St. Xavier's Church
Punnaikayal

Parish Name : St. Xavier’s Church
Address : Punnaikayal, Tuticorin - 628 155
Patron Saint : St. Xavier

A Brief History :
St. Francis Xavier with the help of certain Mr. Manuel D. Cruz in 1544 built the first Church at punnaikayal with mud walls and thatched roof. This Church was destroyed by Vadukars of Madurai Nayakkar in 1551. Rev. Fr. Henry Henriquez, who was the Superior of the Jesuits, built a new Church at punnaikayal and dedicated it to the Birth of Our Lady. Later on the Church was called Rajakanni Matha Church. Punnaikayal was the headquarters of Portuguese administration and thus Jesuit Missionaries also had their headquarters at punnaikayal in view of safety and security.

It was at punnaikayal the first printing press, hospital, Tamil college, seminary etc. were set up by Rev. Fr. Henry Henriquez. The tamil books written by him such as “Adiyar Varalaaru” Paavassangeerathana Kaiyedu” were all printed at Punnaikayal. In India, next to Goa, the Portuguese Judiciary and Treasury of wealth and weapons were also set up at punnaikayal. When St. Francis Xavier was canonized in 1662, a new Church dedicated to St. Francis Xaviers was built at the outskirts of punnaikayal.

In 1663 in the Dutch captured the Rajakanni Matha Church and in 1685 they converted the Church into a commercial centre. The Church got dilapidated. That time liturgical services were celebrated at St. Francis Xaviers Church. The Statue of Rajakanni Matha was also kept in that Church. In 1700 the Jesuits built a chapel, dedicated to St. Ann, in the centre of the village. And the Statue of Rajakanni Matha was brought to St. Anne’s Church. In 1850 the Jesuits had built a chapel in the name of Mary Magdalene. When that Church got dilapidated, people built in that place a grotto of St. Mary Magdalene. Rev. Frs. Mathew Fernando, Stephendas, Richard Rodrigo renovated St. Anne’s Church as need arose. In 1964 .Rev. Fr. Lambert Miranda renovated St. Francis Xavier’s Church.

In 1844 Punnaikayal also suffered due to the conflict between the missionaries of Goa Mission (padroado) and French Mission. People of Goa Mission built a Church, dedicated to Archangel Michael and celebrated liturgy there. This Church was destroyed in1849 during a riot. Goa Mission people bought a land inside the village and again built a Church dedicated to Archangel Michael. According to the concordat made between the Pope and Portugal, in 1886 Archangel Michael’s Church was attached to the Goa mission diocese of Mylapore. Mukkani, Pazhayakayal, Sernthapoomangalam and kuruvithurai villages were also attached to Archangel Michael’s Church. St. Xavier’s Church parish was with the Jesuits. With the donations given by Goa Mission Parishioners, Rev. Fr. M.J. Pinto renovated and extended St. Michael’s Church in 1906. Archangel Michael’s Goa Mission parish was brought under the diocesan administration of Thoothukudi on7th April 1930 and was attached to St. Francis Xavier’s Parish. After this union, Rev. B. S. Soosainather, the new Parish priest laid the foundation for the presbytery in the place where the Jesuit House was situated. At the time of Rev. Fr. Maria kagoo, the presbytery of Michael’s Goa Mission was given to Scared Heart Congregation. Later it was used as the school and still continues to function as the school. When Fr. Benedict was the parish priest, Archangel Michael’s Church also was converted into a school, but it got dilapidated and is no more.

To meet the growing need of the increasing population, Rev. Fr. .Raja Bose tried to build a spacious Church, where St, Anne’s Church stood, dedicated to Our Lady of Rosary. The foundation was laid on 7th October 1987 by Bishop Ambrose Mathalaimuthu. And the new Church was blessed on 7th October 1987 by Bishop S. T. Amalanadhar when Rev. Fr. Pancras Fernando was the parish priest. The Church is named as Rajakanni Matha Church.

St. Francis Xavier Church was completely rebuilt, in a grand scale with a meaningful altar background by Rev.Fr. Maria Jhon (2006-2011).It was blessed by Bishop Yvon Ambroise on 29th September 2007.

In 1930 Rev.Fr.Soosainather built a grotto of Sacred Heart Jesus as a memorial of gratitude for uniting the people together .The grotto got dilapidated and Fr. Maria kagoo in 1938 built a new grotto of Sacred Heart. It was blessed by Bishop Tiburtius Roche on 7th October1938. This grotto got dilapidated. An octagonal Church was constructed in its place by Rev. Fr. Maria John and was completed by Rev. Fr. John Selvam and blessed by Msgr. Dr. Andrew De Rose on 3rd Feb 2012.

At the northern side of River Thamiraparani there is a beautiful Church dedicated to St. Thomas. It was built with the donations given by Maria Sinthathirai Thommasia of Thoothukudi.

