Church Of Our Lady Of Lourdes History

Established – 22.11.1953
Patron of the Church – Lourdu Annai
Languages - Tamil, English
Present Parish Priest – Rev. Fr. S. Solomon

The diocese of kottar was bifurcated from the mother diocese of Quilon comprising of Tamil Linguistic regions namely Kottar, Colachel, Mulagumoodu and Tiruthuvapuram vicariates by the then pope His holiness Pius XI on may 26th 1930. His excellency Lawerencee Perira belonging to Kollam diocese took charge as the first bishop of the diocese of kottar. At that time there were around one lakh catholics in the newly formed Kottar Diocese.

Panchavankaadu Kurusady St. Antony’s Church was an important church affiliated to vadakankulam parish in the diocese of kottar. This church was affliated to kottar St. Xaviers cathedral as a substation for quite some time. The people in and around Kurusady were using St. Antony’s church for their faithful and pious activities. As there were a number of small hamlets around kurusady this resulted in congestion during ceremonies. Due to this the catholics of around 22 hamlets around kurusady had an intention of forming their individual church in the respective localities. Their quest for a new church fruitified by the installation of St. Antony’s church Kurusady as a separate parish and the 22 hamlets as substations under the above parish. One among them was Punnakattuvilai Church.

During that period their were around 13 Joint Families in Punnakattuvulai. All the Catholics from the substations had to attend the parish church at Kurusady for Sunday Mass, Marriage Mass, the Sacrament of Ceremony and other liturgical ceremonies by walk. The Punnakattuvilai catholics due to their affection and attachment towards Mother Mary, especially Our Lady of Lourdes, intended to form a church. As a first step in between A.D 1939 and 1946 they formed a prayer cell in a thatched shed in the present campus. They regularly performed rosary and other prayers in the above shed. In A.D 1946 with the permission of king of Travancore, the Punnainagar villagers extended the prayer cell with a tile roofed church of their own hard work. During the initial days, Water scarcity was an acute problem faced by the 13 Joint Families affiliated to the Punnainagar Church. They had to even walk upto kurusady for fetching drinking water. Hence they decided to desilte the existing well with more depth which was accomplished the help of the divan of the then Trivancore Kingdom. Due to the efforts of the then parish preist of Kurusady Rev. D.C. Antony and Parisheners the then bishop of kottar his excellency Bishop Dr. Agniswamy permitted to perform the first Holy mass in the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in the morning of 22/11/1953. During this time the Parishners were charged subscription of 8 anas per year. In 1962, a church bell of 150 pound weight was purchased and installed on a concrete bell tower. In the same year, it was decided to erect a holy flag mast of concrete and the same was accomplished in the year 1964 and it is being used till now. A primary school was functioning under the church with government grant at the Punnainagar junction where the St. Jude's Shrine is presently located. In the year 1964, the foundation stone was laid for the punnainagar R.C Primary School and the works were completed in 1969 and the school was shifted to the present location.

Since 1970 to 2007, Punnainagar Church was affiliated to Carmel Nagar parish as a substation. In 1976, the shrine of St. Jude's Shrine was constructed at the Punnainagar Junction and blessed by then Parish Priest Rev. Fr. I. Carmel. In 1979, an overhead tank for storing drinking water along with a 5 HP pump was arranged to solve the drinking water problem. In the same year the foundation stone was laid for the new church by his Excellency Dr. M. Arockiasamy, Bishop of Kottar. The above church was consecrated by the same Bishop on 30/5/1962. In 1991 the foundation stone was laid for the construction of shopping mall adjacent to the St. Jude's Shrine and opened to the public immediately after the construction was over in the year 1995. Also in the same year the foundation stone for the present priest’s house was laid by the then bishop His Excellency Dr. A. Leon Dharmaraj. The same was opened on 16/4/1999 by the then chancellor Rev. Fr. A. Michael Raj. During the same period a generator was purchased, and a room for the same, a new open air auditorium along with parish office were constructed .

Recently the parish council has been elected as per canon law and got the approval of the Bishop on 29/08/2008. As per the request of the Parishners the Bishop of Kottar has agreed for forming a separate Parish with Rev. Fr. A. Albert George Alexander as the First Parish Priest . The Bishop, Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius also has installed the New Parish in a special Holy mass conducted in the evening 5.30 pm of 23/11/2008 and followed my grant a colourful celebration.

Now Our Parish in 620 Joint Families is there. 3200 Total Members are there in Our Parish. Now, 1700 Gents and 1500 Ladies is there. Our Parish is first 8 BCC's is there. Now, 13 BCC's is there in Our Parish.

History of Our Church (1937 to)


Serial No.

