Holy Rosary Church

North Meenavankulam

Parish Name              :   Holy Rosary Church
Address                     :  North Meenavan Kulam, Padmaneri P.O. - 627 502, Nanguneri (Via), Tirunelveli Dt.
Patron Saints            :  Our Lady of Rosary
Telephone No           : 

The history of the Quasi Parish Meenavankulam and the sub-stations

1. Meenavankulan (North):
As the tradition goes, two hindu brothers decided to build a village temple at Meenavankulam and they went on a pilgrimage to Deva Nalloor on foot in order to get the holy soil. However, on their way back, the younger one got a severe pain in the leg. They tied up ‘Vettilai’ on the leg as a village medicine. As they reached the village, the leg had developed a big wound and they considered it as a bad omen and they got converted to Christianity on the basis of wound being cured due to prayer to Jesus. They built a small thatched hut as a prayer house. The number of followers increased and by the year 1892, they had built a very aesthetically beautiful church with an arched doom. The wooden statue of Our Lady of Rosary was brought from abroad and installed by the Anaikarai Mission fathers. The faithful were so devoted that Monseigneur Mariadoss (1885 -1965) became a priest as early as 1917 in the Trichy Diocese and he held many key positions in the Diocese of Tuticorin.

Meenavankulam was under the mission of Anaikarai in the early days and those days there used to be masses only once a year on the occasion of Christmas. The priests from Anaikarai used to visit and stay in the village for a couple of days and give instructions and administer sacraments. Later the village was attached to Nanguneri. In 1964, electricity line was installed and first service given was to Our Lady of Rosary Church. During the tenure of Fr. Stanislaus Pandian, the titular feast of the Church was celebrated consisting of 10 days starting with the flag hoisting on the first day. From 1985, during the tenure of Fr. N.S. Panneer Selvam, masses were given once in three months. From 1990, during the tenure of Fr. Wingling Ravi, masses were given once a month. The village and the present sub-villages were under Malayankulam from 2000 to 2002. By the year 2002, it came under Nanguneri again. From the time of Fr. Jesu Nazarene (2010-11), masses were given once a week.

The spiritual climate in the village was favourable for religious and priestly vocations that Rev. Sr. Arit Mary took final vows in the congregation of Sacred Heart Sisters in the year 1966 and Fr. Kingsly became a priest for the native diocese in the year 2015.

Meenavankulam was made a Quasi Parish in the year 2015. Fr. Denzil Raja (2015-2018) was appointed as the first care-taker of the Quasi Parish. The Church was renovated on the budget of 40 lakhs during this time and the renovated church was blessed by the Bishop Stephen Antony. Fr. Victor Solomon (2018-19) succeeded him and Fr. Sahaya Justin (2019-20) followed him and Fr. Arulmani is the care-taker of the Quasi Parish from 2020 onwards.

The R.C. Primary School had its beginnings in the year 1910 as an open air school in the herd’s meet arena. By 1925, the school started functioning in a thatched hut up to 3 standards upon the initiative of Mr. Rajendran, a teacher. In the course of time, the school started functioning in a small tiled building up to 5 standards.

Fr. Arthur James took initiative, in the year 1978, to build an additional tiled building and upgraded the primary as a middle school. In this period the services of the teachers such as Mr. Pushparaj, Mr. Savari Muthu were commendable.
Fr. Jerosin A’Kattar upgraded the school to a high school by starting 9th and 10th standards. The high school is known as St. Theresa’s High School.

Meenavankulam (South):
Two catholic families from Kuthenkuzhy got settled in the Therku Meenavankulam on account of font fishing. These families earned their living by fishing in the big font in Meenavankulam. As years passed, the fish in the font was given away in auction by the panchayat and the familes found the fish trade no more profitable. Thus, they switched over to other jobs. Consequently, the numbers could not increase in the village.

The parava families in this village did not have any church until 1989. They attended masses at the Holy Rosary Church in the North Meenavankulam. In the year 1989, Fr. N.S. Panneer Selvam helped to build a small church and it was made a sub-station to Nanguneri. The Sacred Heart of Jesus was the patron of the Church. They celebrated the feast in the month of September. At that time, there were 6 families attached to this church. In the year 1999, Fr. Jerosin A’Kattar helped to build a concrete roofed church and installed an Infant Jesus Statue and thus it is known as Infant Jesus Church now. However, the feast is reserved to September as earlier.

