savarimuthu formed the people to gather as Basic Christian Communities. Fr. Arulanandam established various participatory structures in the parish. While building a new Community Hall in Kuppachipatti, he also renovated the parish church. Fr. Paul Ignatius built a new church in Sallipatti.
The growth of the parish reached its zenith in all dimensions when Fr. Parivalan took charge of the parish in 2008 and BCCs were formed in all the substations. The parish feast had the participation of the people from all substations. Parish council was formed in 2009 and has been successfully functioning to this day. Sufficient social awareness had been created among them that the people of Ayan Nathampatti participate well in human rights struggles. Evening tuition for students was organized splendidly. Various movements and structures were regulated to become a participatory church. The parish witnessed its red letter days in 2010 and 2011, when silver jubilee celebrations for both the parish church and the parish marked its history respectively. The presbytery was renovated with increased rooms. The parish campus had toilets built newly for the use of the parishioners. New churches were created in Kuppachipatti and Thulukkapatti. A grotto for St. Michael the archangel was built in Ayan Nathampatti. The churches in substations viz. Kattayathevanpatti, Sallipatti, Pudur and Silarpatti were renovated. All the schools in the parish received their facelift by means of developmental works. In 2011, R. C. Middle school in Ayan Nathampatti was upgraded to high school. The same year witnessed the centenary celebrations of the school. As a mark of progress, the school had five new class rooms built in 2009 along with drinking water facilities and in 2011, it had a new library, laboratory, Ten additional class rooms, computer lab with ten computers, 20 toilets for boys and girls, school stage, compound wall around the school, centenary arch and music band. Gutyh; jpl;lk; and old students’ associations were formed. From the MP fund, a new building with three class rooms was opened for R. C. Primary school in 2013. The schools in substations progressed as well when 10 cents of land was bought and a new school built in Sallipatti. In 2013, R. C. Primary school in Kadaneri had three additional class rooms and R. C. Primary school in Pudur had toilet facilities for students.
In spite of the fact that Ayan Nathampatti grew immensely in all the fronts, caste clashes that have been prevalent there are true setbacks for the parish. Whenever there is a clash in the name of caste, the functioning of the school was severely affected. For instance, When a disciplinary action was sanctioned against the headmaster of a particular caste in 2009, 120 students of the same caste got back their Transfer Certificates as an opposition to the disciplinary action and thus the incident received its historical importance. However, the school quickly recovered from this brief setback by means of a school van that was bought to bring students to the schools from the neighbourhood of Ayan Nathampatti. Moreover, the fact that the school soon received its up gradation to high school should be carved in golden letters in the annals of Ayan Nathampatti history. Although clashes in the name of caste have receded of late, the bitter memories of the tussel among the people remain indelible and further growth of the parish depends largely on the smooth going of the activities in the years to come.
Franciscan sisters of St. Joseph are working in the parish.Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Parish Council, Anbiams, Catholic Youth Movement, Catechism, Misarc (agricultural Youth Movement), Choir, Altar boys and girls, Education Committee, Liturgical committee, Govt. servants and Teachers Association, Legion of Mary,St. Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Association.
The following are the substations of this parish:St. Antony’s Church (Kupachipatti), St. Jospeh’s Church (K. Pudur), Sacred Heart Church(Silarpatti), St. Michael’s Church (Sallipatti), Church of St. Mary (Kattayathevanpatti), Kunnur, Pokkuvarathunagar and Ayan Karisalkulam.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Eetikal (1986), Fr. Francis Britto (1988), Fr. Stanislaus, sj (1993), Fr. Irudaya Raj (1998), Fr. P. Gandhi Savarimuthu (2002), Fr. B. Arulanandam (2003), Fr. J. Paul Ignatius (2004), Fr. J. Charles Heston (2007), Fr. S.A. Parivalan (2008), Fr. Arputha Samy (2013-).
Ayan Nathampatti, Srivilliputhur Tk, Virudhunagar Dt. - 626 138.
Fr. Trincal arrived at Kansapuram in 1872 and commenced his ministry in 1875 having W. Pudupatty as the centre. Making it as a place of his stay, he reached out to other places and brought them to Christ. He travelled across many villages and converted people to Christianity. One such place that got converted to Christianity in 1870s was Vellore. Having embraced Christianity, the people of Vellore entered into marital ties with the people of Ayan Nathampatty. Greatly influenced by their marital partners, the people of Ayan Nathampatty desired to become Christians. On meeting Fr. Trincal in W. Pudupatti, they expressed their desire. He then laid down certain strict conditions. He told them firmly that if they desired true conversion, they should shed any sign of their past religion. Coming back to their village, they discussed the people and fulfilled all the conditions stipulated by Fr. Trincal and sent to him their message of readiness. Fr. Trincal sent immediately his assistant priest Fr. Thairiyam and had 148 people baptized on one day. Following that, he also baptized another 300 people belonging to 60 families. It was thus that Ayan Nathampatty village believed in and embraced Christ after 1875. In 1872, four youths and their families who became Christians in Kansapuram got settled in Kunnur and the people of Kunnur attained conversion through them in 1876. In 1926, Fr. Paul Morayar took charge of W. Pudupatti parish as the first parish priest. In his tenure, he spread Christianity in Kunnur, Pudur and Sangilippatti and turned the people into Christians. When there arose a need to erect a new church in Ayan Nathampatty, Fr. D. Rochli, a French missionary sent Rs.200 and thus helped them have a new church built. With regard to education, Fr. Paul Morayar started a primary school in Ayan Nathampatty in 1911. Followed by that, in 1935, the school was upgraded to middle school. Continually in Pudur, Sallipatti and Kadaneri, R.C. Primary schools were started.
