St. Germaine’s Church (Quasi Parish)
Rayapuram,Thiruvedagam, Madurai Dt. - 625 234.
Rayapuram is situated near Sholavandan via Nagari, just 2 km away from Dindigul-Main Road and about 20 km. away from Madurai. The church here is named after Germaine Cousin which is very popular in this locality. St.Germaine was born in Pibrac, which is near Toulouse in France, the province from which the French Jesuits came to establish Madurai Mission in the 16th century and which is also the province that our first archbishop Most Rev. J.P Leonard and the Vicar General Fr. Trincal, s.j. hail from. Rayapuram is named after Rev. Fr. Piere Labarthiere, S.J., who started the missionary expedition in Madurai Mission. Rev. Fr. Labarthiere is the founder of Rayapuram Farm and the Church. This is a quasi parish in which the Jesuits were entrusted with the pastoral care of the people from 1931. The present parish priest is Rev. Fr. V. Thomas, S.J.
Inspired by the heroic virtue of the shepherd girl, Germaine Cousin, Fr. Labarthiere brought the statue of the saint and installed it under a thatched roof with the help of Mr. Vedam and Soosai Pillai. He bought lands around the place, brought Catholics from other places and settled them there. His successor Fr. Sebarthiere S.J. developed the Church. In 1935 Fr. Astruc, sj became the Jesuit Mission Procurator.
In course of time the devotion to the saint spread out to the southern districts of Madurai Mission and people flocked to this popular church as a lot of miracles were attributed to the saint. The century old small church was demolished and a new beautiful church was built with the help of the local parishioners and pilgrims, and of the generous help of the Jesuits of St. Mary’s community in consultation with the Jesuit Madurai Province. It was the hard work of Bro. S. Arulanandam sj, Rev. Fr. S.P. Masillamani Sj and the Jesuit Procurators that caused the emergence of such a huge church in the village. On 18 April 2009 the new church was consecrated by the Archbishop Peter Fernando in the presence of Jesuit Provincial Fr. Devadoss.
The customary celebration of the feast of St.Germaine falls every year on the second Sunday after Easter day which attracts the pilgrims from the surrounding villages. The hundredth feast celebration in 2012 was as grand as it was marked the centenary celebration. In the recent years it attracts 20,000 to 25,000 of pilgrims for remarkable event.
In 1912 there were only 50 people from 6-7 families around the church in this village who worked in Jesuit farm. At present the total population of this parish is 149 families (700 members). Ninety percent of the Catholics are Dalit Christians and they work as farm labourers in the Jesuit farms, in mills and few as government employees. The education level of the people here in general is growing up positively. It is noteworthy that the prevalence of mixed marriage in this small multi caste community.
The anbiams were started in 2010, which rejuvenated by present parish priest in 2013. The parish council is formed in this year and various pious associations and movements, other than the existing Legion of Mary and Vincent de Paul Society, are also being formed in order that the lay participation is enhanced. This quasi parish is also being nourished by the activities of the Jesuits and the middle school run by the CIC Sisters. According to the parish priest the faith of the people is appreciable, the cooperation and their participation is welcoming.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Rev. Fr. P.S. Antony, S.J. (1931(6 months)
2. Rev. Fr. J. Keuny, S.J. (1931(6 months)
3. Rev. Fr. B. Astruc, S.J. (1932–1939)
4. Rev. Fr. J. Rigly, S.J. (1940)
5. Rev. Fr. Peter Roy, S.J.(1948)
6. Rev. Fr. B. Astruc, S.J.(1949–1953)
7. Rev. Fr. Richard, S.J. (1953 – 1954)
8. Rev. Fr. Deveiah, S.J., Rev. Fr. Britto, S.J.,
Rev. Fr. K. S. Michal, S.J.,
Rev. Fr. Hermonties, S.J. (1954 – 1963)
9. Rev. Fr. Arockiam, S.J. (1963 – 1969)
10. Rev. Fr. Durai samy, S.J. (1969 – 1974)
11. Rev. Fr. Maria Rathinam, S.J. (1974 - 1979)
12. Rev. Fr. D. Arockiam, S.J. (1979 – 1982)
13. Rev. Fr. A. Kulandai samy, S.J. (1982 – 1984)
14. Rev. Fr. V.M. Joseph, S.J. (1984 – 1986)
15. Rev. Fr. Alexis Fernando, S.J. (1986 – 1988)
16. Rev. Fr. Mambra, S.J. (1988 – 1989)
17. Rev. Fr. C.V. Mattam, S.J. (1989 – 1996)
18. Rev. Fr. V.S. Raju, S.J. (1996 – 1998)
19. Rev. Fr. R.S. Amalraj, S.J. (1998 – 1999)
20. Rev. Fr. Solomon Raj, S.J. (1999 – 2003)
21. Rev. Fr. M. Arputhasamy, S.J. (2000 – 2004)
22. Rev. Fr. S.M. Iruthayam, S.J. (2004 – 2006)
23. Rev. Fr. I. Arul, S.J. (2006 – 2007)
24. Rev. Fr. S.P. Masillamani, S.J. (2007 – 2012)
25. Rev. Fr. M. Arulanandam, S.J. (2012 – 2013)
26. Rev. Fr. V. Thomas, S.J. (2013 onwards)
Rayapuram,Thiruvedagam, Madurai Dt. - 625 234.
