Former Prelates

Rt. Rev. Francis Tiburtius Roche S.J.,

When Tuticorin was created a diocese, having been separated from the diocese of Tiruchirapalli, in 1923 by the Apostolic Brief "Quae CatholicoNomini" of Pope Pius XI, Rt. Rev. Francis Tiburtius Roche, sj, became its first Bishop. He is also the first Indian Bishop of the Latin Rite. He was born on 14 th April, 1879 in Tuticorin. After his ordination as a Jesuit on the 10 th of February, 1910 , he had been serving in the parish of the Holy Redeemer’s Church, Trichy, from 1911 to 1923. He was named as the first Bishop of Tuticorin in June 12 th 1923 , and was consecrated on the 23 rd of September 1923.

In accordance with his Episcopal motto, “Love is my Star”, he built up churches, schools and other institutes throughout the diocese. The devotion to St. Theresa of Child Jesus, whom he called as “Little Queen”, was spread to the extent that on her feast day, in several parishes, the custom of blessing and distribution of rose petals became prevalent. The Leprosarium, and St. Mary’s College in Tuticorin; Little Flower Seminary and Fatima Giri Ashram of the Rosarians at Vadakangulam; and St. Joseph’s Charity Institute at Adaikalapuram are some of the fruits of his endeavor. In his time, Satankulam became a vicariate. He retired in September 1953 and slept in the Lord on the 17 th of December, 1955 .

Bishop Thomas Fernando, D.D., D.C.L.

Late Bishop Thomas Fernando could be succinctly described: “A person of vision and action”. I thank God for the gift of my staying with Bishop Thomas several years especially as his Vicar General in the Diocese of Tuticorin. We were living in the same house which is today called Little Flower Seminary. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Fernando as the Procurator of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. John Xavier as the Bishop’s Secretary and Chancellor and Rev. Fr. Gaspar Roche as the Spiritual Father at the Bishop’s House were also the inmates of the Bishop’s House.

Bishop Thomas was born on 09 May 1913 at Idinthakarai, a coastal village ten kilometers away in the east from Kaniyakumari the southern tip of India. He was the second of the seven children to his parents. The eldest was a daughter and today she is a retired religious nun aged 96 at the Servite Convent (Bethany) at Tuticorin. Two of his younger brothers – Rev. Fr. Rosario Fernando and Rev. Fr. Charles Fernando are the Priests of Tuticorin Diocese now living a retired life in Tuticorin.

Bishop Thomas had his high school studies at St. Joseph’s College in Trichy. Bishop Francis Tiburtius Roche the First Latin Rite Bishop in India and the first bishop of Tuticorin Diocese admitted the studious Thomas as his seminarian after the school studies. Bishop Thomas as the seminarian did his philosophy at St. Paul’s Seminary in Trichy. Then Bishop Roche sent the intelligent seminarian to Rome for Theological studies. And he was ordained a Priest in Rome on 18 March 1939.

Father Thomas after his ordination continued his studies in Rome. He obtained a Doctorate Degree in Canon Law in 1942 and got another Doctorate in Divinity in 1944 having a comparative study of St. Paul’s writings and Saiva Siddhantha Literature as his thesis. He personally felt pleased to have achieved a doctorate at the Saiva Siddhantha about which he used to mention at his talks and conversations. As he returned to the Diocese of Tuticorin, he was appointed at Vadakangulam a prefect at the Little Flower Seminary and a teacher at St. Theresa’s High School. Later he was appointed Rector of Little Flower minor Seminary. In 1946 the L.F.S. was shifted to the present place at Innaciarpuram at Tuticorin.

On 25 June 1950, his nomination as the Coadjutor bishop of Tuticorin was announced. He was ordained a Bishop on 01 Oct 1950 at the SS Hearts Cathedral Campus, Tuticorin by Bishop Francis Tiburtius Roche himself. As Bishop Roche formally retired on 23 Sep 1953, the anniversary day of Tuticorin Diocese and Episcopal ordination of Bishop Roche himself, Bishop Thomas Fernando took full charge of the Diocese as the Second Bishop of Tuticorin. He was serving in the Diocese of Tuticorin till Dec 1970. He was transferred to Trichy and served as the Bishop of Trichy from Jan 1971 to 1990. As the retired bishop, he was staying for a few years at John Paul Dialogue Centre in Trichy and at St. Thomas Home, Nazareth which were established by himself when he was the Bishop of Trichy. The Diocese of Trichy celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Bishop Thomas Fernando’s Episcopal ordination in the month of October 2000. Afterwards he had his permanent stay at Tuticorin for the rest of his life; He was staying with Fr. Rosario Fernando at the house of Ms. Sundari, their brother’s daughter and a retired professor from St. Mary’s College at Tuticorin. The aged Bishop was very active during his stay in Tuticorin presiding over the Liturgical celebrations in parishes of the diocese.