Ayan Nathampatty that was so far under W. Pudupatti was declared as a separate parish with 10 substations by Archbishop Casmir. From then on, this parish grew in its faith, education and solidarity. Fr. Francis Britto built the presbytery. Fr. Stanislas built new churches dedicated to St. Antony in Kuppachipatti and to St. Joseph in Pudur and renovated the Sacred Heart Church in Silarpatti. Fr. Irudayaraj erected a building for R.C. Primary School in Kadaneri. Fr. Gandhi Savarimuthu formed the people to gather as Basic Christian Communities. Fr. Arulanandam established various participatory structures in the parish. While building a new Community Hall in Kuppachipatti, he also renovated the parish church. Fr. Paul Ignatius built a new church in Sallipatti.
The growth of the parish reached its zenith in all dimensions when Fr. Parivalan took charge of the parish in 2008 and BCCs were formed in all the substations. The parish feast had the participation of the people from all substations. Parish council was formed in 2009 and has been successfully functioning to this day. Sufficient social awareness had been created among them that the people of Ayan Nathampatti participate well in human rights struggles. Evening tuition for students was organized splendidly. Various movements and structures were regulated to become a participatory church. The parish witnessed its red letter days in 2010 and 2011, when silver jubilee celebrations for both the parish church and the parish marked its history respectively. The presbytery was renovated with increased rooms. The parish campus had toilets built newly for the use of the parishioners. New churches were created in Kuppachipatti and Thulukkapatti. A grotto for St. Michael the archangel was built in Ayan Nathampatti. The churches in substations viz. Kattayathevanpatti, Sallipatti, Pudur and Silarpatti were renovated. All the schools in the parish received their facelift by means of developmental works. In 2011, R. C. Middle school in Ayan Nathampatti was upgraded to high school. The same year witnessed the centenary celebrations of the school. As a mark of progress, the school had five new class rooms built in 2009 along with drinking water facilities and in 2011, it had a new library, laboratory, Ten additional class rooms, computer lab with ten computers, 20 toilets for boys and girls, school stage, compound wall around the school, centenary arch and music band. Gutyh; jpl;lk; and old students’ associations were formed. From the MP fund, a new building with three class rooms was opened for R. C. Primary school in 2013. The schools in substations progressed as well when 10 cents of land was bought and a new school built in Sallipatti. In 2013, R. C. Primary school in Kadaneri had three additional class rooms and R. C. Primary school in Pudur had toilet facilities for students.
In spite of the fact that Ayan Nathampatti grew immensely in all the fronts, caste clashes that have been prevalent there are true setbacks for the parish. Whenever there is a clash in the name of caste, the functioning of the school was severely affected. For instance, When a disciplinary action was sanctioned against the headmaster of a particular caste in 2009, 120 students of the same caste got back their Transfer Certificates as an opposition to the disciplinary action and thus the incident received its historical importance. However, the school quickly recovered from this brief setback by means of a school van that was bought to bring students to the schools from the neighbourhood of Ayan Nathampatti. Moreover, the fact that the school soon received its up gradation to high school should be carved in golden letters in the annals of Ayan Nathampatti history. Although clashes in the name of caste have receded of late, the bitter memories of the tussel among the people remain indelible and further growth of the parish depends largely on the smooth going of the activities in the years to come.
Franciscan sisters of St. Joseph are working in the parish.Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Parish Council, Anbiams, Catholic Youth Movement, Catechism, Misarc (agricultural Youth Movement), Choir, Altar boys and girls, Education Committee, Liturgical committee, Govt. servants and Teachers Association, Legion of Mary,St. Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Association.
The following are the substations of this parish:St. Antony’s Church (Kupachipatti), St. Jospeh’s Church (K. Pudur), Sacred Heart Church(Silarpatti), St. Michael’s Church (Sallipatti), Church of St. Mary (Kattayathevanpatti), Kunnur, Pokkuvarathunagar and Ayan Karisalkulam.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Eetikal (1986), Fr. Francis Britto (1988), Fr. Stanislaus, sj (1993), Fr. Irudaya Raj (1998), Fr. P. Gandhi Savarimuthu (2002), Fr. B. Arulanandam (2003), Fr. J. Paul Ignatius (2004), Fr. J. Charles Heston (2007), Fr. S.A. Parivalan (2008), Fr. Arputha Samy (2013-).