Rev. Fr. A. Lazar Sundar Raj - The Parish priest, Sacred Heart Church, Railway Colony, Erode- 638 002.

HISTORY

In 1932 Erode became an important Railway junction with the Erode Trichy Broad Gauge line conversion and, gradually a large Railway colony came into existence and many Catholics settled here. Hence to cater to the spiritual needs, a church- cum­ presbytery was constructed in 1933 on the land given by the Railway. In 1941 Bishop Oubagarasamy laid the foundation for a new separate church and Fr. T.C. Adaikalarn constructed it and Bishop Oubagarasamy blessed it on 11.02.1943. A grotto of Calvary was built at the entrance, with the help of Mr. T. W. Parker. The church bell was installed in 1938. It was separated from Erode town parish in 1943, as a new parish. Fr. T.C Adaikalarn was the first parish priest. This is one of the few parishes where a number of Anglo Indians are the Parishioners. Rev. Fr. [B. Roche (1945 - 52 ) made the pews for the seating of the Anglo Indians. Fr. S. Joseph ( 1952 60 ), inspite of ill- health, tirelessly endeavoured to raise the level of the Christian life of the parishioners. Fr. M. Regis (1960 62 ), with the donations of the parishioners, paved the sanctuary and half of the church with mosaic stones and Fr. K.P. Vincent (1962 64) completed it. Fr. Maria Aloysius (1964 68 ) infused a new vitality in the parish. A new church and presbytery were constructed, in memory of the Golden Jubilee ml 995 and it was blessed by Bishop Ambrose.

PERUNDURAI :

A sub-station of Erode and attached to Komarapalayam when it was made a parish in 1962, can boast of an equal antiquity as a Christian center as the Erode Christianity. For it is mentioned in the records that Msgr. Bonnaned, Vicar Apostolic of Pondichery when he made his pastoral visit in 1842, Perundurai, though only 23 Kms. from Erode, that he had stopped there to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation to the Christians there, perhaps due to the equally ancient Christianity of Thudupathy 8 miles north, on Perundurai Sathy road where a church had existed in 1850s and the land was later sold off by the diocese, due to emigration of the Christians. During Bishop Savarimutu’s time, a house was acquired and Mass was said there for the Christians, working in the T. B. center. A plot was bought and a new chapel was built and blessed by Bishop Ambrose on 14.1.1984 in honour of the Holy family. It is a historical fact that about 8 miles north of Perundurai, half way between Erode and Sathyamnagalam a village called. Thudupathy where the ruins of a church etc., were found in 192 Os. It shows that there was a possibility of Christians living as early as 1733, who might have been converted by Fr. A. Franceschi, a Jesuit priest of Sathyamangalam Mission.

Main Station

Distance from the Cathedral Church : 105 Kms.

Total No. of Catholic Families both in the Main & Sub - Stations : 600

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 550

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 2200

Mass Timings

Weekdays Mon,Wed & Sat 6.30 a.m

Thu, Thu, & Fri 6.00 p.m

Sundays : 6.30 a.m in English & 8.00 a.m in Tamil.

Religious House :

1. Presentation Convent

Religious Institutions :

1. St. Rita’s Primary School

2. St. Rita’s High School

Lay Associations

1. Legion of Mary

2. Vincent de Paul Society

Patronal Feast : Sacred Heart of Jesus 3rd Week of June

SUB - STATIONS

1. Perundurai

Distance - 23 Kms.

Families - 50

No. of Catholics - 200

Mass Timings - Sat 6.30 p.m