There are now 15 families attached to this church, 6 in the local place and 9 elsewhere. Since, the feast is not convenient to the people who live elsewhere, they have arranged for an Asanam function in May considering the vacation for the children at schools and all the 15 families gather together on this occasion.

Mela Thuvaraikulam:
The history of the Church at Mela Thuvaraikulam dates back to the year 1986. Mr. Thanga Durai (a teacher), one of the first converts from Hinduism took initiative to build a church with tiled roof in 100 sq.fts., dedicated to the Arch Angel Michael in the year 1986. Most of the land in this village was owned by a Certain Pannaiyar who resides elsewhere. The church land remains undocumented to this date. 36 members from 8 families were baptized by Fr. N.S. Panneer Selvam in the year 1986 and they are very devoted. A wooden flag pole was installed and the titular feast was celebrated from June23 to July 2.

Since the number of familes increased to 12, in the year 1998, the church was extended to 200 sq.fts during the tenure of Fr. Jerosin A’Kattar, again with the initiative of the above Mr. Thanga Durai. During this time the date of the feast was changed to May, 03.

The year 2003 is notable that the people decided to build a new church with 600 sq.fts, during the tenure of Fr. Victor Solomon. Asbestos sheets were used for roof. The wooden flag pole was replaced with an iron pole with a height of 30 fts. The compound wall was built. A borewell was dug in the campus and trees were planted.

From 2014, due to the initiative taken by Fr. Jesu Nazarene, weekly masses are given. In the year 2021, the people started the foundational work for the Grotto of Mary and the work is yet to be completed. There are 24 catholic families in this village as of now. There is no dedicated graveyard for this church.

Pothaisutthi:
Mr. Michael Nadar s/o Mr. Vanniar Nadar was the first convert to Catholicism due to his frequent visit to Tenkasi, the shrine of St. Michael. His devotion to St. Michael was so ardent that he made a small hut to pray to him. Slowly people joined him in this hut for prayer and they were baptized by one of the mission fathers from Anaikarai. One such priest died on his way back to Anaikarai and his tomb is by the side of Mangammal Salai. The people frequently visit the tomb and distribute ‘Kanchi’ to the passersby to witness to the miracles they experienced due to payers to him. There are 25 catholic families at Pothaisutthi, as of now.

In 1930s, upon steady increase in numbers of the faithful, Michael Nadar took initiative to build a tiled church in the present premise and side by side he took steps to start a small primary school in a tiled building in the same premises. In the year 1940, the primary school got permanent recognition. In the year 1974, Fr. Stanislaus Pandian took steps to renovate the primary school and it was blessed by Bishop Ambrose Madalaimuthu. There is a graveyard to the extent of 3 cents.

Erukkalaipatti:
The church at Erukkalaipatti is dedicated to St. Antony. It is claimed that there was a sizeable number of catholics in this village once up on a time. Now, only one family is actively practicing the faith. Masses are celebrated once in two months in this village.

Idaiyankulam:
There are 5 catholic familes in this village. Until 2000, the people used to attend masses at Erukkalaipatti. Fr. Jerosin A’Kattar, took initiative to build a church dedicated to Our Lady of Veilankanni, in the year 1998. Mr. Raja Fernando donated the land for the construction of the Church and the church was blessed in the year 2000. There is no dedicated graveyard for the church. They use the common burial ground of the village. Masses are celebrated once in two months in this village

Succession of parish priest:
1. Rev.Fr. Denzil Raja - 2017 – 2019
2. Rev.Fr. Victor Solomon 2019 -2020
3. Rev.Fr. Shahaya Justin 2020 - 2021
4. Rev.Fr. Arulmani M. 2021 -

The Quasi Parish in a gist:
1. The villages and Churches:
a) Our Lady of Rosary Church - Meenavankulam (North) – Main Station
b) Infant Jesus Church -Meenavankulam (South)
c) St. Michael’s Church - Mela Thuvaraikulam
d) St. Michaels’s Church - Pothaisutthi
e) St. Antony’s Church - Erukkalaippatti
f) Our Lady of Good Health – Idaiyankulam

2. The Schools:
a) R.C. Primary School - Meenavankulam (North)
b) Annai Theresa High School – Meenvankulam (North)
c) R.C. Primary School - Potthaisuthi

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New Info provided by : Fr. Arulmani M
Received e-mail with word doc
Previous file name : parish-north-meenavankulam-holy-rosary0.htm
Updated on 3rd April, 2023