Mr. T. R. Pinheiro of Punnaikayal was honoured by the Pope with the knighthood of chevalier. On 14th May 2023, to construct a new church in honour of our Lady of Rajakanni the foundation stone was laid in grandeur. The parish priest Fr. Franklin Fernando along with Frs. Amuthan, Benson, and Sahayam solemnized the event.

Succession of parish priest:
1. Rev. Fr. Bengar S - 1923-1925
2. Rev. Fr. Soosai Nather - 1925-1931
3. Rev. Fr. Mascarenhas - 1931-1933
4. Rev. Fr. Villavarayar T. - 1933-1939
5. Rev. Fr. Alphonse M.Kagoo - 1939-1943
6. Rev. Fr. Benadict Fdo. - 1943-1950
7. Rev. Fr. Antony S. - 1950-1952
8. Rev. Fr. Stephendas - 1952-1956
9. Rev. Fr. L.X. Fdo - 1956-1959
10. Rev. Fr. Rosario Corera - 1959-1961
11. Rev. Fr. J.V. Poobalarayer - 1961-1964
12. Rev. Fr. Lambert Miranda - 1964-1967
13. Rev. Fr. Richard Rodrio - 1967-1969
14. Rev. Fr. Methodius - 1969-1970
15. Rev. Fr. Karunakaran Gomez - 1970-1974
16. Rev. Fr. Hermas Moduthagam - 1974-1978
17. Rev. Fr. Raja Bose - 1978-1984
18. Rev. Fr. Paul Rabinston Raj - 1984-1985
19. Rev. Fr. Pancras Fdo - 1985-1990
20. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Fdo - 1990-1993
21. Rev. Fr. Antony Suresh - 1993-1998
22. Rev. Fr. Joseph Mascraenha s - 1998-2001
23. Rev. Fr. M.J. Irudayaraj - 2001-2004
24. Rev. Fr. Promildon Lobo - 2004-2006
25. Rev. Fr. Paul Rabinston Raj - 2006-2007
26. Rev. Fr. Maria John Costa - 2007-2011
27. Rev. Fr. S. John Selvam - 2011 - 2014
28. Rev.Fr. William Santhanam - 2014 - 2015
29. Rev.Fr. Jeyakar 2015 - 2016
30. Rev.Fr. Kishok 2016 - 2020
31. Rev.Fr. Franklin Fernando 2020 -

Grottos in Parish:
1. St. Sahaya Mary (East) - Punnaikayal
2. Jesus in the Tomb - Punnaikayal
3. Our Lady of Velankanni (South) - Punnaikayal
4. St. Antony - Punnaikayal
5. St. Michael - Punnaikayal
6. St. Joseph - Punnaikayal
7. St. Helannammal - Punnaikayal
8. Our Lady of Velankanni (West) - Punnaikayal
9. St. James - Punnaikayal
10. St. Sebastian - Punnaikayal
11. St. Thomas - Thomaiya Nagar
12. St. Sahaya Matha (West) - Thomaiya Nagar
13. Infant Jesus - Thomaiya Nagar
14. St. Xavier - Saveriyar Nagar
15. St. Thomas - Saveriyar Nagar
16. Sacred Heart. - Irudayapuram

Catholic Population : 12150

No. of Catholic Families : 2009

Sunday Mass – Timing : 5.00 am, 7.00 am, 9.30 am(Catechism Mass)
Week days : 5.30am, 6.15am

Participatory Structures :
1. 78 Anbiyam
2. 15 Pastoral Commissions

Christian Life Societies (Pious Associations)
1. Holy Childhood
2. Eucharistic Crusaders
3. Amalorpa Matha Sodality
4. Holy Family Sodality
5. Franciscan 3 rd Order
6. Legion of Mary (2 presidiums)
7. Vincent De Paul Society

Other Associations & Activities:
1. Sons of Mary Association
2. Krithavar Vazhurimai Iyyakkam

Institutions under the Parish:
1. St. Joseph’s Hr. Sce. School, Punnaikayal - 628 155
2. St. Mary’s Middle School, Punnaikayal -628 155
3. St. Joseph’s Primary School, Punnaikayal -628 155
4. St. Xavier’s Nursery & Primary (English Medium ) – 628155

Religious:
I. Congregation of the Mother of Sorrows. Servants of Mary(OSM)
1. Servite Convent, Punnaikayal - 628 151, Authoor via.
II. Society of Sisters of St. Ann (Luzern) SAS
1. St. Ann’s Convent, Punnaikayal – 628 155.

Institutions under the Religious:
1. Dr. Raja Pinheiro Trust Hospital Punnaikayal– 628 155.

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Corrections added to Existing content by : Rev. Fr. Franklin Fernando
Updated on May 20th 2023.