Date Details

Event Details

1

17-08-1892

Established on Old R.C. Primary School

 

1902

Celebrated on Decade of R.C. Primary School (10 Years)

 

1917

Celebrated on Silver Jubilee of R.C. Primary School (25 Years)

2

1937-1945

Started at Small Prayer Hall

 

1942

Celebrated on Golden Jubilee of R.C. Primary School (50 Years)

3

1946

Established on Old Church

4

1951

New Kallarai Thottam on Our Church (35 cent)

 

1952

Celebrated on Dimond Jubilee of R.C. Primary School (60 Years)

5

1951-1960

First Parish Priest - Fr. D.C. Antony

6

22-11-1953

First Holy Mass on Old Church (Fr. D.C. Antony)

7

12-02-1954

First Patron's Feast on Old Church (Fr. D.C. Antony)

8

1962

New Church Bell on Our Church (150 pound)

 

1963

Celebrated on Decade of Church (10 Years)

9

07-02-1964

Established on Flag Staff

10

12-05-1964

Foundation on New R.C. Primary School (Fr. T.R. Anji Sami, D.D.)

 

1967

Celebrated on Platinum Jubilee of R.C. Primary School (75 Years)

11

23-08-1970

Established on New R.C. Primary School

12

1976

Established on St. Jude Thaddedus Shrine (Fr. I. Carmel)

13

29-04-1979

Foundation on New Church (Fr. M. Arokia Samy, D.D.)
Parish Priest - Fr. Thomas Fernando

14

08-12-1979

Celebrated on Silver Jubilee of Church (25 Years)

15

08-12-1979

Established on Power Room (Fr. M. Arokia Samy, D.D.)

16

11-02-1981

Started Works on New Church (Fr. Susai Marian)

17

30-05-1982

Established on New Church (Fr. M. Arokia Sami, D.D.)
Parish Priest - Fr. Thomas Fernando

18

June 1991

R.C. Primary School Changed Fathers to Sisters Congregration (Fr. M. Peter)
First Headmaster - Sr. Sundari Mary

 

1992

Celebrated on Centenary of R.C. Primary School (100 Years)

19

05-09-1995

Foundation on Parochial House (Fr. Leon A. Tharmaraj, D.D.)
Parish Priest - Fr. P. Amalraj Nevis

20

24-02-1997

Foundation on Lourdu Annai Complex (Fr. S. Yesu Retnam)

21

11-02-1998

Established on Lourdu Annai Complex (Fr. S. Maria Dhasan)

22

16-04-1999

Established on Parochial House (Fr. A. S. Michael Raj)
Parish Priest - Fr. P. Amalraj Nevis

23

05-09-1999

Foundation on Lourdu Annai Stage (Fr. Leon A. Tharmaraj, D.D.)
Parish Priest - Fr. P. Amalraj Nevis

24

11-02-2000

Established on Lourdu Annai Stage (Fr. Leon A. Tharmaraj, D.D.)
Parish Priest - Fr. P. Amalraj Nevis

25

17-04-2005

Celebrated on Golden Jubilee of Church (50 Years)

26

17-04-2005

Released on Golden Jubilee Book (50 Years)

27

23-11-2008

Declared as New Parish by Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius, Bishop of Kottar Diocese
First Parish Priest - Fr. Dr. A. Albert

28

23-11-2008

Created Our Church Website
Parish Priest - Fr. Dr. A. Albert, Created by Mr. A.S. Shaja

29

23-11-2008

Released on New Parish Celebration Book & DVD

30

17-04-2010

First Punnai Malar Book Release by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

31

08-09-2010

Released on Lourdu Annai Audio Songs by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

32

2011

Closed on Church Well

33

01-05-2011

Established on Jesus Shrine by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

34

10-07-2011

Established on New Church Office by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

35

02-10-2011

Foundation Laid on Lourdu Annai Auditorium by Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius, Bishop of Kottar Diocese and Parish Priest Fr. Dr. A. Albert

 

02-10-2011

Released on Church Parish Group Meeting Book by Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius, Bishop of Kottar Diocese

36

27-04-2012

Released on Gouvernment People Book by Education Committee

37

May 2012

Established on Church Library

38

17-06-2012

Started Books Issue on Church Library

39

06-11-2012

Lourdu Annai Auditorium Construction is Started by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

40

17-12-2012

Devasahayam Pillai Grotto Work is Started

 

2013

Celebrated on Dimond Jubilee of Church (60 Years)

41 11-01-2013 Our Church New Website is Created Parish Priest - Fr. Dr. A. Albert, Created by Mr. F. Bright Jani

42

14-01-2013

Devasahayam Pillai Grotto is Established by Vicar General Fr. Maria Dhasan, Kottar Diocese

