Holy Redeemer’s Church
Bungalow Medu, Madurai Road, Theni-625 531.
Origin and geographical location of the parish
Before 1940s the present parish of Theni used to be one of the sub-stations of the then Mother parish Silukkuvarpatty from where the parish priests regularly came for Mass at Theni. The mass and the liturgical activates took place in the present sacristy which used to be the chapel then. The present church was built around 1946 on the land which had been bought by Fr. Regis, with a vision a few years earlier. A part of the land has been sold out by the diocese much later. The church is located on the Madurai road at the distance of around hundred kilometers from Madurai and 60 kilometer from Cumbum valley towards Madurai. In its north the parish has its neighboring town Periyakulam, at a distance of 16 kilometers. The church’s location makes it easily accessible from different parts of the town. Till today, the Catholics live scattered in different areas which makes communication difficult and community – living a chanceless one. The church was named after St. Aloysius to begin with and was renamed later as Holy Redeemer’s Church.
Socio – economic and political background of the people at the time of the formation of the parish now
Most of the parishioners belonged to lower middle class Dalit families. There were some business families too. None of the parishioners were politically active. Now the situation has improved a lot. A number of teachers and government staff have decent lifestyle and own houses and other properties. But most of the Catholics of today still remain poor. Catholic people are politically weak due to their financial backwardness and the fact of being relatively very small size of mass as against the people of other religion. There was a spurt in the number of conversions when European missionaries were at the helm, with people becoming Christians for assuring themselves economic security with the advent of native priests, quite a number of them had migrated back to their original religions.
Catholic population at the time of the formation of the Parish
There were a handful of families in Theni itself but Kottur and all the other substations had more in number especially the faithful living en masse. In consideration of the bulks of catholic families living in the substations, besides its geographical location, the parish of Theni in fact has been given the status of Vicariate centre in the year 1988.
Institutions in the parish
The presentation sisters started their school in the 1930s along with a dispensary, both of them have been rendering a yeomen’s service to the people in need. An R.C. Primary school began to exist in the premises of the church by the efforts of the diocese in 1940s. The school run by the presentation sisters is a Girls’s higher secondary school today while the latter above – mentioned is a co-education high school. The CMI fathers started a matriculation higher secondary school in 1987 which is of considerably good success in achieving its standard in the midst of a competitive, commercialized trend of educational institutions.
Important pastoral events
The parish priests visit the sub-stations and offer Mass at regular interval. Festivals in the main parish and sub-stations are regularly organized and celebrated. Anbium, as each or two Anbium together for a week, as fixed beforehand assume the responsibility to plan out and carry out the arrangements for the Eucharistic celebration. Recently a beautiful chapel has been built at Indhranagar by the sole financial and manual efforts of le soldier a French student active movement for India, strenuous efforts to avail such opportunity were taken by Rev. Fr. Vimi Charlie in the year 2011. Parish council as urged by the diocese in view of its Platinum Jubilee celebrations was formed in the year 2008, the first year of Fr. Vimi Charlie’s tenure. An approximately 3 acres of land adjoining the church premises of the parish of Theni, a property which was regained after 30 years of legal dispute in favor of the diocese has been utilized for building a supermall which has been rented out and the income from which as planned by the diocese would be of great help in the meeting the financial needs of the diocese.
There are some forty catholic families in the sub-station of Andipatti. A small chapel there which is 60 years old needs to be rebuilt in consideration of its condition. Hence an effort to get financial support from propaganda fide was made by Fr. Charlie and a help of $16000 has been assured by the agency.