Rayapuram is situated near Sholavandan via Nagari, just 2 km away from Dindigul-Main Road and about 20 km. away from Madurai. The church here is named after Germaine Cousin which is very popular in this locality. St.Germaine was born in Pibrac, which is near Toulouse in France, the province from which the French Jesuits came to establish Madurai Mission in the 16th century and which is also the province that our first archbishop Most Rev. J.P Leonard and the Vicar General Fr. Trincal, s.j. hail from. Rayapuram is named after Rev. Fr. Piere Labarthiere, S.J., who started the missionary expedition in Madurai Mission. Rev. Fr. Labarthiere is the founder of Rayapuram Farm and the Church. This is a quasi parish in which the Jesuits were entrusted with the pastoral care of the people from 1931. The present parish priest is Rev. Fr. V. Thomas, S.J.
Inspired by the heroic virtue of the shepherd girl, Germaine Cousin, Fr. Labarthiere brought the statue of the saint and installed it under a thatched roof with the help of Mr. Vedam and Soosai Pillai. He bought lands around the place, brought Catholics from other places and settled them there. His successor Fr. Sebarthiere S.J. developed the Church. In 1935 Fr. Astruc, sj became the Jesuit Mission Procurator.
In course of time the devotion to the saint spread out to the southern districts of Madurai Mission and people flocked to this popular church as a lot of miracles were attributed to the saint. The century old small church was demolished and a new beautiful church was built with the help of the local parishioners and pilgrims, and of the generous help of the Jesuits of St. Mary’s community in consultation with the Jesuit Madurai Province. It was the hard work of Bro. S. Arulanandam sj, Rev. Fr. S.P. Masillamani Sj and the Jesuit Procurators that caused the emergence of such a huge church in the village. On 18 April 2009 the new church was consecrated by the Archbishop Peter Fernando in the presence of Jesuit Provincial Fr. Devadoss.
The customary celebration of the feast of St.Germaine falls every year on the second Sunday after Easter day which attracts the pilgrims from the surrounding villages. The hundredth feast celebration in 2012 was as grand as it was marked the centenary celebration. In the recent years it attracts 20,000 to 25,000 of pilgrims for remarkable event.
In 1912 there were only 50 people from 6-7 families around the church in this village who worked in Jesuit farm. At present the total population of this parish is 149 families (700 members). Ninety percent of the Catholics are Dalit Christians and they work as farm labourers in the Jesuit farms, in mills and few as government employees. The education level of the people here in general is growing up positively. It is noteworthy that the prevalence of mixed marriage in this small multi caste community.
The anbiams were started in 2010, which rejuvenated by present parish priest in 2013. The parish council is formed in this year and various pious associations and movements, other than the existing Legion of Mary and Vincent de Paul Society, are also being formed in order that the lay participation is enhanced. This quasi parish is also being nourished by the activities of the Jesuits and the middle school run by the CIC Sisters. According to the parish priest the faith of the people is appreciable, the cooperation and their participation is welcoming.
Succession of Parish Priests
1. Rev. Fr. P.S. Antony, S.J. (1931(6 months)
2. Rev. Fr. J. Keuny, S.J. (1931(6 months)
3. Rev. Fr. B. Astruc, S.J. (1932–1939)
4. Rev. Fr. J. Rigly, S.J. (1940)
5. Rev. Fr. Peter Roy, S.J.(1948)
6. Rev. Fr. B. Astruc, S.J.(1949–1953)
7. Rev. Fr. Richard, S.J. (1953 – 1954)
8. Rev. Fr. Deveiah, S.J., Rev. Fr. Britto, S.J.,
Rev. Fr. K. S. Michal, S.J.,
Rev. Fr. Hermonties, S.J. (1954 – 1963)
9. Rev. Fr. Arockiam, S.J. (1963 – 1969)
10. Rev. Fr. Durai samy, S.J. (1969 – 1974)
11. Rev. Fr. Maria Rathinam, S.J. (1974 - 1979)
12. Rev. Fr. D. Arockiam, S.J. (1979 – 1982)
13. Rev. Fr. A. Kulandai samy, S.J. (1982 – 1984)
14. Rev. Fr. V.M. Joseph, S.J. (1984 – 1986)
15. Rev. Fr. Alexis Fernando, S.J. (1986 – 1988)
16. Rev. Fr. Mambra, S.J. (1988 – 1989)
17. Rev. Fr. C.V. Mattam, S.J. (1989 – 1996)
18. Rev. Fr. V.S. Raju, S.J. (1996 – 1998)
19. Rev. Fr. R.S. Amalraj, S.J. (1998 – 1999)
20. Rev. Fr. Solomon Raj, S.J. (1999 – 2003)
21. Rev. Fr. M. Arputhasamy, S.J. (2000 – 2004)
22. Rev. Fr. S.M. Iruthayam, S.J. (2004 – 2006)
23. Rev. Fr. I. Arul, S.J. (2006 – 2007)
24. Rev. Fr. S.P. Masillamani, S.J. (2007 – 2012)
25. Rev. Fr. M. Arulanandam, S.J. (2012 – 2013)
26. Rev. Fr. V. Thomas, S.J. (2013 onwards)