St. Joseph’s Church
Samayanallur,Madurai Dt. - 625 402.
The origin of Samayanallur starts from the later part of 18th century, when some group of Catholic farmers came from the part of Pudukottai settled and cultivated beetle leaves here. Later, the village developed in population and importance when two Thiagaraja cotton spinning mills were started in this locality on the Madurai road as many from Sivagangai area came and settled here. The parish was created in 1910 with Fr. Prince, S.J. as the parish priest. In 1923 he laid the foundation for the church which was completed by Fr. C. Montaud, S.J. in 1932.
Devoted ministers have been serving the people. Fr. Garnier, S.J. was proud to mention his fruitful experience here. Fr. T. Kurieu, S.J. erected the church tower. Fr. Peter Roy improved the presbytery and the school building. Frs. Arul Rayan, B. Pinto and Francis Xavier worked to raise the spiritual level of their flock. During the time of Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram the golden jubilee of the church was celebrated; he renovated the church and the presbytery, laid a path between the presbytery, and the main road, built up the compound wall, constructed churches in Thodaneri and Kilamathur and arranged for abundant water supply to the students.
Fr. Alexis, who served this parish for 18 years, built a two storied building for the school, the grotto for Our Lady of Fatima and extended the church. Three other achievements were made possible after long struggles. Just behind the school there was an open ground which the Collector was willing to donate to the school to be used as play ground. As soon as the potters heard of it they claimed it as theirs and built 40 houses in it overnight. It took two and a half years to make them quit. It was named, ‘St. Joseph’s Play-ground.’ There was a claim for a piece of land at the centre of the cemetery land which was bought by Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram at urmechikulam. Fr. Alexis had to fight for getting official sanction for the cemetery. There was another plot of ground behind the church which the father thought would be useful for a convent. It took nearly ten years of struggle to get that place.
Fr. V. Michael who became the parish priest in 1980 built a chapel in Kuravankulam, a school building in Sholavandan, houses for the poor and the compound wall for the cemetery. Fr. N.P. Alphonse who came to this parish in 1983, besides building a chapel in Urmachikkulam and improving the school buildings in Samayanallur and Sholavandan, took to direct evangelization with the help of a zealous group. He rectified about 50 marriages, made efforts to lessen the tension between the employers and the workers in the Mill of Kondamari. He also started youth associations in villages, and paved the way for ecumenism and dialogue. He was sensitive to the suffering of the Sri Lankan Tamils and undertook a fasting. He conducted a procession of women with empty pots in order to move the authorities to take immediate steps for water supply.
Fr. Lourduraj has a number of achievements to his credit, such as renewing the youth club, building Visuvasam Arangam and Casimir Hall, improving the school roofing, completing the chapel and building a school in Urmachikkulam, renewing the altar, initiating Lourdes dispensary in Mannadi Mangalam, bringing the convent of Pallotine Sisters to Mariammalkulam. With the help of MMSSS, he started the Marianus dispensary in Samayanallur; he made arrangements for providing nutritious food for 1000 children in Samayanallur and Sholavandan. He regularized about 40 marriages.
Fr. Benedict Ambrose built a church at Sholavandan in 1993. He got the thatched roof of the schools changed to tiled roof. He also built 47 houses for the homeless poor in substations Thoadneri, Kilamatur, Kuranguthoppu (now Vadipatti parish) of Samayanallur with the help of “Little way Association” – London. He was instrumental in getting six teaching posts sanctioned for the schools in the parish. A revolving fund for people was started with a share of Rs 100 in 1990 and is still progressing with a capital of 16 lakhs. He got a dairy farm started in 1991. In 1993 Vadipatti parish was carved out of the parish. Fr. Benedict Barnabas celebrated the 75th year of the construction of the church and got it renovated. He mobilized the co-operation of teachers both in Samayanallur and Sholavandan and did many spiritual activities with their help in parish like offering regular masses for salutation, rectifying many marriages. Office room was constructed; bore well with water tank for drinking and Toilet facilities were provided to the school.
Fr. Siluvai Michael got the middle school upgraded into a high school. He replaced the tile roof with concrete roofing. Fr.James Paulraj began the construction of a chapel in Keelamathur and it was completed by Fr. Vedamanickam. Fr. Vedamanickam started English medium in the high school and built first floor measuring 140”x23”. St. John Britto Nursery & Primary school in Samayanallur was begun by Fr. Vedamanickam.