How crucial problems were solved
Representations are made to officials like district collector, superintendent of police, Tasildar etc.
parishes bifurcated
Bodinayakanur and Kottur
Parish Priests who worked
Fr. Pujo 1940-1946, Fr. Anthony Simo 1946-1951, Fr. Burns 1951-1956, Fr. Clayton 1956-1962, Fr. Pignol 1962-1963, Fr. Meempillikavil 1963 -1971, Fr. Kulandai samy 1971-1978, Fr. I. Ignatius 1978-1979, Fr. J. Pancras 1979 1979 – 1985, Fr. Maria Pancras 1985 – 1988, Fr. S. Jeganathan 1988 – 1992, Fr. Francis Britto 1992-2004,. Fr. A. Vedamanickam 1988-2004, Fr. A. Arul 2004 – 2008, Fr. Vimi Charlie 2008 –
Properties in the Parish
a) A mega Mall let out in 2012
b) A building for Indian Bank
c) About 6 shops on the front entrance
d) A few acres of land in Koduvilarpatti and one and a half acres of land meant for cemetery is Kodangipatty.
e) A piece of land in Boothipuram, adjoining the prayer house.
Today’s life situation of the people
Most of the people belong to average middle class. They have to labor hard to make both ends meet. There are some upper middle class families too. A number of people have started opting for various denominations.
Theni is one of the important market towns in Tamil Nadu. The parish was started in 1939 with Fr. Pujo, sj as the first parish priest. The Catholic population is more in the neighbouring villages than at the Theni centre. Fift percentage of the population of Kottur village is Catholic. Early missionaries used to come from Silukkuvarpatty and later from Periyakulam to Theni area, their main thrust being ministering to the Dalits who are in a majority. Fr. Pujo made conversion movement successful thanks to the help of the dedicated Br. Alphonse of the Sacred Heart Congregation. The original church in Theni was first built by Fr. Susai Regis from the funds left by Fr. Munch, sj around 1930 and the present enlarged church was built by Fr. Pujo around 1942.
The Presentation Sisters who were not satisfied with their work in Periakulam came to Theni in 1937 and started a school and a small medical aid centre under the trees. Now the school has grown into the Presentation Hr. Sec. School and the medical centre has become the present Holy Redeemer’s Hospital specializing in maternity cases.
The parish priest is looking after two schools, a Primary School and a High School for boys and girls in Theni and a Primary School in Kottur. The other parish priests were Fr. Devasia, sj, Fr. Burns, sj, Fr. Clayton, sj, Fr. Kulandaisamy,sj, Fr. Ignaius, Fr. J. Pancras, Fr. Maria Pancras and Fr. S. Jeganather from January 1988-92.
People still remember Fr. Clayton for building churches in Uppukkotai, Andipatti and Bodinayakkanur, but chiefly for his love of poor women many of whom he sent to convents outside Theni. The parish of Kottar was carved out of Theni parish in the year 2010. The bell tower of the parish church was built by Fr. Arul in 2008. A new church came up at Indira nagar (Karuthamalai colony) thanks to the efforts of Fr. Vimi Charlie with liberal help from French boys and girls of Soliel Indien group. Theni is the vicariate centre and the present Vicar Forane is Fr. Vimi Charlie.
This parish enjoys the services of the Presentation Sisters, CIC Sisters, ICM Sisters, Seva Missionaries and CMI fathers.Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Anbiams, Youth, Legion of Mary and Vincent de Paul.
The following are the substations of this parish:Andipatti, Karuthamalai Colony, Kodangipatti, Maniyakkaranpatti, Muthuthavanpatti, Manckapuram, Uppukkottai and Valayappati.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Munch (1939-40), Fr. Pujo (1940-46), Fr. Anthony Simo (1946-51), Fr. Bruno (1951-56), Fr. Clayton (1956-62), Fr.Pignol (1962-63), Fr. Meempillikavil (1963-71), Fr. Kulandai Samy (1971-78), Fr. I. Ignatius (1978-79), Fr. J. Pancras (1979-85), Fr. Maria Pancras (1985-88), Fr. S. Jeganathan (1988-92), Fr. Francis Britto (1992-98), Fr. A. Vedamanickam (1998-2004), Fr. A. Arul (2004-09), Fr. Vimi Charlie (2009-).
