Sacred Heart Church
Railway Colony, 149-B, Railway Colony, Madurai-625 016.
To cater to the needs of the Railway employees the church of the Sacred Heart was built in the Railway Colony blessed and opened on August 28, 1927 during the time of Fr. Turlan s.j. The congregation was mainly Anglo-Indians. It became a parish in 1937 and Fr. Shembry, sj was the first parish priest.
Fr. Nedungad, sj extended the western wing of the church. He built the presbytery for the priest. The work was completed in June 1978. St. Sebastin chapel, the substation of Railway Colony was erected in 1944. It was demolished by the Corporation as per the court order. The statue was taken to the Sacred Heart Church by Fr. Jeyaraj and installed there. Now the Novena is going on the first Tuesdays. The Holy hour is conducted on first Thursdays.
Fr. T. Britto, sj seeing that the mill workers living in Gnanaolivupuram, who were coming to Railway colony church, needed a separate church worked towards it and made Gnanaolivupuram a separate parish in 1959. Fr. Joseph Nedungatt, sj, the born builder, was responsible for the building of the presbytery, the parish hall and the extension of the church in 1977-1978. It was in the time of Fr. Nedungatt that the Charismatic movement got a start in Madurai, which owing to lack of official approval had to live a hidden life. Fr. V.M. Irudayam made efforts to divide Ellis Nagar from the Railway Colony parish; his efforts saw fruition in July 1988.
In 2004, St. Sebastian’s Chapel which was on the way to Periyar Bus-Stand was demolished by the government citing it as an encroachment. As many people had a great devotion to St. Sebastian, in 2008 the Statue was taken to Parish Church and installed in a small grotto in front of the church.
A very special feature of this parish, worthy to be imitated in other parishes, is the existence of Death and Burial Association which from the monthly subscription of its members meets all the expenses and makes all the arrangements connected with a person’s death and burial and thus relieves the bereaved family of much of their worry. This association has been shifted to Ellis Nagar parish.
The present parish priest is conducting first Friday devotion with special services as it is sacred Heart Church.Every Sunday an English mass is conducted at 9 a.m in which all the English speaking people in the city gather.
Succession of Parish Priests
1924 onwards- Fr.Turlan s.j.
1934 onwards – Fr.Schembrey s.j. (French)He is the first parish priest of Railway colony when it was established as a new parish in 1937.
1949 June- Fr. S. Burus s.j
Dec 1951 – Fr.s.s. Maria Soosai
1952- Fr. J.Victor, Assistant parish priest
1954 – Fr. V. Allard S.j
1955-Fr.T.Britto s.j
1959 – Fr.B.A. Pinto
1964- Fr.b.Michael
1969- Fr.J.L. Motha
May 1972- Fr.D.Amalorpavam
1977- Fr.Joseph Nedungat – Golden jubilee of the chuch was celebrated and western wing of the church was extended.
1981 – Fr. Peter Kulandai, Fr. Santiago
Feb 1983 – V.M. Irudayam
1988- Fr. Albin Justus (kottar diocese worked in vellore diocese)
1989- Fr. Arul Rayan
1990 – Fr. Alexis
1991- Fr.Antonyrajj
1993- John Jesusdasan
1998 – Fr. K.S. Arulanandam
2000- Fr. Jesuraj
2005 – Fr. Jeyaraj
June 2009-Fr. Divyanandam
Railway Colony, 149-B, Railway Colony, Madurai-625 016.
To cater to the needs of the Railway employees the church of the Sacred Heart was built in the Railway Colony blessed and opened on August 28, 1927 during the time of Fr. Turlan s.j. The congregation was mainly Anglo-Indians. It became a parish in 1937 and Fr. Shembry, sj was the first parish priest.
Fr. Nedungad, sj extended the western wing of the church. He built the presbytery for the priest. The work was completed in June 1978. St. Sebastin chapel, the substation of Railway Colony was erected in 1944. It was demolished by the Corporation as per the court order. The statue was taken to the Sacred Heart Church by Fr. Jeyaraj and installed there. Now the Novena is going on the first Tuesdays. The Holy hour is conducted on first Thursdays.
Fr. T. Britto, sj seeing that the mill workers living in Gnanaolivupuram, who were coming to Railway colony church, needed a separate church worked towards it and made Gnanaolivupuram a separate parish in 1959. Fr. Joseph Nedungatt, sj, the born builder, was responsible for the building of the presbytery, the parish hall and the extension of the church in 1977-1978. It was in the time of Fr. Nedungatt that the Charismatic movement got a start in Madurai, which owing to lack of official approval had to live a hidden life. Fr. V.M. Irudayam made efforts to divide Ellis Nagar from the Railway Colony parish; his efforts saw fruition in July 1988.
In 2004, St. Sebastian’s Chapel which was on the way to Periyar Bus-Stand was demolished by the government citing it as an encroachment. As many people had a great devotion to St. Sebastian, in 2008 the Statue was taken to Parish Church and installed in a small grotto in front of the church.
A very special feature of this parish, worthy to be imitated in other parishes, is the existence of Death and Burial Association which from the monthly subscription of its members meets all the expenses and makes all the arrangements connected with a person’s death and burial and thus relieves the bereaved family of much of their worry. This association has been shifted to Ellis Nagar parish.
The present parish priest is conducting first Friday devotion with special services as it is sacred Heart Church.Every Sunday an English mass is conducted at 9 a.m in which all the English speaking people in the city gather.
Succession of Parish Priests
1924 onwards- Fr.Turlan s.j.
1934 onwards – Fr.Schembrey s.j. (French)He is the first parish priest of Railway colony when it was established as a new parish in 1937.
1949 June- Fr. S. Burus s.j
Dec 1951 – Fr.s.s. Maria Soosai
1952- Fr. J.Victor, Assistant parish priest
1954 – Fr. V. Allard S.j
1955-Fr.T.Britto s.j
1959 – Fr.B.A. Pinto
1964- Fr.b.Michael
1969- Fr.J.L. Motha
May 1972- Fr.D.Amalorpavam
1977- Fr.Joseph Nedungat – Golden jubilee of the chuch was celebrated and western wing of the church was extended.
1981 – Fr. Peter Kulandai, Fr. Santiago
Feb 1983 – V.M. Irudayam
1988- Fr. Albin Justus (kottar diocese worked in vellore diocese)
1989- Fr. Arul Rayan
1990 – Fr. Alexis
1991- Fr.Antonyrajj
1993- John Jesusdasan
1998 – Fr. K.S. Arulanandam
2000- Fr. Jesuraj
2005 – Fr. Jeyaraj
June 2009-Fr. Divyanandam