In all these services, the Catholic Action group has been co-operating with the parish priests. The spiritual tone of the parish is kept up by the presence of the following religious congregations: Holy Cross in Paravai, MSI in Samayanallur, the De la Salle Brothers who run a Boys Town in pulluthu and St. Anne’s of Bangalore in Sholavandan. Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Holy Family, Legion of Mary, Vincent de Paul, Choir, Altar boys
No wonder this parish is a fertile field for vocations. It boasts of eleven diocesan fathers, two SVD ,one Jesuit and one Holy Cross fathers, six Gabriel Brothers, one De La Salle Brother, two CIC sisters, two Holy Cross, one Cluny and one Presentation ,one Leuca and one MSI. This one of the ancient parishes has given birth to Rayapuram (quasi parish-1931), Valaanthur (present Usilampatti) and Vadipatty (1993). Apportion of it was given to Sengolenagar parish when it was bifurcated (1994) and Elumbur was given to BB kulam parish in 2003.
The present population of the parish is 510 families. Mostly among them the senior citizens are in Samayanallur, the educated next generation moved to Madurai due to the access of occupation and education for their children. The substations of this parish with chapel are Sholavandan, Urmachikkulam, Kilamathur and Thodaneri. Paravai, paravai colony, MGR Nagar and kallikudi are the substations without chapel.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Prince (1910-13), Fr. Appavunather (1913-21), Fr. Raja Athisayam (1921-24), Fr. Gnanapragasam (1924-26), Fr. Astruc (1926), Fr. Antonysamy Durai (1926), Fr. Clement Montaud (1926-32), Fr. Peter Garnier (1932-35), Fr. Thomas Curian (1935-38), Fr. Peter (1938), Fr. Samikkannu (1938-39), Fr. Peter Roy (1939-48), Fr. Alexis (1948-67), Fr. Pinto (1967), Fr. Arul Rayan (1967-70), Fr. Francis Xavier (1970-75), Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram (1980-83), Fr. Michael (1983), Fr. N.P. Alphonse (1983-85), Fr. Lourduraj (1985-89), Fr. Ambrose Raj (1989-94), Fr. Jeya Jothi (1994-95), Fr. Benedict Barnabas (1995-98), Fr. Siluvai Michael (1998-2004), Fr. James Paul Raj (2004-09), Fr. A.Vedamanickam (2009 -).
Samayanallur,Madurai Dt. - 625 402.
The origin of Samayanallur starts from the later part of 18th century, when some group of Catholic farmers came from the part of Pudukottai settled and cultivated beetle leaves here. Later, the village developed in population and importance when two Thiagaraja cotton spinning mills were started in this locality on the Madurai road as many from Sivagangai area came and settled here. The parish was created in 1910 with Fr. Prince, S.J. as the parish priest. In 1923 he laid the foundation for the church which was completed by Fr. C. Montaud, S.J. in 1932.
Devoted ministers have been serving the people. Fr. Garnier, S.J. was proud to mention his fruitful experience here. Fr. T. Kurieu, S.J. erected the church tower. Fr. Peter Roy improved the presbytery and the school building. Frs. Arul Rayan, B. Pinto and Francis Xavier worked to raise the spiritual level of their flock. During the time of Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram the golden jubilee of the church was celebrated; he renovated the church and the presbytery, laid a path between the presbytery, and the main road, built up the compound wall, constructed churches in Thodaneri and Kilamathur and arranged for abundant water supply to the students.
Fr. Alexis, who served this parish for 18 years, built a two storied building for the school, the grotto for Our Lady of Fatima and extended the church. Three other achievements were made possible after long struggles. Just behind the school there was an open ground which the Collector was willing to donate to the school to be used as play ground. As soon as the potters heard of it they claimed it as theirs and built 40 houses in it overnight. It took two and a half years to make them quit. It was named, ‘St. Joseph’s Play-ground.’ There was a claim for a piece of land at the centre of the cemetery land which was bought by Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram at urmechikulam. Fr. Alexis had to fight for getting official sanction for the cemetery. There was another plot of ground behind the church which the father thought would be useful for a convent. It took nearly ten years of struggle to get that place.
Fr. V. Michael who became the parish priest in 1980 built a chapel in Kuravankulam, a school building in Sholavandan, houses for the poor and the compound wall for the cemetery. Fr. N.P. Alphonse who came to this parish in 1983, besides building a chapel in Urmachikkulam and improving the school buildings in Samayanallur and Sholavandan, took to direct evangelization with the help of a zealous group. He rectified about 50 marriages, made efforts to lessen the tension between the employers and the workers in the Mill of Kondamari. He also started youth associations in villages, and paved the way for ecumenism and dialogue. He was sensitive to the suffering of the Sri Lankan Tamils and undertook a fasting. He conducted a procession of women with empty pots in order to move the authorities to take immediate steps for water supply.
