Parish Priest                   : Rev. Fr. A. Henry Daniel

Address :

The Parish Priest, St. Xavier's Church, Puckklipalayam, Via-Mangalam- 641663.

HISTORY

This ancient Christian village, from 8h century also a famous pilgrimage center had a flourishing community of Devanga Catholics, baptized by Sathy Jesuit Missionaries in the I7th century and migrated from there due to famine, wars and persecution towards the end of 1 7th century. In the Statistics of 1859 we read: Poomalur 50 Catholics a church and an old house (presbytery) and PukkilipalayamL 150 [Catholics, no church; Vettupalayam: 153. Catholics and a church Murungampalayam: 83 Catholics and a church. Thus even as early as 1859 the Catholics of Poomanur had started to migrate to other places especially to Pukkilipalayam. The main reason seems to be, because of its location deep in the interior with no proper road connections, which, for a weaver’s community whoforined the Chflstiànity here, w4s essentialy was forced to emigrate to dther convenient places. This trend of emigration continued to iuch an extent’that by I 960s there was not a single Catholicfamily residing here, to, look after this famous St. Antony’s Shrine. Before that time, the tradition has it that, devotees as far away as Palghat area, used to flock to this Shrine. Unfortunately no exact historical data is available about when the Shrine was built, when the extension of the long potico wa constructed, nor when the old pilgrims’ quarters came up etc., is anybody’ guess. But certainly Poomanur was as ancient a Karumathampatty as the Devanga Catholics from Sathyamangalam, began settling down in the South from 1750 onwards. The devotion. to St. Antony has been revived and for the weekly Tuesday Novenas, people from surrounding village flock hither. Because of the absence of the local Catholics, this pilgrimage center had to undergo the humiliation of being a sub-station to Karumathampatty till 1860 then from 1860 of Pallapalayam and from 1893 of Pukilipalayam and then again of Pallapalayam. It was during this time this ancient church was completely pulled down and a modern church was built by Fr. Dominic. Very recently once again it hasd become a sub-station of Pukilipalayam, ‘vhile the presbytery was rebuilt, Poomalur for 2- 3 years, had the joy of being the residence of the parish priest of Puckilipalayam! A new pilgrims’ quarters has been built by thi indefatigable Fr. Peter Adaikalam who has been toiling hard to rais Poomanur. to its pristine glory.

Main Station

Distance from the Cathedral Church : 46 Kms.

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 35

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 150

Mass Timings

Weekdays : 6.30 a.m & 6.00 p.m

Sundays : 7.30 a.m

Patronal Feast Sunday after December 3rd

Sub Stalons

1. Poomalur

Distance - 6 Kms.

Families - 5

No. of Catholics - 5

Mass Timings - Sunday 11.00 a.m

Tuesday 7.30 a.m 11 a.m & 6p.m

2. Vettupalayam

Distance - 1 Kms.

Families - 5

No. of Catholics - 20

Mass Timings - Second Sunday 7.30 a.m