As the Bishop of Tuticorin, Bishop Thomas Fernando took great interest in developing the Tamil Literary Society founded by Bishop Roche. He welcomed the Sisters of St. Anne (Luzern) to run the Sacred Heart Hospital in Tuticorin. He started a community of the Rosarian Sisters to pray for the diocese first at Vadakangulam and then shifting it to Tuticorin. He became the Founder of the Diocesan Congregation of Sacred Heart Sisters at Adaikalapuram. At his request the La Salle Brothers (Christian Brothers) started an High School at Tuticorin. Of course the painful event that hurt him most as the bishop of Tuticorin was the turning away of some of his native village people from the Catholic fold. But he offered it to God.

As the Bishop of Trichy, he founded ‘Kalai Kaviri’ and he was the cause and support of the ‘Yesu Kaviam’ written by Kannadasan and published by ‘Kalai Kaviri’. He started the Trichy Multipurpose Social Service Society, John Paul Dialogue Centre and Good Shepherd Pastoral Centre in Trichy during his tenure.

To view the whole of his life, I would strongly mention that he had great devotion to the Eucharistic Lord. I like to narrate one incident at this juncture: Fr. Gaspar Roche of our community at the Bishop’s House was incharge of the Refectory. One midnight at 00.30 hour, the lights were burning at the dining hall and suddenly noticing it I came to the Refectory. Fr. Gaspar Roche was about to ring the bell in order to invite the Bishop and Priests for lunch thinking that it was midday. I stopped him ringing the bell and things became clear. And as I was going round the Home, I happened to see Bishop Thomas Fernando at the Chapel prostrating himself in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Later on, I learned from him that he used to pray like that especially after the painful incident at Idinthakarai. Such a devoted, exemplary and pious Bishop he was!

During the last few days of his life, he was treated at the Sacred Heart Hospital at Tuticorin. He received the Sacraments and peacefully joined the heavenly choir at 06.50 p.m. on Tuesday, 04 July 2006. His body was brought to the Cathedral Church in Tuticorin for public homage in the following morning. He was buried, as he had expressed his wish by a written document, next to the tomb of late Bishop Roche at the Cathedral Church following the Solemn Mass presided over by Madurai Archbishop Peter Fernando, assisted by Bishop Yvon Ambroise of Tuticorin, Bishop Antony Devotta of Trichy and many other Bishops. Hundreds of Priests and thousands of Faithful chiefly from the Dioceses of Trichy and Tuticroin, attended the funeral which took place at 03.30 p.m. on Thursday, 06 July 2006 in the Cathedral Campus.

As a person, as a priest and as a Bishop he truly lived out his motto: “Truth in Love” throughout his life.

Bishop Ambrose Mathalaimuthu, D.D.

Born in Cathedral Parish, Coimbatore : July 20, 1925
Ordaind to Priesthood : December 21, 1951 
Bishop of Tuticorin : 1971 – 1979
Bishop of Coimbatore : 1980 – 2002
In the Lord : November 15, 2009

Third Bishop of Tuticorin

            Bishop Ambrose was consecrated as the third Bishop of Tuticorin Diocese on 9th December 1971 in our Cathedral Campus. His nine years term of Episcopal ministry was a period of steady development, not only in the spiritual realm, but also in the socio- economic fields.

            Following the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ, Bishop Ambrose chose the poor and the marginalized as the target people of his ministry in our diocese. Accordingly priority was given to missions. During his pastoral visits to the mission parishes he used to be very particular to visit all the substations even if there were only a few catholic families and keenly observe their needs. Soon there would be some new constructions!

Great achievements in a short period

            During the short period of 9 years, Bishop Ambrose had built 59 new chapels and most of them were in the mission parishes like Nagalapuram, Chinthamani, Somanathaperi, Anaikarai, Nanguneri and Keelamudiman. Besides, he had built 12 presbyteries and 5 convents. During his time, 3 new parishes were created: Duraikudiyruppu, Eral and Tuticorin harbour. One of the major constructive projects he had undertaken was the renovation of the Cathedral Church. He was the one who built the new administrative block in front of the old Bishop’s House building.  It is also worth mentioning here that it was in his period that the first Recording Studio of Tamilnadu was erected in our Diocesan Pastoral Centre. One other proof of his missionary spirit is that during his period, about 400 hundred people in five mission stations were baptized and admitted into the Catholic Faith.