43

04-03-2013

Renovation of New Altar Work is Started

44

12-04-2013

Renovation of New Altar Opened by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

45

15-08-2013

New Bible Stand Blessed on Altar by Fr. Dr. A. Albert

46

09-02-2014

New Flag Staff Blessed by Fr. Dr. A. Albert with Fr. Vincent Amalraj, Headmaster, Carmel School (50 Years)

47

03-05-2014

Blessed and Opened on Lourdu Annai Auditorium Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius with Fr. Dr. A. Albert, Parish Priest

 

03-05-2014

Celebrated on Silver Jubilee of Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius at Lourdu Annai Auditorium

48

03-05-2014

10th Punnai Malar Release by Fr. John Peter, Parish Priest, Ponnappanadarnagar with Fr. Dr. A. Albert, Parish Priest

 

20-08-2014

First Marriage Function on Lourdu Annai Auditorium, Punnai Nagar



Declared as New Parish by Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius, Bishop of Kottar Diocese on 23-11-2008


 

 From

To

First Parish Priest 

Rev. Fr. Dr. A. Albert

10-8-2008

17-05-2014

Second Parish Priest

Rev. Fr. John A. Kennedy

21-05-2014

01-10-2017

Third Parish Priest(Present)

Rev. Fr. S. Solomon

01-10-2017

-



Parish Priest and President Details of Church (Before Parish Council 1937 to 2007)


Serial No.

Parish Priest

Parish

Year

President

Year

Treasurer

Year

Secretary

Year

1

Fr. D.C. Antony

Kurusady

1951-60

D. Anthony Muthu

1956-60

M. Anthony Savarimuthu

1956-60

-----

-----

2

Fr. Benedict J.R. Alexsander

Kurusady

1961

J. Marianthony

1961

R. Maria Jesu Adimai

1961-62

-----

-----

3

M. Anthony Savarimuthu

1962-64

R. Maria Jesu Adimai

1963-64

M. Cruz Michael

1962-65

4

Fr. R. Anthony Muthu

Kurusady

1962-69

V. Cruz Michael

1965-66

M.F. Pancras,
D. Rachaya,
J.M. Michael.

1965
-----
1966

R. Maria Jesu Adimai
-----
-----

1966-68
-----
-----

5

Fr. I. Carmel

Carmel

1970-76

K. Siluvai Rayan,
S.Devasahayam,
I. Susai.

1967-68
1969-70
1971-72

J.M. Michael

1967-72

-----
R. Maria Jesu Adimai,
S. Anthony Muthu,

-----
1969-70
1971-72

6

Fr. Thomas Fernando

Carmel

1977-84

S. Lawrence

1973-74

A. Vincent

1973-77

S. Tharcese

1973-74

S. Martin,
D. Ambrose,
M.F. Pancras.
-----
-----

1975-77
1978-79
1980-84
-----
-----

-----
M. Amirtharaj
-----
-----
-----

-----
1978-79
-----
-----
-----

S. Tharcese,
S. Jacob Thomas,
A. Albert Jesuvaram,
D. Michael Joseph,
K.M. Rajendran.

1975-77
1978-79
1980-81
1982-83
1984

7

Fr. I. Kulanthaisami

Carmel

1985-87

D. Manuvel

1985

-----

-----

K.M. Rajendran

1985

C. Augustine

1986-88

-----

-----

M. Joseph Benedict,
S. Arul Selvamani.

1986-87
1988

8

Fr. Athnecius E. Rethnasami

Carmel

1988

S. Anthony Muthu

1989

-----

-----

A. Albert Jesuvaram

1989

9

Fr. M. Peter

Carmel

1989-91

D. Stanislaus

1990

M. Andrew Marcelin

1990-91

A. Vincent

1990

10

Fr. S. Jesu Rethnam

Carmel

1992-96

C. Augustine,
S. Jacob Thomas.

1991
1992

-----
-----

-----
-----

S. Arul Selvamani,
K. M. Rajendran.

1991
1992

11

Fr. Amalraj Nevis

Carmel

1997-2000

C. Selvaraj

1993-94

D. Thomas Jeya Sundar

1993-94

L. Albert

1993-94

G. Jesu Rethnam

1995-99

S. Arul Selvamani,
S. Tharcese,
R. Felix Sundar,
M. Benet.

1995
1996-97
1998
1999

M. Egbart

1995-99

12

Fr. Maria Soosai

Carmel

2001-02

M. Joseph Benedict

2000

M. Amirtharaj

2000

F. Rabin

2000

13

Fr. Joy

Carmel

2003

E. Soosai Anthony

2001-03

D. Arul

2001-03

S. Jerald

2001-03

14

Fr. Benjamin Ladislaus,
Fr. G. Justus.