Bungalow Medu, Madurai Road, Theni-625 531.
Origin and geographical location of the parish
Before 1940s the present parish of Theni used to be one of the sub-stations of the then Mother parish Silukkuvarpatty from where the parish priests regularly came for Mass at Theni. The mass and the liturgical activates took place in the present sacristy which used to be the chapel then. The present church was built around 1946 on the land which had been bought by Fr. Regis, with a vision a few years earlier. A part of the land has been sold out by the diocese much later. The church is located on the Madurai road at the distance of around hundred kilometers from Madurai and 60 kilometer from Cumbum valley towards Madurai. In its north the parish has its neighboring town Periyakulam, at a distance of 16 kilometers. The church’s location makes it easily accessible from different parts of the town. Till today, the Catholics live scattered in different areas which makes communication difficult and community – living a chanceless one. The church was named after St. Aloysius to begin with and was renamed later as Holy Redeemer’s Church.
Socio – economic and political background of the people at the time of the formation of the parish now
Most of the parishioners belonged to lower middle class Dalit families. There were some business families too. None of the parishioners were politically active. Now the situation has improved a lot. A number of teachers and government staff have decent lifestyle and own houses and other properties. But most of the Catholics of today still remain poor. Catholic people are politically weak due to their financial backwardness and the fact of being relatively very small size of mass as against the people of other religion. There was a spurt in the number of conversions when European missionaries were at the helm, with people becoming Christians for assuring themselves economic security with the advent of native priests, quite a number of them had migrated back to their original religions.
Catholic population at the time of the formation of the Parish
There were a handful of families in Theni itself but Kottur and all the other substations had more in number especially the faithful living en masse. In consideration of the bulks of catholic families living in the substations, besides its geographical location, the parish of Theni in fact has been given the status of Vicariate centre in the year 1988.
Institutions in the parish
The presentation sisters started their school in the 1930s along with a dispensary, both of them have been rendering a yeomen’s service to the people in need. An R.C. Primary school began to exist in the premises of the church by the efforts of the diocese in 1940s. The school run by the presentation sisters is a Girls’s higher secondary school today while the latter above – mentioned is a co-education high school. The CMI fathers started a matriculation higher secondary school in 1987 which is of considerably good success in achieving its standard in the midst of a competitive, commercialized trend of educational institutions.
Important pastoral events
The parish priests visit the sub-stations and offer Mass at regular interval. Festivals in the main parish and sub-stations are regularly organized and celebrated. Anbium, as each or two Anbium together for a week, as fixed beforehand assume the responsibility to plan out and carry out the arrangements for the Eucharistic celebration. Recently a beautiful chapel has been built at Indhranagar by the sole financial and manual efforts of le soldier a French student active movement for India, strenuous efforts to avail such opportunity were taken by Rev. Fr. Vimi Charlie in the year 2011. Parish council as urged by the diocese in view of its Platinum Jubilee celebrations was formed in the year 2008, the first year of Fr. Vimi Charlie’s tenure. An approximately 3 acres of land adjoining the church premises of the parish of Theni, a property which was regained after 30 years of legal dispute in favor of the diocese has been utilized for building a supermall which has been rented out and the income from which as planned by the diocese would be of great help in the meeting the financial needs of the diocese.
There are some forty catholic families in the sub-station of Andipatti. A small chapel there which is 60 years old needs to be rebuilt in consideration of its condition. Hence an effort to get financial support from propaganda fide was made by Fr. Charlie and a help of $16000 has been assured by the agency.
