Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

The Kayathar Parish is well known not only for its historical importance but also for the existence of the ancient catholic community. In the beginning, the small catholic community was persecuted and underwent a lot of untold miseries. The Kayathar land stands not only for patriotism but it also tells the persecution of Catholic Ulagandan, the village headman ill-treated the Catholics. But the converted Christians welcomed the persecution with a dazzling and winsome smile. The chapel was also demolished. But the boon crucial situation turned against Ulagandan who was defeated by the Rajah. The church was rebuilt. For a long time, they had a small thatched-roof church. In 1987 the foundation was laid for, new church and it was completed in 1882 after facing and breaking all obstacles and hurdles put by the Mohammedans. In 1882 Msgr. Canoz blessed and celebrated the first mass. Though the Kayathar community was the most ancient one in the south, it became the parish centre only on 1st September 1949 with Fr. P.K. Mathew as its first parish priest. Kayathar is on the trunk road. It developed very fast. This parish people were bought in strong faith. Very many development works were carried out to uplift the people. Substations With Churches Kayathar South Vadakku Mylodai Panneerkulam Agilandapuram Kumaragiri Kammapatti Veppankulam Vellalankottai Villicheri Chatrapatti Vadakku Ilanthaikulam Jivanoor Substations Without Churches Ilavelankal Kodangal Onamakulam Asoor Meithalaivanpatti Athikulam Raja Pudukudi Thangammalpuram The Succession of the Priests 1. Rev. Fr. Siluvaisamy 2. Rev. Fr. Gnanasamy 3. Rev. Fr. Delinger 4. Rev. Fr. Britto 5. Rev. Fr. Mathew 6. Rev. Fr. Valentine Dias SJ 7. Rev. Fr. Anthony 8. Rev. Fr. Jeyabalan 9. Rev. Fr. Arockiasamy 10. Rev. Fr. Vianneyraj 11. Rev. Fr. Devarajan 12. Rev. Fr. Charles 13. Rev. Fr. James 14. Rev. Fr. F. Gnanapragasam 15. Rev. Fr. Peter. A. 16. Rev. Fr. Joseph Kennedy. A. 17. Rev. Fr. Alocius Durairaj. L.

Kayathar, Tuticorin Dt. - Tamil Nadu, 628 552 - India