Kurusady
PN

2004-06

L.M. Davidson

2004-06

C. Selvaraj

2004-06

G. Jesu Rethnam

2004-06

15

Fr. Benjamin Ladislaus,
Fr. A. Albert.

Kurusady
PN

2007

L.M. Davidson

2007

C. Selvaraj

2007

G. Jesu Rethnam

2007

Old Picture

 




Liturgical Order

Sunday Holy Mass

:

06.00 A. M. (First Mass)
05.00 P. M. (Second Mass)

 Sunday Holy Mass in English

:

10.00 A.M. ( Every Third Sunday)

Daily Mass

:

06.00 A.M. (Except Friday)
06.00 P.M. (Every Friday)

Rosary

:

05.30 A.M. (Daily)

Confession

:

After the Mass (Daily)

Saint Antony Novena

:

06.00 P.M. (Every Tuesday)

Saint Lourdes Novena

:

06.00 P.M. (Every Friday)

First Holy Communion

:

9th day of June
15th day of August
8th Day of September
9th day of St. Lourdes Annual Feast
St. Lourdes Feast on February Month

Baptism

:

Every Sunday After the Mass

House Meet/Blessings & Holy Communion for disabled

:

Every Month First Saturday.




NOVENA TIMINGS

  • Every Tuesday : Novena to St. Antony at 6.00 P.M
  • Every Month of June: Veneration to Sacred Heart of Jesus at 6.00P.M.
  • Every Day: Rosary and Prayer at 6.00 A.M.
  • Every First Friday: Special adoration after the mass at 6.00 P.M.
  • Every Friday : St.Lourde Novena and Mass at 6.00 P.M
  • Every Friday: Prayer Meeting at 10.00 A.M.
  • Every Month of May : Veneration to Our Lady of Rosary

OFFICE TIMINGS

  • Church Office:
    • 09.30 A.M. to 12.30 P.M
    •  02.00 P.M to 05.00 P.M.(Sunday Holiday)

OTHER TIMINGS

  • Patron’s Feast : Every Year April or May
  • Baptism: Every Sunday after the holy mass
  • Confession : Every day after the mass
  • Birthday Celebration : Every Sunday
  • Catechism Boys: Every Sunday inside church at 09.00 A.M. to 10.00 A.M.
  • Catechism Girls: Every Sunday at church campus at 09.00 A.M. to 10.00 P.M.
  • Catechism Parents: Every Sunday inside the church at 03.00 P.M. to 04.00 P.M.
  • Church Library: Every Sunday at 07.30 A.M (After the mass)
  • Mass in English every 3rd Sunday at 10.00 A.M.

Parish Group Timings

Serial No.

Parish Group Name

Meeting Place

Meeting Date and Time

1

Parish Council

Lourdu Annai Stage

Every Month 1st Friday at 07.00 P.M.

2

Catechetical Association

Lourdu Annai Stage

Every Two Months

3

Rural Women Association

Church Compound

Every Friday at 3.00 P.M.

4

Bible Study Group

 

Every Month 3rd and 4th Sunday at 06.30 P.M.

5

Finance Committee

 

 

6

Education and Medical Committee

 

 

7

Finance Committee

 

 

8

Liturgical Committee

Lourdu Annai Stage

Every Month 1st and 3rd Monday at 7.00 P.M.

9

Mangala Matha Women’s Presidium

Church Compound

Every Monday at 03.00 P.M.

10

Lourdu Matha Young Girls Presidium

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 07.30 A.M.

11

Irakkathin Matha Boys Presidium

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 07.30 A.M.

12

Amalorpava Matha Girls Presidium

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 07.30 A.M.

13

Little Way Association

Church Compound

Every Friday at 06.30 P.M.

14

St. Lourdes Movement for Children

Church Compound

Every Friday at 06.30 P.M.

15

Christian Life Community

Church Compound

Every Saturday at 03.00 P.M.

16

St.Lourdes Prayer Group

Lourdu Annai Stage

Every Friday at 10.30 A.M. to 01.00 P.M.

17

St. Dominic Savio

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 07.30 P.M.

18

Catholic Society

Lourdu Annai Stage

Every Month 1st Sunday at 7.00 P.M.

19

Catholic Service Society

 

 

20

Mens Vincent De Paul Society

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 08.00 A.M.

 

Womens Vincent De Paul Society

 

 

21

Adults Choir Class

 

 

22

Children's Choir Class

Church Compound

Every Friday at 7.00 P.M. to 08.30 P.M.

23

English Choir Class

 

 

24

Altar Boys

Parochial House

Every Month 1st Sunday at 10.00 A.M.

25

Young Christian Students Movement

Church Compound

Every Sunday at 10.00 A.M.