Sahaya Matha Church
Lions Town, Tuticorin

Parish Name : Sahaya Matha Church
Address : Lions Town, Tuticorin 628 001
Patron Saint : Sahya Matha
Telephone No : 0461 – 2322724

The parish of Lions Town has got a long history to recount to the younger generation. To be true the name Lions Town speaks volumes about its origin. Let us take a dig into the history.

In 1940 the southern end of the Tuticorin town had a vast squatter land filled with many trees and plants. Salt pans and salt flats were the expanses of the other side ground filled with salts. Geographically the area is a low-lying area and it is prone to water-logging. In the winter season it was obvious that the whole area was seen with rainy water. The flow of rainy water from Korampallam would bring lot of fish into this low-lying area. All the children from this place used to surround here and spent their time in playing and catching fish.

During this time the land was occupied by fisher folk of five coastal villages namely Koothankuly, Periyathalai, Punnaikayal, Idinthakarai and Kayalpattinam. Since this was first occupied by the five villagers it was firstly called ANJU KIRAMAM. The fishermen used small Vallam to venture into the sea. In this time the Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual help was celebrated every Wednesday by the devotees in Our Lady of Snows Church. The picture of Our Lady of Perpetual help was consecrated at the right side of Our Lady of Snows Church Altar. The fisher folk who had attended this novena were fully inspired by this and they decided to do the same novena here at Anju Kiramam. They placed a picture of Sahaya Matha and started worshipping regularly. The dedication to Our Lady of Perpetual help was born in this way.

In 1950, considering the poor condition of the small huts with thatched roof of the fisher folk Mr. Celestine Machado and Stanis Corera appealed to Kulapathi Veerabahu then MLA of Srivaikundam Constituency to arrange small houses to fisher folk. Sri A.P.C. Veerabahu approached the then Chief Minister Honorable P.S. Kumarasamy Raja to issue a special order in favour of fishermen community. The land were sold to the fisher folk at the rate of Rs. 50/- and houses were built in favour of co-operative building society. The colony was named Sea Shore Colony and it was inaugurated on 14.01.1957 by A.P.C. Veerabahu, Sri Celestine Machado and Sri. Stanis Corera. Twenty six houses were built in this scheme. During this time a small church with Mangalore tiles was constructed for Sahaya Matha. People started to call this area by Sahaya Matha. Gradually the name Anju Kiramam was faded away. The name Sahayapuram came into being.

At that time Chevaliar C.I.R. Machado became the care-taker of the Sea Shore Colony and Sahayapuram. He had done lot of charitable works to this area people. He was elected as the president of Tuticorin Lions Club. Looking at the charitable works done by Chevalier Machado the public wanted to rename the Sea shore Colony as C.I.R. Machado Colony. But he refused and he renamed it as Lions Town. On 8.12.1963 a stone was laid with the description that the Colony was renamed as Lion Town. In memory of his Father Cruz Machado, C.I.R. Machado donated a building behind present Sahaya Mahizhvagam which was meant for Nursery, free dispensary and sewing teaching center.

At the western side of Sahayapuram many people from fishermen community started to take possession of the land. These people built a small hut for prayer and they placed a picture of Our Lady of Velankanni and worshipped her on 22.4.1973. The following year a heavy rainfall devastated this area but the small hut for Our Lady of Velankanni was left undamaged. The people around this area believed that it was a miracle and Velankanni Matha saved all people from the flood. After this incident, they began to call this area as Velankanni Nagar (Velai Nagar).

Above and beyond these, the faithful of this area were under the spiritual charge of Our Lady of Snows parish. Due to increase in the strength of the faithful Rev. Fr. S.M. Dasan Dalmeida the parish priest of OLS and the Chevalier C.I.R. Machado requested the diocese for bifurcation of the parish. Most. Rev. Dr. Thomas Fernando accepted the appeal and established the new parish as Sahaya Matha Lions Town parish on 28.07.1981. A beautiful church dedicated to Sahaya Matha was built by Rev. Fr. S.M. Dasan Dalmeida. A rectory was built near the parish church in 1981 and later it was made a school for the parish children.

