Christ the King Church
Income Tax Colony, Vilangudi, Madurai-625 018.
Christ the King parish was earlier the substation of Anjal Nagar parish taken care of by the Redemptorist fathers. At the time of Archbishop Casimir the local people wanted to have a place of prayer so that they would not have to travel to Anjal Nagar crossing the busy national high way. With the help of the local parishioner Mr. S.M. Raj, a plot was bought by Fr. Vedamanickam, the then Procurator, and later another small plot was bought adjacent to the earlier one during the time of Fr. Joseph Gnanam, C.Ss.R parish priest, Anjal Nagar. The foundation stone for the construction of a new church was laid by archbishop Casimir, S.J. and construction work was carried out by Fr. Dhivyanandam, the then Procurator. Archbishop Arokiasamy erected it as an independent parish in 1994 when Fr. Antony, C.Ss.R was the parish priest. The circumference of this parish is 4 kilometres, having as border, NH7 Madurai-Dindigul Main Road in the East, Kondamari in the West, NH7 Madurai-Dindigul Main Road in the North and North bank of Vaigai River in the South. The Catholic population at time of bifurcation was 910 from 180 families among them mostly were mill coolies and few were teachers and professors in Fatima College.
The presbytery was constructed in 1994 after the parish was erected. Fr. John Martin was the first parish priest. In 1994 ten feet of land at the western side of the church campus was encroached by someone and was recovered by the collective spirit of the parishners. Fr. Susai Michael Raj constructed and started an English Medium School in 1997. In the year 2000, four cents of land in the north east corner of the church campus had to be given to the local government body after a great struggle for the road for public usage. Fr. John Diraviam constructed a new church in CAS Colony, the substation in 2002 and instituted regular novena mass to St. John de Britto on Wednesdays. He also constructed a Grotto of Blessed Virgin Mary at church campus in memory of the Marian year 2003. Fr. Edwin renovated the parish church, altar and extended the church at the front in 2008. A piece of land was bought for Kondamari village people and was distributed to them in 2009.In 2010 Fr. Antony Rajan upgraded Christ the King English Medium School (I-V) into a matriculation school. The investment was made by the Archdiocese to put up additional buildings needed for the up gradation.
The parish council was started in the year 1995 and the anbiams in 2003. There are Vincent de Paul Society, Legion of Mary, Catholic Youth Movement, Charismatic Prayer Group, Altar Boys Group, Choir, and Lay Associates of Holy Family that enriches the activities of the parish. The parish bulletin ‘Perarsar madal’ was started by Fr. John Diraviam in 2002, which took a new dimension in the name “Arulaaseer” in 2012 under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Fr. Antony Rajan.
The substations of this parish at present are Kondamari and CAS Colony. The population now is 2500 from 610 families. Most of the parishioners work in Government offices and in private concerns. Others are agricultural labourers, professors, teachers, lawyers, construction workers or daily wagers and some others involve in business.
The Servite Sisters render their services at Kondamari substation and they also run St. Joseph’s blind school at Paravai. The Missionaries of Charity (mother Teresa) support the parish activities and run the charity home. This parish also enjoys the services of the sisters Holy Family of Bordeaux and the CMI Fathers of Deepagam.
As per the opinion of the present parish priest the education level of the people is remarkable. The faith of the people and their involvement in the church activities are appreciable. There is a plan for the new parochial church and the People started contributing generously for that purpose.
Succession of Parish Priests
1 Fr. M. John Martin 1994-1997
2 Fr. I. Soosai Michal Raj 1997-2001
3 Fr. M. John Diraviam 2001-2004
4 Fr. S. Edwin Sahayaraj 2004-2009
5 Fr. I. Antony rajan 2009-onwards
Income Tax Colony, Vilangudi, Madurai-625 018.
Christ the King parish was earlier the substation of Anjal Nagar parish taken care of by the Redemptorist fathers. At the time of Archbishop Casimir the local people wanted to have a place of prayer so that they would not have to travel to Anjal Nagar crossing the busy national high way. With the help of the local parishioner Mr. S.M. Raj, a plot was bought by Fr. Vedamanickam, the then Procurator, and later another small plot was bought adjacent to the earlier one during the time of Fr. Joseph Gnanam, C.Ss.R parish priest, Anjal Nagar. The foundation stone for the construction of a new church was laid by archbishop Casimir, S.J. and construction work was carried out by Fr. Dhivyanandam, the then Procurator. Archbishop Arokiasamy erected it as an independent parish in 1994 when Fr. Antony, C.Ss.R was the parish priest. The circumference of this parish is 4 kilometres, having as border, NH7 Madurai-Dindigul Main Road in the East, Kondamari in the West, NH7 Madurai-Dindigul Main Road in the North and North bank of Vaigai River in the South. The Catholic population at time of bifurcation was 910 from 180 families among them mostly were mill coolies and few were teachers and professors in Fatima College.
The presbytery was constructed in 1994 after the parish was erected. Fr. John Martin was the first parish priest. In 1994 ten feet of land at the western side of the church campus was encroached by someone and was recovered by the collective spirit of the parishners. Fr. Susai Michael Raj constructed and started an English Medium School in 1997. In the year 2000, four cents of land in the north east corner of the church campus had to be given to the local government body after a great struggle for the road for public usage. Fr. John Diraviam constructed a new church in CAS Colony, the substation in 2002 and instituted regular novena mass to St. John de Britto on Wednesdays. He also constructed a Grotto of Blessed Virgin Mary at church campus in memory of the Marian year 2003. Fr. Edwin renovated the parish church, altar and extended the church at the front in 2008. A piece of land was bought for Kondamari village people and was distributed to them in 2009.In 2010 Fr. Antony Rajan upgraded Christ the King English Medium School (I-V) into a matriculation school. The investment was made by the Archdiocese to put up additional buildings needed for the up gradation.
The parish council was started in the year 1995 and the anbiams in 2003. There are Vincent de Paul Society, Legion of Mary, Catholic Youth Movement, Charismatic Prayer Group, Altar Boys Group, Choir, and Lay Associates of Holy Family that enriches the activities of the parish. The parish bulletin ‘Perarsar madal’ was started by Fr. John Diraviam in 2002, which took a new dimension in the name “Arulaaseer” in 2012 under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Fr. Antony Rajan.
The substations of this parish at present are Kondamari and CAS Colony. The population now is 2500 from 610 families. Most of the parishioners work in Government offices and in private concerns. Others are agricultural labourers, professors, teachers, lawyers, construction workers or daily wagers and some others involve in business.
The Servite Sisters render their services at Kondamari substation and they also run St. Joseph’s blind school at Paravai. The Missionaries of Charity (mother Teresa) support the parish activities and run the charity home. This parish also enjoys the services of the sisters Holy Family of Bordeaux and the CMI Fathers of Deepagam.
As per the opinion of the present parish priest the education level of the people is remarkable. The faith of the people and their involvement in the church activities are appreciable. There is a plan for the new parochial church and the People started contributing generously for that purpose.
Succession of Parish Priests
1 Fr. M. John Martin 1994-1997
2 Fr. I. Soosai Michal Raj 1997-2001
3 Fr. M. John Diraviam 2001-2004
4 Fr. S. Edwin Sahayaraj 2004-2009
5 Fr. I. Antony rajan 2009-onwards