St. John de Britto Church
Y. Othakkadai, Anthoniar Illam, Rajakambeeram, Y. Othakkadai, Madurai-625 107.
Y.Othakkadai parish is of a recent origin. In 1960’s Yanaimalai region was a mission station, where a team of priests, seminarians and lay evangelists toiled to spread the faith of the lord. Rev. Fathers from the archbishop’s house regularly visited the region and carried out the evangelization work. The main evangelizers were Rev Fr. Soosai Manickam, Rev Fr. N.P. Alponse, Rev Fr. Z. Joseph Selvaraj and so on. There were only 6 families at that time, thanks to the evangelization the number of Christians increased gradually. A chapel was built at Y. Othakkadai, on the Melur Highway, blessed by Archbishop Justin Diraviam in 31.01.1982 and the chapel was dedicated to St. John de Britto. This chapel and the Christian families in and around were treated as one of the substations of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, K. Pudur.
Y. Othakkadai was bifurcated from K.Pudur, our Lady of Lourdes parish and erected as an independent Parish by Archbishop Arokiasamy on 26.06.1994. St. John de Britto is the patron saint of this parish and the chapel too was raised to be the parish church. On 25 September 1997 this new parish was entrusted to the care of the Franciscans as per the contract signed between the Archdiocese of Madurai and the Franciscans. The present parish priest is Rev. Fr. T. Iruthayaraj ofm.
The boundaries of this new parish are as follows: East: Idaiapatti. West: Pudupatti road. North: Chittampatti and South: Uthangudi. Its substations are Narasingam, Uthangudi, Yanaimalai Quarry, Perungudi, Thirumohur, Idyapatti, Thamaraippatti, Thindiyur, Malaiyathanpatti, and Chittampatti. Our Lady of Veilankanni Chapel at Ambalakaaran Theru in Ulaganeri, which was built by a layman called Nirmalan, was handed over to the parish along with the land in 2007. It also became one of the substations at present. The substation Thiruvadoor Sri Lankan Refuge Camp with 35 families was annexed with Melur parish in 12th july2011.
The population of the parish at the time of bifurcation was only35 families and today it is 120 families.The catholics in this parish are not the original inhabitants of the locality. They are all migrants from various places for Yanaimalai quarry at the beginning. Among them many were converted ones thanks to the evangelical ministry of the diocesan fathers. Some were also migrated from other places due to the emergence Madras High Court Bench. Some others are settling in this region due to the extension of Madurai in the recent years and even now. The parishioners are quarry workers, coolies, teachers, lawyers, govt employees, etc.
The parish council is functioning in this parish right from the beginning and the anbiams are functioning from 2003. The Vincent de Paul society, Legion of Mary, catholic Youth Movement, Choir group and Altar boys association are active and enrich the parish activities.
The main institutions situated in this parish are R.C.Primary school run by the Diocese at Thamaraippatti, Punitha Anthoniar illam - the Franciscans’ formation House and the residence of parish priest at Rajakembiram, Jesuits Legal Centre - LAAS and the Provincialate of the sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary (FIHM). There is a shopping complex owned by the diocese in the church campus at Othakkadai. The Assisi hall built by the society of Franciscan fathers is in the parish church campus which is the diocesan land. So it is agreed upon by both that the 25% of the income from it is to be used for the maintenance of the parish.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Fr. A. Arulsamy Ofm. (1994 -1995)
2. Fr. Jesu John Peter Ofm (1995 – 2001)
3. Fr. Felix Gasam Ofm (2001 – 2003)
4. Fr. A. Arulsamy Ofm (2004 (6months)
5. Fr. B. Amaladass Ofm (2004 – 2007)
6. Fr. Vincent susai Ofm (2007 – 2010)
7. Fr. Lawrance Simon Ofm (2010 – 2011)
8. Fr. T. Iruthayaraj Ofm (2011 onwards)
Y. Othakkadai, Anthoniar Illam, Rajakambeeram, Y. Othakkadai, Madurai-625 107.
Y.Othakkadai parish is of a recent origin. In 1960’s Yanaimalai region was a mission station, where a team of priests, seminarians and lay evangelists toiled to spread the faith of the lord. Rev. Fathers from the archbishop’s house regularly visited the region and carried out the evangelization work. The main evangelizers were Rev Fr. Soosai Manickam, Rev Fr. N.P. Alponse, Rev Fr. Z. Joseph Selvaraj and so on. There were only 6 families at that time, thanks to the evangelization the number of Christians increased gradually. A chapel was built at Y. Othakkadai, on the Melur Highway, blessed by Archbishop Justin Diraviam in 31.01.1982 and the chapel was dedicated to St. John de Britto. This chapel and the Christian families in and around were treated as one of the substations of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, K. Pudur.
Y. Othakkadai was bifurcated from K.Pudur, our Lady of Lourdes parish and erected as an independent Parish by Archbishop Arokiasamy on 26.06.1994. St. John de Britto is the patron saint of this parish and the chapel too was raised to be the parish church. On 25 September 1997 this new parish was entrusted to the care of the Franciscans as per the contract signed between the Archdiocese of Madurai and the Franciscans. The present parish priest is Rev. Fr. T. Iruthayaraj ofm.
The boundaries of this new parish are as follows: East: Idaiapatti. West: Pudupatti road. North: Chittampatti and South: Uthangudi. Its substations are Narasingam, Uthangudi, Yanaimalai Quarry, Perungudi, Thirumohur, Idyapatti, Thamaraippatti, Thindiyur, Malaiyathanpatti, and Chittampatti. Our Lady of Veilankanni Chapel at Ambalakaaran Theru in Ulaganeri, which was built by a layman called Nirmalan, was handed over to the parish along with the land in 2007. It also became one of the substations at present. The substation Thiruvadoor Sri Lankan Refuge Camp with 35 families was annexed with Melur parish in 12th july2011.
The population of the parish at the time of bifurcation was only35 families and today it is 120 families.The catholics in this parish are not the original inhabitants of the locality. They are all migrants from various places for Yanaimalai quarry at the beginning. Among them many were converted ones thanks to the evangelical ministry of the diocesan fathers. Some were also migrated from other places due to the emergence Madras High Court Bench. Some others are settling in this region due to the extension of Madurai in the recent years and even now. The parishioners are quarry workers, coolies, teachers, lawyers, govt employees, etc.
The parish council is functioning in this parish right from the beginning and the anbiams are functioning from 2003. The Vincent de Paul society, Legion of Mary, catholic Youth Movement, Choir group and Altar boys association are active and enrich the parish activities.
The main institutions situated in this parish are R.C.Primary school run by the Diocese at Thamaraippatti, Punitha Anthoniar illam - the Franciscans’ formation House and the residence of parish priest at Rajakembiram, Jesuits Legal Centre - LAAS and the Provincialate of the sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary (FIHM). There is a shopping complex owned by the diocese in the church campus at Othakkadai. The Assisi hall built by the society of Franciscan fathers is in the parish church campus which is the diocesan land. So it is agreed upon by both that the 25% of the income from it is to be used for the maintenance of the parish.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Fr. A. Arulsamy Ofm. (1994 -1995)
2. Fr. Jesu John Peter Ofm (1995 – 2001)
3. Fr. Felix Gasam Ofm (2001 – 2003)
4. Fr. A. Arulsamy Ofm (2004 (6months)
5. Fr. B. Amaladass Ofm (2004 – 2007)
6. Fr. Vincent susai Ofm (2007 – 2010)
7. Fr. Lawrance Simon Ofm (2010 – 2011)
8. Fr. T. Iruthayaraj Ofm (2011 onwards)