The Standing Memorials

            We can never forget the standing memorials of his reign in our diocese: First of all, the Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society (TMSSS) which he started is doing a yeoman’s service to the poor and the marginalized of our diocese till today. Secondly, the much appreciated institution of the town, the Home for the Aged, run by the Little sisters of the poor which he founded as the Golden Jubilee Memorial of our Diocese. Thirdly, the great St. Thomas Matriculation Hr. Secondary School at Innaciarpuram, Tuticorin. Today this school is the number one English Medium School in the town, educating thousands of students. It is no exaggeration to say that this institution is one of the main supports of the diocese.

A Loving Person

            Though apparently an “emotionless” person, in the heart of heart he is a loving person: whenever priests were in trouble, he felt one with them and would go out of his way to help them out. Even if the priests were at fault, he would not betray them in front of the people. He had such a great love for our priests that even after his transfer, whenever our priests go to meet him, he would heartily welcome them and spend hours to converse with them. In his last days, when he was admitted in the hospital, some of our priests, including our bishop had gone there to see him and they could experience his genuine love. The impression of almost all of them is that he was eager to talk to them longer even in the midst of his agonist and when they left, they could see him moved.

            Bishop Ambrose loved also the people of our diocese. This was clearly manifested in his ardent desire to come to the parishes of our diocese for feasts whenever he was invited. Our people too no less loved this loving pastor. The ‘Ambrose Nagar’ in Palayakayal and the ‘Bishop Ambrose Bus Stand’ at Vadakangulam are standing evidences.

            Now that Bishop Ambrose has gone to his eternal reward, let us gratefully remember him in our prayers and let us pray for his intercession in our needs. May his good soul rest in peace!

Bishop Amalnather, D.D.,M.A.B.T.

Bishop Amalnather was born in November 17 th 1925 . After his ordination to priesthood on August 8 th 1951 , he was serving as the head master of St. Antony’s Higher Secondary School in Tanjore. He was elected Bishop in December 20 th 1980 , and was consecrated as the fourth Bishop of Tuticorin on the 4 th of February 1980 . His Episcopal motto is “In faith and love”.

Following the legacy of his predecessors, he worked for the betterment of the diocese in everyway possible. To enable better functioning of the diocese he established commissions for vacation, youth ministry, Christian life center (Bible, Catechism, Liturgy), the laity, social service, education, communications, evangelization, the oppressed, and health were set up in his time. “Seniority list” for the appointment of teachers, technical school for women at Meenachipatti, “Muthu Kuviyal” as a safe haven for the street boys, computer training center, Bible Institute, and home for the retired priests are some of his accomplishments. After serving the diocese for 19 years he retired on the 8 th of December 1999 .

மேதகு அமலநாதர் ஆண்டகை தூத்துக்குடி மறைமாவட்டத்தின் நான்காவது ஆயராக 1981 ஆம் ஆண்டு பெப்ருவரி திங்கள் 4 ஆம் நாள் திருநிலைப் படுத்தப்பட்டார்கள. “விசுவாசத்திலும் பரம அன்பிலும்” என்னும் கொள்கையுடன் தம் பணியைத் தொடங்கிளார்கள். ஆயர் அவர்கள் இறை பக்தியும், புனித அன்னை மரி மட்டில் அதிக அன்பும் கொண்டு ஆன்மீகத்துறையிலும் சமூகப் பணியிலும் ஏற்றமிகு சாதனை புரிந்தார்கள். ஆயர் இல்லத்திலும் பங்குத் தளங்களிலும் அலுவலகம் மற்றும் பங்குப் பணியாளர் இல்லங்கள் பல கட்டினார்கள். பள்ளிகளில் ஆசிரியர்கள் நியமனம் மனத்துயர் தருவதாகவும், சிக்கலானதாகவும் இருந்தாலும், பங்கு அளவில் பட்டியல் தயாரித்து மன உறுதியுடன் செயல்படுத்தினார்கள். பணிவாழ்வின் தொடக்கத்தில் அதிகத் துன்பம், மன கசப்புகள் ஏற்பட்ட போதிலும், ஒரு சில ஆண்டுகளில் நிர்வாகத்தில் வெற்றி காண வழி உருவாக்கி ஆணைக்குழுக்களைச் செயல்படத் தூண்டி பொதுநிலையினரை வளர்த் தெடுத்தார்கள். 1. இறை அழைத்தல் 2. இளைஞர் நலம் 3. விவலியம், மறைக்கல்வி, திருவழிபாடு (கிறிஸ்துவ வாழ்வுப் பணித்துறை) 4. பொதுநிலையினர், குடும்பம் 5. சமூக சேவை 6.கல்வி 7. சமூகக் கலைத் தொடர்பு நிலையம் 8. நற்செய்தி அறவிப்பு 9. நலிந்தோர் நலம் 10. உடல் நலம் எனும் பணிக்குழுக்கள் ஆயரின் வழிகாட்டுதலில் பாங்குடன் செயல்பட்டன.

