Rev. Fr. Jeraldin Stephen- The Parish Priest, St. Paul's the Hermit Church, Iyerpady P.O, Via Pollachi- 642 108.

HISTORY

It was the sub-station of Valparai parish from the beginning. The Management of Iyerpady Estate was generous to build a small chapel in honour of St. Antony at their expense near their factory and was blessed by Fr. C. S. Maria Arokiam, the parish priest of Valparai on 17. 04.1932. But there was a private popular devotion to St. Paul the Hermit (Vanathu Chinnaper) from the early days and on the side of the mountain between Iyerpadi and Rottikadai, the people had put up a shed with a statue of St. Paul the Hermit and the devotion became very popular, irrespective of caste and creed. Hence Fr. George Kunnath built a small chapel there costing Rs. 9000, mainly donated by the devotees and Msgr. A. Joseph blessed it on 27.04.1952, the then Vicar General. Every year the feast of St. Paul the Hermit is celebrated on a very grand scale, not only, the local people but also from far away Estates take part in annual feast celebrations, bringing their own “thers” in procession and they will assemble at one point and then all together proceed to the main church. It is a sort of common pilgrimage center. The Silver Jubilee of the chapel was celebrated in 1977 and the Stations of the Cross were erected on 7. 3. 1978 by Fr. Amalraj over the bill, behind the church, now called as Siluvai Malai. People from other parishes also participate in the Way ol the Cross, held during the Lent. It was bifurcated from Valparai on 16.06. 1992, and Fr. Vincent Paul Raj was the first parish priest. He constructed a beautiful new church and Bishop Ambrose consecrated it on 14.01.1996. The presbytery was constructed just before Iyerpadi became a parish in 1992. In 1980 a bell wa purchased and a belfry was built. On 17.04.198 3 a new chapel was blessed at Kadamparai by Fr. S. Amalraj. The name Iyerpadi was because of an Iyer (Brahmin) who was an employee of th Estate, who was one of the earliest resident of this estate colon) of the labourers (such colonies are called as Padis). Rotti Kadai, the only prompoku land here and there was a shop in the early days, supplying bread (Rotti) and hence the non-estate habitation got the name as “Rotti Kadai”. The Presentation Sisters started a Convent and English Nursery School at Water falls Estate, at th insistence of Bishop Visuvasam, but it had to be closed after a few years, because of the non-cooperation of the Estate management. Fr. Francis Rosario constructed an attractive Grotto of Our Lad) of Lourdes, making use of a natural spring from the hill-side.

Main Station

Distance from the Cathedral Church 100 Kms.

Total No. of Catholic Families both in the Main & Sub - Stations : 125

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 88

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 350

Mass Timings

Weekdays : Tue & Fri 6.15 p.m

Mon, Wed, Thur, Sat 7.00 a.m

Sundays : 9.30 a.m

Lay Associations :

1. Legion of Mary

Patornal Feast: St. Paul The Hermit (2 nd Sunday of February)

SUB- STATIONS

1. Waterfalls

Distance - 17 Kms.

Families - 31

No. of Catholics - 110

Mass Timings - Sundays 12.00 noon

2. Kadamparai

Distance - 37 Kms.

Families - 6

No. of Catholics - 25

Mass Timings - Second Sunday 2.00 p.m