How crucial problems were solved
Representations are made to officials like district collector, superintendent of police, Tasildar etc.
parishes bifurcated
Bodinayakanur and Kottur
Parish Priests who worked
Fr. Pujo 1940-1946, Fr. Anthony Simo 1946-1951, Fr. Burns 1951-1956, Fr. Clayton 1956-1962, Fr. Pignol 1962-1963, Fr. Meempillikavil 1963 -1971, Fr. Kulandai samy 1971-1978, Fr. I. Ignatius 1978-1979, Fr. J. Pancras 1979 1979 – 1985, Fr. Maria Pancras 1985 – 1988, Fr. S. Jeganathan 1988 – 1992, Fr. Francis Britto 1992-2004,. Fr. A. Vedamanickam 1988-2004, Fr. A. Arul 2004 – 2008, Fr. Vimi Charlie 2008 –
Properties in the Parish
a) A mega Mall let out in 2012
b) A building for Indian Bank
c) About 6 shops on the front entrance
d) A few acres of land in Koduvilarpatti and one and a half acres of land meant for cemetery is Kodangipatty.
e) A piece of land in Boothipuram, adjoining the prayer house.
Today’s life situation of the people
Most of the people belong to average middle class. They have to labor hard to make both ends meet. There are some upper middle class families too. A number of people have started opting for various denominations.
Theni is one of the important market towns in Tamil Nadu. The parish was started in 1939 with Fr. Pujo, sj as the first parish priest. The Catholic population is more in the neighbouring villages than at the Theni centre. Fift percentage of the population of Kottur village is Catholic. Early missionaries used to come from Silukkuvarpatty and later from Periyakulam to Theni area, their main thrust being ministering to the Dalits who are in a majority. Fr. Pujo made conversion movement successful thanks to the help of the dedicated Br. Alphonse of the Sacred Heart Congregation. The original church in Theni was first built by Fr. Susai Regis from the funds left by Fr. Munch, sj around 1930 and the present enlarged church was built by Fr. Pujo around 1942.
The Presentation Sisters who were not satisfied with their work in Periakulam came to Theni in 1937 and started a school and a small medical aid centre under the trees. Now the school has grown into the Presentation Hr. Sec. School and the medical centre has become the present Holy Redeemer’s Hospital specializing in maternity cases.
The parish priest is looking after two schools, a Primary School and a High School for boys and girls in Theni and a Primary School in Kottur. The other parish priests were Fr. Devasia, sj, Fr. Burns, sj, Fr. Clayton, sj, Fr. Kulandaisamy,sj, Fr. Ignaius, Fr. J. Pancras, Fr. Maria Pancras and Fr. S. Jeganather from January 1988-92.
People still remember Fr. Clayton for building churches in Uppukkotai, Andipatti and Bodinayakkanur, but chiefly for his love of poor women many of whom he sent to convents outside Theni. The parish of Kottar was carved out of Theni parish in the year 2010. The bell tower of the parish church was built by Fr. Arul in 2008. A new church came up at Indira nagar (Karuthamalai colony) thanks to the efforts of Fr. Vimi Charlie with liberal help from French boys and girls of Soliel Indien group. Theni is the vicariate centre and the present Vicar Forane is Fr. Vimi Charlie.
This parish enjoys the services of the Presentation Sisters, CIC Sisters, ICM Sisters, Seva Missionaries and CMI fathers.Moreover, this parish is being nourished by the activities of Anbiams, Youth, Legion of Mary and Vincent de Paul.
The following are the substations of this parish:Andipatti, Karuthamalai Colony, Kodangipatti, Maniyakkaranpatti, Muthuthavanpatti, Manckapuram, Uppukkottai and Valayappati.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Munch (1939-40), Fr. Pujo (1940-46), Fr. Anthony Simo (1946-51), Fr. Bruno (1951-56), Fr. Clayton (1956-62), Fr.Pignol (1962-63), Fr. Meempillikavil (1963-71), Fr. Kulandai Samy (1971-78), Fr. I. Ignatius (1978-79), Fr. J. Pancras (1979-85), Fr. Maria Pancras (1985-88), Fr. S. Jeganathan (1988-92), Fr. Francis Britto (1992-98), Fr. A. Vedamanickam (1998-2004), Fr. A. Arul (2004-09), Fr. Vimi Charlie (2009-).