பல்நோக்கு சமூகச் சேவை சங்கத்திற்காக மீனாட்சிப்பட்டியில் பல நூறு ஏக்கர் நிலம் வாங்கி, கட்டடங்கள் கட்டி இளம் பெண்களுக்கு தொழிற்பயிற்சியளிக்க ஆவண செய்தார்கள். முத்துக் குவியல் என்ற பெயரில் பெரிய கட்டம் எழுப்பித் தெருவோரச் சிறுவர்கள் மறுவாழ்வு இல்லம், சிற குற்றவாளிகள் கூர் நோக்கு மையம் போன்றவை அமைத்தார்கள். பல இளைஞர்களுக்கு வேலைவாய்பும் குடும்பத்தில் அமைதியும் பெற்றுத் தந்தார்கள். இளம் பெண் தங்கும் விடுதியும் ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளார்கள். தற்காலக் கல்விப் புரட்சிக் கேற்ப பெண்களுக்குக் கணிணி பள்ளியைத் தொடங்கிப் பல பெண்கள் தேர்ச்சியும் வேலை வாய்ப்பும் பெற வழிவகுத்தார்கள். தமிழக மறைமாவட்டங்களிலே முதல் முயற்சியாக நற்செய்தி மையம் அமைத்து இத்தாலி நாட்டின் கியத்தி மறைமாவட்ட மறைபணித் தளங்களின் பொறுப்பாளர் (Msgr.Gratian) உதவியுடன் பெரிய கட்டிடம் எழுப்ப நற்செய்தி பரப்பும் பணியைத் தணிந்து செயல்படுத்தினார்கள். நாங்குநேரியில் ஒரு தொழிலகமும் இன்னாசியார்புரத்தில் ஒரு தொழில் மையமும் உருவாக்கினார்கள். ஓய்வு பெறும் குருக்களுக்கென்று பாரத வங்கிக் குடியிருப்பில் பல அறைகள் கொண்ட இல்லம் கட்டியுள்ளார்கள். சுருங்கக் கூறின் ஆயர் அமலநாதர் ஆட்சியில் புதுப்புது பணித்தளங்களும் கல்வியகங்களும் துளிர் விட்டெழும்பியுள்ளன.

1. கால்டு வெல் காலணி குழந்தை இயேசு கோவில் பங்கு 2. டூவிபுரம் பங்கு 3. மன்னார்பரம் பங்கு 4. தாளமுத்து நகர் பங்கு 5. செட்டிவிளை 6. புனித யூதா ததேயூஆலயம் 7. திரேஸ்புரம் 8. சகாயமாதா ஆலயம் 9. பாத்திமா நகர் பங்கு 10. ஏர்வாடி 11. விளாத்திகுளம் 12. நெடுங்குளம் 13. பூச்சிக்காடு 14. குரும்பூர் 15.சவேரியார்புரம் 16. தைலாபுரம் 17.கடகுளம் 18. இரத்தின புரம் 19. நொச்சிகுளம்.20. ஏரல் ஆகிய 20 ஊர்களில் புதுப் பங்குகள் ஆயர் காதல்தில் ஏற்படுத்தப் பட்டுள்ளன.

ஆயர் அமல்நாதர் எல்லாருக்கும் எல்லாம் ஆனார். மக்களோடு மக்களாக எல்லா நிகழ்வுகளிலும் பங்டிகடுத்து, களைப்போ சலிப்போ இல்லாமல் அர்ச்சிப்ப, மந்திரிப்பு பகிர்வ என முன் நின்று சிறப்பித்து மக்களை மகிழ்வித்தார்கள். ஓய்வு பெற்ற பின் ஆயர் அமல்நாதர் மறைமாவட்டத்திற்கு வெளியே பல இடங்களில் தங்கியிருந்தார்கள். அவ்வப்போது பங்குத் தந்தையரும் மக்களும்விழாக்களுக்க விடுக்கும் அழைப்பினை ஏற்று வந்து சென்றார்கள். 2006 ஆம் ஆண்டு அவர்களின் ஆயர் திருநிலைப்பாடு பெற்ற வெள்ளி விழா, இந்நாள் ஆயர் இவோன் ஆம்புரோஸ் அவர்கள் ஏற்பட்டில், தூத்துக்குடி மறைமாவட்டத் தலைமை ஆலய வளாகத்தில் சிறப்பாகக் கொண்டாடப் பட்டது.

