Rev. Fr. Victor Paulraj - The Parish Priest , Sagayamatha Church, Jothipuram P.o, Veerapondy pirivu, Coimbatore- 641 047.

HISTORY

The coming up of the Central-Government printing press, with a huge housing coiony, saw many Catholics settling here. Some of them had been trained in our Diocesan St. Joseph’s printing press! From 1960 the Rev. Father’s were celebrating weekly Sunday Masses for them in a house. Bishop Savarimuthu, known for his economizing prowess, purchased a plot of land, deep in the interior, because of its cheaper price and a small chapel was built for temporary purpose. In 1970, it was made a sub-station of N.G.G.O. colony parish. After Bishop Visuavasam took over, he began his search for a proper location on the main Road and the present site was bought by him, since no proper land could be found near the Press Colony itself, and besides being centrally located! The present site of 2.85 acres was purchased by the generous donation of the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sisters (F.M.M) in remembrance of the Centenary celebration of the Founding of their Order in Coimbatore Diocese in 1877. Bishop Visuvasam was not only a man of grand visions, but also had the knack of taping financial sources to realize them. The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, arrived and settled down in a farm-house in 1976, and started a Nursery school, just across the road from the church on 18-06-1977. Gradually they developed it into a Matriculation Higher Secondary School and also a dispensary. They were first invited by Rev. Fr. Joseph Pragasam to start a school at Karamadai, then a substation of Mettupalayam Parish. On 16-4-1976, they opened their house at Karamadai, but lots of problems popped u and hence, Bishop Visuvasam allowed them to start at Jothipurare instead. They bought a large plot of land, from Mr. Raja Gopa Naidu, who became the first donor of Rs. 1300, for th construction of their convent, Dispensary and an English Medium School. On 18-6-1977. Bishop Visuvasam blessed and opened their triple building project. Fr. Maria Xavier Oubagaram, then parish priest of N.G.G.O. Colony, played a great supporting role.

The new church was consecrated on 31-05-1984, by Bishop Ambrose and it was erected into a new Parish on the same day with Karamadai as substation and Fr. A. Antonyswamy as the first Parish Priest. A belfry was constructed and blessed in 1996. Fr. John Baptist Hyacinth has constructed a parish Hall, undergoing many difficulties to collect funds. It was blessed on 29-4-2001. A Grotto of Our Lady of Vallankanni was blessed in 2004, sponsored by Mr. Kulandaiswamy and family in the time of Fr. Hyacinth.

Substation : Karamadai

One of the famous temple towns of Kongu Nadu! With the coming up of Industries, some Catholics settled down in and around Karamadai. As his won’t, Bishop Visuvasam had his eyes on setting up the Christian Cross in this barren Pagan soil, steeped in Hinduism. It was part of Mettupalayam parish then. Fr. Joseph Pragasam took great interest in realizing the vision of Bishop Visuvasam. A large plot of land was bought on the main road in 1978. The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, first tired to establish themselves here but Divine Providence had other ideas. Fr. C.S. Madalaimuthu, built a chapel in honour of St. Mary Magdalene (his Patroness) with a generous donation from Fr. Prince Joseph (settled in the States) and it was blessed on 26-7-1981. It became a substation of Jothipuram. What could not be achieved by the Pondicherry Sisters at Karamadai, was achieved by the sisters of Palghat Diocese (Syro-Malabar Rite) and it is a parish of their Diocese and they have successfully running a Matriculation School. The land at the eastern end of the church was sold to the Catholics, so as to form a Christian community there. A compound wall, to protect the property from encroachment, after a protracted legal battle with the owner of an adjoining plot, in 1994, a bell tower in the year 1996 were onstructed and blessed.

MAIN STATION

Distance from the Cathedral Church : 24 K.Ms.

Total No. of Catholic Families both in the Main & Sub - Stations : 570

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 478

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 1500

Mass Timings

Weekdays : Mon to Thurs : 6.30 a.m.

Fri & Sat : 6.3O p.m

Sundays : 8.30 a.m

Religious Houses :

1. Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary 0422 - 2697354

Religious Institutions :

1. immaculate Mat. Hr. Sec.School 0422 - 2692421

2. Sagaya Annai Dispensary 0422 - 2697354 ( Con)

Lay Associations :

1. Sagaya Annai Death Fund Committee

2. Vicent De Paul Society

3. Sagaya Annai Youth Group

4. Legion of Mary

5. Sagaya Annai Prayer Group

6. Kolping India

7. Altar Boys Association

8. Catholic Association

Patronal Feast : Sunday after August the 15th

SUB - STATION

1. Karamadai

Distance : 8 K.Ms.

Families : 92

Catholics : 300

Mass Timings : Sunday 7.00 a. m

Lay Association :

1. Vicent De Paul Society

2. Kolping India