Velankannai Mission Church
Kadamalaikundu, R.C. Church, 241/4 w, TheniDt. - 625 579.
Kadamalaikundu is an yet another taluk in the distriet of Theni site at the west of madurai around 95 kms away and at the south west of Theni around 35 kms away. As the western ghats has an end here, it is covered with a lot of hills and hillocks which is self-explanatory by the name of the place kadamalaikundu. From here, if we cross over the hills at the southern side, we can easily reach peraiyur, Watrap, Mamsapuram of the other side. Yet then transportation and road facilities are not done yet to the normal use of the route. From time immorial, this region has been known for better rain falls throughout the year. In Tamil,“Varusam” means “Rain”. As there was a good record of torrential rain in this region as well as the sequential order of different villages one after another in a line, it is also called as varusanadu. In thosedays, it was under the administration of kadamanur Jamin. After the independance the Jaminthari system came to an end. Only then people started to inhabit in this area increasingly.
People from Gudalur, Cumbum, Palayam, Chinnamanur, Bodi, Theni, Usilampatti, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kalugumalai etc., settled here and toiled hard to flourish in agriculture and other plantations. The occassional findings of treasures and other antiquities bear testimony to the ancient civilization of that area.
Almost there are 120 villages in the plains surrounded by the hills all around. The vaigai river starts from the velli malai at the top of the hills and reaches vaigaidam. The falls near by is known as “Chinna Suruli”. Most of the lands are owned by landlords and other bigwigs who either bought the lands for a meagre amount or snatched it due to the unreturn of the debts from the poor farmers. Only a few people own a little lands. Otherwise most of them are ordinary collies of the estates where they are marginally exploilted and estranged in various ways. At the plains, food crops are cultivated while at the top of the hills, rich crops are cultivated.
Mukkulathor, being the dominant community takes an apperhand in all walks of life. Next to them, dalits and others are forming the majarity there. There are 40 catholic families scattered in 10 villages almost for the past 60 years. Besides, there are also other denominations and sects which have a good number. But they are always at loggerheads with the catholic church due to competition.
In 1984 the whole region was devastated by the heavy flood in the vaigai river. At that juncture, our Archdiocese sent a team of evangelization commission headed by Fr. N.P. Alponse, for relief and rehablitation work. As a result of their services, it was declared as a new mission station on 21.2.87. Fr. N.P. Alphonse constructed the prestytery in 1987. In 1988 the community hall cum church was built by the diocese. As parish priest of Usilampatti, Fr. N.P. Alphonse started the pioneering mission work in Kadamalaikundu. He constructed the presbytery in 1987. In 1988, Fr. Francis Sales, sj was appointed first parish priest of Kadamalaikundu. He was also Director of Varusanadu Social Service society. He constructed the Church cum community Hall in 1990..
At one time, there were three religious congregations- presentation sisters in Manalathukudugai and varusandu Holy Cross sisters in Kamankal and C.I.C. sisters in varusanadu. They come together to start the varusandu social service society, the sister organistation of MMSSS. It is by the effort of MMSSS that a good number of projects and programmes were implmented through VSSS. Indeed the services of the sisters and fathers come as a born to up lift the people from all the debts and backwardness.
Besides they also involue in the pastoral apostolate by creating Anbiam, parish council and credit unions like SHG’s
Until 1988 it was a substation of usilampatti from where Fr. N.P. Alphonse rendered his committed service to these people. It was he who bought the present site of the parish church and built the presbytery. He also bought the lands for the convents in varusanadu and Manalathukudusai.
Fr. Francis sales s.j. purchased 15 cents of land in the name of Archdiocese in Kamankal for the convent of Holy Cross sisters. Besides scholastics, novices and semiarians regularly come here for social exposure campus.
Economically, except a few most of them still remain an a poor farmers and colies. Few depand on milchamimals for their livehihood. Even then, they find it difficult to make both ends meet in their life. Due to the floating and scattered presence of catholic families, it is also quite difficult to organise the people in spiritual realms also. With all its scope for a scientific mission there lies a great apostolate ahead.
Fr. J. Jude Vadakarai became the next parish priest in June 1996. Fr. S. Eronimus, sj was appointed as his successor from June 2001.
The parish is situated in Andipatti taluk and the Catholics are spread out in the following villages: Kadamalaikundu (16 families), Manalathukudisai (11 families), Varusanadu (6 families), Koilparai (1 family), Urakundan (1 family), Vanathaipuram (3 families), Kandamanur (1 family), G. Usilampatty (3 families).Kandamanur and Urakundanare the substations of this parish.
This parish enjoys the services of the CIC Sisters and the Presentation Sisters. Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of St. Vincent de PaulSociety and Legion of Mary.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Francis Sales, sj (1989-96), Fr. Jude Vadakarai (1996), Fr. Eronimus, sj (2001), Fr. Joseph Rayappan, sj (2011- )
Kadamalaikundu, R.C. Church, 241/4 w, TheniDt. - 625 579.
