Child Jesus

Child Jesus

Address:

Child Jesus Church
kurukuchalai
Panchalakurichy Road,
Tuticorin Dt
Pin : 628 722.
Ph.No : 0461-2373281.

Brief History:

Bifurcated from Keezhamudiman parish on the 29th of September 1999 by Bishop Amalnather, Kurukuchalai was entrusted to the care of the Carmelites with Fr. Maria David as its first parish priest. Its mother parish Keezhamudiman used to have 21 parishes. Some of them were as far as 25 kilo meters from the parish center. Hence, all the parishioners could not be taken care of well due to infrequent visits by the parish priest. Villages around Kurukuchalai were without regular contact with the church with sometimes only one mass in a year. Many became Hindus and the others lived as nominal Christians without knowing the meaning of Christian life. Even Baptism was not given for about 2 generations and so Christianity was almost in its last breath in this area. Fr. X.D. Selvaraj considering this situation recommended to the Bishop to make Kurukuchalai as a parish which was readily accepted by the diocese. Without a church or rectory Fr. David and the Assistant parish priest had to stay in a rented house (from 1999 to 2001) and did ministry.

As there was no land for the church in Kurukuchalai, the Carmelites bought 6.5 acres of land and built a house, which was inaugurated on the 14th of December 2001. Foundation for the church was laid on the 4th of November 2004. About one and half year after the parish was created, people in the substation of Governagiri rejoined with the parish of Keezhamudiman. Now Kurukuchalai has 9 substations. Among the families of 175, 90 % are Dalit Christians and 95 % are illiterate.

Parish Priests:

Fr. Maria David 1999-1005
Fr. Paul Antony 2005

Substations:

Sinthalakottai
East Seithalai
West Lakshmipuram
Kollamparampu
Kacheri – Thalavaipuram
Shanmugapuram
Meenakshipuram
Velayudapuram
Ramachandrauram