St. Antony's Church
Vilathikulam

Parish Name : St. Antony’s Church
Address : Vilathikulam – 628 907, Vembar Road, Tuticorin Dt.
Patron Saint : St. Antony
Telephone No : 04638 - 233535

A Brief History :
The village Vilathikulam had been a sub-station of Nagalapuram parish for a long number of years. St. Antony as patron saint, Vilathikulam had a small church and in 1975 it was decided to have a new church and the foundation was laid in the year 1975 and was completed in 1977 and was blessed by the then bishop of Tuticorin Most Rev. Ambrose Mathali Muthu.

On May 31st 1981 Vilathikulam was bifurcated from Naglapuram and announced as a new parish which included few sub-stations from Nagalapuram and few sub-stations from Keelamudiman parish. The new parish also had three government aided primary schools.

In 1994 the then bishop of Tuticorin, Most Rev. S.T. Amalanather handed over the parish to the Salesians of Don Bosco religious order. The Salesians built churches in all sub-stations. In the year 2000 Rev. Fr. Amala Joseph S.D.B. started “Vembu” people movement. In the same year a new parish “Keela Eral” was bifurcated from Vilathikulam parish and was given to the Salesians. One government aided primary school was given the new parish. New presbytery was constructed at Vilathikulam, adjacent to the parish church and it was blessed on April 29th 2007. On seeing the need, a new spacious Church, was constructed and was blessed by Most Rev. Bishop A. Stephen on October 9th 2022.

Sucession of Parish Priests:
1. Rev.Fr. Antony Pitchai - 1981 – 1983
2. Rev.Fr. Alwin V. Rayer - 1983 – 1987
3. Rev.Fr. Nava Jothi - 1987 – 1988
4. Rev.Fr. Jeyaseelan - 1988 – 1990
5. Rev.Fr. Nava Jothi - 1990 – 1994

Salesian Parish Priests:
6. Rev.Fr. Lawrence Soosai, SDB - 1994 – 1998
7. Rev.Fr. Vincent Sebastin, SDB - 1998 – 2000
8. Rev.Fr. Amala Joseph, SDB - 2000 – 2001
9. Rev.Fr. Rosario Perez SDB - 2001 – 2006
10. Rev.Fr. Agilan Sarprasadam SDB - 2006 – 2011
11. Rev.Fr. Vincent Vijayan SDB - 2011 - 2016
12. Rev.Fr. Paulraj Sundaram, SDB 2016 - 2019
13. Rev.Fr. John Kennedy, SDB 2019 - 2020
14. Rev.Fr. Amirthanathan Irudayaraj, SDB 2020 - 2022
15. Rev.Fr. Suresh Felix SDB - 2022 - 2024
16. Rev.Fr. . Jeyan Joseph SDB 2024 -

Sub – Stations
1. Chinnoor – Our Lady of Universe
2. Kathalampatti – St. Xavier
3. Kadalkudi - St. Antony
4. Marthadampatti – Sacred Heart of Jesus
5. Vaathalakarai – St. Michael
6. Vilvamarathupatti – St. Ignatius of Loyola
7. Vilvanagar – Our Lady of Vailankanni
8. Ayan Bommayapuram – Sacred Heart of Jesus

Grottos in the parish:
1. St. Antont - Vilathikulam
2. Our Lady - Vilathikulam

Catholic Population : 2310

No. of Catholic Families : 300

Sunday Mass – Timings : 7.30a.m;8.30a.m;7.30p.m
Weekdays : 7.30 p.m

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

Christian Life Societies (Pious Associations)
1. Vincent de Paul society
2. Legion of Mary

Other Associations & Activities
1. Bores Typing Institute
2. Bosco Tailoring Institute
3. Vembu Social Service Centre
4. Krithavar Vazhvurimai Iyyakkam

Institutions under the Parish
St. Pius Primary School, Kaththalampatti – 628 907 Vilathikulam P.O.
St.Antony’s Primary School, Marthandampatti – 628 907.

Religious
Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)
Don Bosco Mission, Vilathikulam – 628 907 Tel: 04638 – 233535

Sisters of Charles Borromeo (SCB)
St. Charles Convent, Vembar Road, Vilathikulam – 628 907 Tel: 04638 – 233087

Institutions under the Religious
Don Bosco Computer Centre, Vilathikulam – 628 907.
Don Bosco Sewing Institute, Vilathikulam – 628 907
Don Bosco Typing Institute, Vilathikulam – 628 907
Vembu, Social Service Centre, Vembar Road, Vilathikulam – 628 907
Don Bosco Boy’s Home, Vilathikulam – 628 907 Vilathikulam P.O

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New Info provided by : Rev. Fr. Suresh Felix SDB
Scanned page: None, Previous file name :parish-vilathikulam-st-antony0.htm
Original brief history in Tamil before English translation : parish-vilathikulam-st-antony1.htm
Updated on Dec 21st 2022, May 8th 2023

Updated : July 12th 2024