Parish Name:

Church of Our Lady of Immaculate conception:
Address:
Kariapatti – 626106, Virudhu Nagar (Dt.)
Patron Saint:
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
Telephone No:
04566-255258
A Brief history:

Kariapatty, a town panchayat, is situated 30 k.m., south of our Archdiocesan Headquarter, Madurai, on the highway of Madurai – Tuticorin. This parish has been bifurcated from the ancient parish of Keelamudimannarkottai, Sivagangai Dist., in 1930. This New Parish had its headquarters in a village called Sittumoondradaippu. In 1972 the headquarter of the parish was shifted from sittumoondradaippu to Kariapatty which was emerging as a quasi township. The parish limits of Kariapatty are within the radius of 29 k.m. There are eight villages attached to this parish with a catholic population of one thousand, five hundred non-Catholics and ninety thousand non-Christians (Hindus and Muslims).
Almost the entire catholic population of Kariapatty parish is from the Scheduled caste community, the ostracized lot of the Indian caste ridden society. This parish is situated in the drought prone area of Virudhunagar District. Kariapatty and the adjacent areas mostly depend on monsoon for agriculture. People from the upper castes own agricultural lands and those from the lower castes work as agricultural coolie workers. Our catholic community is not an exception to this pathetic evil. When the drought is very acute following the failure of monsoon, as it happens every other year, our catholic community along with the other working groups migrate to greener pastures in search of work and food.

 

Succession of parish priests:

Fr. M.S. Arulanandam 1941-1947
Fr. A. Irudayam 1947-1948
Fr. S.M. Antony 1948-1949
Fr. Arul Samy 1949-1950*******————
Fr. M. A. Arulanandam 1950-1952
Fr. Antony Simo 1952-1953
Fr. G. Santiago 1953-1964
Fr. G. Michael s.j 1964-1967
Fr. M. Mathai s.j 1967-1968
Fr. M. Maria pancras 1968-1975
Fr. M. Gnana Sandanam 1975-1980
Fr. G. Packier 1980-1983
Fr. J. Manala 1983-1990
Fr. Maria Pancras 1990-1992
Fr. Amala Nathan 1992-1995
Fr. V.M. Irudayam 1995-1996
Fr. Aruldoss 1996-1997
Fr. David Dharma Raj 2002-2004
Fr. Paul Panakulam 2004-2007
Fr. A. Antony Samy 2008-2009
Fr. V. Joseph 2007-2008
Fr. James Paul Raj P.P. 2009-2010
Fr. Muthu 2010-

 

Substations with chapels:
Cittru Mundradaipu, Vakanagundu, Thonukal, T. Pudupatti,
Kandukondan Manikam, Oanakudi, Esali, Ambaneri.
Participatory structures / associations in the parish :

Parish Council, Anbiam

Associations:

Vicnet de Paul, Altar boys & girls

Religious in the Parish

Congregation of Immaculate Conception
Ph: 04566-255575

Secular Institute:

Nil

 

Institutions under the Parish Priest:

R. C. Primary Schools – 3
1) R. C. Primary School, Panakudi, staff: 3, Students: 106
2) R. C. Primary School, T. Pudupatty, staff: 2, Students: 103
3) R. C. Primary School, Citru Mundradaipu, staff: 2, Students: 50

Institutions under the Religious:

1) Amala Primary School, staff: 19 (14), Students: 723,
Ph: 04566-254124
2) Amala High School

Kurusadis & grottos in the Parish:

Infant Jesus Grotto – Kariapatti
Mother Mary Grotto – Vakanakundu

 

Name, profession and telephone number of important and influential Catholic in the Parish:
Mr. M. Belevandran – Director of St. Mary’s Matriculation School, 9443570576
Mr. G. Jeyaseelan – Retired Contractor, 9486859462
Mr. Victor – Social Worker, 9842154016
Mr. Kulandai – Teacher, 9944300467
Mr. Ramesh – Teacher, 9942460011
Ms. Amali – Teacher, 9025440604
Immaculate – Principal of St. Mary’s Matriculation school, 9942141155
Rathanam – Social worker, 9750207386