Fr. Lourduraj has a number of achievements to his credit, such as renewing the youth club, building Visuvasam Arangam and Casimir Hall, improving the school roofing, completing the chapel and building a school in Urmachikkulam, renewing the altar, initiating Lourdes dispensary in Mannadi Mangalam, bringing the convent of Pallotine Sisters to Mariammalkulam. With the help of MMSSS, he started the Marianus dispensary in Samayanallur; he made arrangements for providing nutritious food for 1000 children in Samayanallur and Sholavandan. He regularized about 40 marriages.
Fr. Benedict Ambrose built a church at Sholavandan in 1993. He got the thatched roof of the schools changed to tiled roof. He also built 47 houses for the homeless poor in substations Thoadneri, Kilamatur, Kuranguthoppu (now Vadipatti parish) of Samayanallur with the help of “Little way Association” – London. He was instrumental in getting six teaching posts sanctioned for the schools in the parish. A revolving fund for people was started with a share of Rs 100 in 1990 and is still progressing with a capital of 16 lakhs. He got a dairy farm started in 1991. In 1993 Vadipatti parish was carved out of the parish. Fr. Benedict Barnabas celebrated the 75th year of the construction of the church and got it renovated. He mobilized the co-operation of teachers both in Samayanallur and Sholavandan and did many spiritual activities with their help in parish like offering regular masses for salutation, rectifying many marriages. Office room was constructed; bore well with water tank for drinking and Toilet facilities were provided to the school.
Fr. Siluvai Michael got the middle school upgraded into a high school. He replaced the tile roof with concrete roofing. Fr.James Paulraj began the construction of a chapel in Keelamathur and it was completed by Fr. Vedamanickam. Fr. Vedamanickam started English medium in the high school and built first floor measuring 140”x23”. St. John Britto Nursery & Primary school in Samayanallur was begun by Fr. Vedamanickam.
In all these services, the Catholic Action group has been co-operating with the parish priests. The spiritual tone of the parish is kept up by the presence of the following religious congregations: Holy Cross in Paravai, MSI in Samayanallur, the De la Salle Brothers who run a Boys Town in pulluthu and St. Anne’s of Bangalore in Sholavandan. Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Holy Family, Legion of Mary, Vincent de Paul, Choir, Altar boys
No wonder this parish is a fertile field for vocations. It boasts of eleven diocesan fathers, two SVD ,one Jesuit and one Holy Cross fathers, six Gabriel Brothers, one De La Salle Brother, two CIC sisters, two Holy Cross, one Cluny and one Presentation ,one Leuca and one MSI. This one of the ancient parishes has given birth to Rayapuram (quasi parish-1931), Valaanthur (present Usilampatti) and Vadipatty (1993). Apportion of it was given to Sengolenagar parish when it was bifurcated (1994) and Elumbur was given to BB kulam parish in 2003.
The present population of the parish is 510 families. Mostly among them the senior citizens are in Samayanallur, the educated next generation moved to Madurai due to the access of occupation and education for their children. The substations of this parish with chapel are Sholavandan, Urmachikkulam, Kilamathur and Thodaneri. Paravai, paravai colony, MGR Nagar and kallikudi are the substations without chapel.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Prince (1910-13), Fr. Appavunather (1913-21), Fr. Raja Athisayam (1921-24), Fr. Gnanapragasam (1924-26), Fr. Astruc (1926), Fr. Antonysamy Durai (1926), Fr. Clement Montaud (1926-32), Fr. Peter Garnier (1932-35), Fr. Thomas Curian (1935-38), Fr. Peter (1938), Fr. Samikkannu (1938-39), Fr. Peter Roy (1939-48), Fr. Alexis (1948-67), Fr. Pinto (1967), Fr. Arul Rayan (1967-70), Fr. Francis Xavier (1970-75), Fr. Lourdu Ubagaram (1980-83), Fr. Michael (1983), Fr. N.P. Alphonse (1983-85), Fr. Lourduraj (1985-89), Fr. Ambrose Raj (1989-94), Fr. Jeya Jothi (1994-95), Fr. Benedict Barnabas (1995-98), Fr. Siluvai Michael (1998-2004), Fr. James Paul Raj (2004-09), Fr. A.Vedamanickam (2009 -).