The faithful of this parish were in need of a school for their children education. P.M. Ornellas Boys School which was run by the Lassalle community in Our Lady of Snows parish was left unmanaged by them. Rev. Fr. Joseph Ladislaus and C.I.R. Machado approached the Ornellas management and shifted the school from OLS to Lions Town on 1985. The diocesan management changed the name to Sahaya Matha Primary School. The school was run into an existing building called Machado Building (Evacuated due to decrepitude in 2021) behind the Sahaya Mahizhvagam. On 29.12.1987 the diocesan management constructed a new school building for the school children

Rev. Fr. M.S. Antony rebuilt the church again in 1991. The Church was again extended by Rev. Fr. Viyagula Marian. In 2006 a beautiful renovation was done by Rev. Fr. G. Joseph.

On 21.3.1996 a new rectory was raised by Rev. Fr. Rainald Missier and blessed by Most. Rev. Dr. S.T. Amalanathar. Rev. Fr. G. Joseph took enormous efforts to build a Valanar Makkal Mantram and it was completed on 20.5.2007. Sahaya Mahizhvagam and Sahaya Marunthagam were constructed in the school premise by Rev.Fr. Ravindran Fernando on 29.05.2011. Rev. Fr. Aloysius had built a beautiful adoration chapel inside the school premise in 2017. A new successful installation of flag post with decorative stainless steel hand railings and saints was done by Rev. Fr. Sagaya Loudrin in 2021. After a long period Sahaya Matha Primary School was renovated in 2022. The compound wall of Sahaya Matha Primary school was built with the CSR fund provided by SEPC in 2023.

Succession of parish priests:
1. Rev.Fr. Arulappa - 1981 – 1984
2. Rev.Fr. Mariadass - 1984 – 1985
3. Rev.Fr. Joseph Ladislaus - 1985 – 1989
4. Rev.Fr. M.S. Antony - 1989 – 1992
5. Rev.Fr. Rainald Missier - 1992 – 1997
6. Rev.Fr. Viagula Marian - 1997 – 2002
7. Rev.Fr. Joseph - 2002 – 2007
8. Rev.Fr. Ravindran Fdo - 2007 – 2012
9. Rev.Fr. Aloysius - 2012 - 2017
10. Rev.Fr. Rollington 2017 - 2018
11. Rev.Fr. Sagaya Loudrine 2018 - 2021
12. Rev.Fr. Prathiban Liphonse 2021 -

Catholic Population : 9000
No. of Catholic Families : 1700

Sunday Mass – Timings : 5.30 a.m.;7.00 a.m.; 9.00 a.m. & 5.00 p.m. Enlish Mass – 10.15 am
Weekdays : 6.00 a.m; 5.30 p.m
Sahaya Matha Novena – Every Wednesday 5.30.pm

Grottos in the parish:
1. St. Michael’s - Sahayapuram East,

Side Chapels :
1. Velai Nagar – Our Lady of Health
2. Lions Town 1st Street – Holy Cross
3. Lions Town 8th Street – St. George
4. Cruz Fernando Fishermen Colony – Child Jesus
5. Fishing Harbour – St. Antony
6. Roche Colony – John the Baptist
7. Annai Theresa Colony – St. Antony

Participatory Structures
1. 30 Anbiyams
2. 15 Pastoral Commissions
3. Parish Pastoral Council

Christian Life Societies (Pious Associations)
1. Holy Childhood
2. Amalorpava Matha Men Sodality
3. Sahaya Matha Women Sodality
4. Secular Franciscan Order
5. Legion of Mary
6. Vincent de Paul Society
7. Teresa of Child Jesus young girls’ Sodality
8. Xavier’s Youth

Other Associations & Activities
1. Krithavar Vazhvurimai Iyyakkam

Institutions under the Parish
Sahaya Matha Primary School, Lions Town, Thoothukkudi – 628 001
Sahaya Annai Nursery & Primary School, Lions Town, Thoothukkudi – 628 001
Sahaya Marunthaham (Dispensary) Lions Town, Thoothukkudi – 628 001
Sahaya Matha Makkal Mantram(Community Hall), Lions Town, Thoothukkudi – 628 001

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New content received through whatsapp in PDF format: Rev. Fr. Prathiban Liphonse
Previous file name : parish-lions-town-tuty0.htm
Updated on 3rd May 2023