ஓய்வுபெறும் குருக்களுக்கென புதிதாக் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ள புனித பிரான்சிஸ் சேவியர் குருக்கள் இல்லத்தில் கடந்த ஆண்டு தங்கி வாழ்ந்தார்கள். ஆயரின் கடைசி கால நாட்களில் நோயுற்ற நிலையில், தூத்துக்குடி திரு இருதய மருத்துவ மனையில் அருள் சகோதிரிகளால் பேணப்பட்டார்கள். மறைமாவட்டத்தால் ஆயருக்கு உதவிபுரிய அமர்த்தப் பட்ட திரு. தோமாஸ் என்பவர் உடனிருந்தார். அவ்வப்போது ஆயர், குருக்கள், துறவியர், பொதுநிலையினர் ஆயரைச் சந்திக்கச் சென்றனர். அருள் தந்தை. கிருபாகரன் அடிகளார் ஆயருக்கு நோயில் பூசுதல் அருள்சாதனம் நிறைவேற்றியிருந்தார்கள். 14.02.2010அன்று மாலை நான்கு மணியளவில் ஆயர் அமைதியாக இறைவனில் இளைப்பாற்றினார்கள்.

Bishop Peter Fernando D.D., Ph.D.

Bishop Peter was born at Indinthakarai, Nellai district on the 22 nd of March 1939 . He was ordained to priesthood on May 29 th 1971 .

“Rooted in the Love of Christ “ (Ephesians 3:17) Fr. Peter Fernando was consecrated as Coadjutor Bishop of Tuticorin on May 29, 1996. Soon he was made the Apostolic Administrator of Tiruchirapalli Diocese. In 2000 he took charge of the Diocese of Tuticorin. In his time 18 new parishes were created. One of his accomplishments was reshaping the economic stability of the diocese. On the 22 nd of March 2003 he was appointed Archbishop of Madurai.

In 2003 he was promoted to be the Archbishop of Madurai while continuing to be the Apostolic Administrator of Tuticorin Diocese until 2004. In his fuller freedom now, all that God had opened his eyes to and all the promptings of the Spirit laid a much bigger onus on him. He plunged himself into the problems of the people of his diocese, nay, the entire region of Tamilnadu. All this time until he retired as Archbishop of Madurai in 2014, there are three areas for which he opened the doors of the Church: 1. At the Regional and National level he initiated a new paradigm for formation of future diocesan Priests introducing the Spiritual Year between Philosophy and Theology. 2. As Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, he coordinated the secular forces to float the much awaited Movement and Forum for the Minorities in the State of Tamil Nadu and to meaningfully contribute towards nation building along with non-christian minorities. This particular effort gave birth to an action group called The Christians’ Rights Movement at the grass root level to be at the service of the voiceless majority and the working class of all hues. Drawing inspiration from this, a political wing came into being christening itself as The Rights Movement (Vaazhvurimai Iyakkam) to gradually educate and influence people to a awakened democracy. 3. As Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, Archbishop Peter Fernando formed a Legal Cell to actively fight for the Rights of the Church and safeguard the goods enshrined in the Constitution of the country for the Minorities and so help the Church- State relationship in matters of policy making and dealing with practical legal hustles at various governmental and non governmental levels. Appreciating the valuable services of this Legal Cell towards nation building, the Tamil Nadu Government recently elevated the Secretary of the Legal Cell: Advocate Rev. Dr. Xavier Arul Raj appointed by Archbishop Peter Fernando to the honor of “Senior Counsel” in the High Courts of Madras and Madurai with all privileges attached to it. 

Thus rooted in the love of Christ, the Archbishop found the strength with God to grasp the breadth and the length; the height and the depth of His love and so got a good whiff of the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-21) God who knows him only so well, willed to make him perfect by sharing with him the redemptive suffering of His Son Jesus. Accepting the excruciating pain from the dialysis for his kidneys amidst much discomfiture, Archbishop emeritus of Madurai Peter Fernando peacefully returned to the Home of Our Father breathing his last on Dec.31, 2016.

Most Reverend Dr. Yvon Ambroise

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