Kadamalaikundu is an yet another taluk in the distriet of Theni site at the west of madurai around 95 kms away and at the south west of Theni around 35 kms away. As the western ghats has an end here, it is covered with a lot of hills and hillocks which is self-explanatory by the name of the place kadamalaikundu. From here, if we cross over the hills at the southern side, we can easily reach peraiyur, Watrap, Mamsapuram of the other side. Yet then transportation and road facilities are not done yet to the normal use of the route. From time immorial, this region has been known for better rain falls throughout the year. In Tamil,“Varusam” means “Rain”. As there was a good record of torrential rain in this region as well as the sequential order of different villages one after another in a line, it is also called as varusanadu. In thosedays, it was under the administration of kadamanur Jamin. After the independance the Jaminthari system came to an end. Only then people started to inhabit in this area increasingly.
People from Gudalur, Cumbum, Palayam, Chinnamanur, Bodi, Theni, Usilampatti, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kalugumalai etc., settled here and toiled hard to flourish in agriculture and other plantations. The occassional findings of treasures and other antiquities bear testimony to the ancient civilization of that area.
Almost there are 120 villages in the plains surrounded by the hills all around. The vaigai river starts from the velli malai at the top of the hills and reaches vaigaidam. The falls near by is known as “Chinna Suruli”. Most of the lands are owned by landlords and other bigwigs who either bought the lands for a meagre amount or snatched it due to the unreturn of the debts from the poor farmers. Only a few people own a little lands. Otherwise most of them are ordinary collies of the estates where they are marginally exploilted and estranged in various ways. At the plains, food crops are cultivated while at the top of the hills, rich crops are cultivated.
Mukkulathor, being the dominant community takes an apperhand in all walks of life. Next to them, dalits and others are forming the majarity there. There are 40 catholic families scattered in 10 villages almost for the past 60 years. Besides, there are also other denominations and sects which have a good number. But they are always at loggerheads with the catholic church due to competition.
In 1984 the whole region was devastated by the heavy flood in the vaigai river. At that juncture, our Archdiocese sent a team of evangelization commission headed by Fr. N.P. Alponse, for relief and rehablitation work. As a result of their services, it was declared as a new mission station on 21.2.87. Fr. N.P. Alphonse constructed the prestytery in 1987. In 1988 the community hall cum church was built by the diocese. As parish priest of Usilampatti, Fr. N.P. Alphonse started the pioneering mission work in Kadamalaikundu. He constructed the presbytery in 1987. In 1988, Fr. Francis Sales, sj was appointed first parish priest of Kadamalaikundu. He was also Director of Varusanadu Social Service society. He constructed the Church cum community Hall in 1990..
At one time, there were three religious congregations- presentation sisters in Manalathukudugai and varusandu Holy Cross sisters in Kamankal and C.I.C. sisters in varusanadu. They come together to start the varusandu social service society, the sister organistation of MMSSS. It is by the effort of MMSSS that a good number of projects and programmes were implmented through VSSS. Indeed the services of the sisters and fathers come as a born to up lift the people from all the debts and backwardness.
Besides they also involue in the pastoral apostolate by creating Anbiam, parish council and credit unions like SHG’s
Until 1988 it was a substation of usilampatti from where Fr. N.P. Alphonse rendered his committed service to these people. It was he who bought the present site of the parish church and built the presbytery. He also bought the lands for the convents in varusanadu and Manalathukudusai.
Fr. Francis sales s.j. purchased 15 cents of land in the name of Archdiocese in Kamankal for the convent of Holy Cross sisters. Besides scholastics, novices and semiarians regularly come here for social exposure campus.
Economically, except a few most of them still remain an a poor farmers and colies. Few depand on milchamimals for their livehihood. Even then, they find it difficult to make both ends meet in their life. Due to the floating and scattered presence of catholic families, it is also quite difficult to organise the people in spiritual realms also. With all its scope for a scientific mission there lies a great apostolate ahead.
Fr. J. Jude Vadakarai became the next parish priest in June 1996. Fr. S. Eronimus, sj was appointed as his successor from June 2001.
The parish is situated in Andipatti taluk and the Catholics are spread out in the following villages: Kadamalaikundu (16 families), Manalathukudisai (11 families), Varusanadu (6 families), Koilparai (1 family), Urakundan (1 family), Vanathaipuram (3 families), Kandamanur (1 family), G. Usilampatty (3 families).Kandamanur and Urakundanare the substations of this parish.
This parish enjoys the services of the CIC Sisters and the Presentation Sisters. Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of St. Vincent de PaulSociety and Legion of Mary.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Francis Sales, sj (1989-96), Fr. Jude Vadakarai (1996), Fr. Eronimus, sj (2001), Fr. Joseph Rayappan, sj (2011- )