Parish Priest                    : Rev. Fr. A. Maria Antony Lawrence 

Assistant Parish Priest  : Rev. Fr. Paulraj

Address:

The Parish Priest, St. Theresa's R.C.Church, Karur P.o, Karur Dt. 639001.

HISTORY

Karur was the earliest Capital of Chera Kingdom, and it is closer to Trichy than to Coimbatore. Some Christian converts because of the persecutions in Trichy and Tanjore, had settled down much before 1642. That explains, how Fr. Baltasar de Costa S.) on his way to Sathyamangalam to start a new mission in 1643 found some old Christians in Karur and he ministered to their spiritual needs, then proceeded to Erode and then to Sathyamangalam. On his return journey to Trichy, again at Karur he baptized a young man of Tanjore after he dismissed his second wife, and the old Christians received the sacraments and gained theJubilee indulgences. He converted a Yogi and his 20 disciples. The first Christians must have settled down after migrating, from Trichy and later most probably from Dindigul area and the first chapel( though a thatched hut, which existed till 1903 when it was destroyed by fire) was located at Mavadian street ( Adi Dravider). Even today these Christians have marriage alliances with Dindigul area. In 1859 again the existence of tbis thatched chapel is mentioned with 50 Christians. Since from 1643 Christians were only in Karur in all the ecclesiastical records Karur is only mentioned officially though Passupathypalayam latter had gained importance from 1800. It was all along been the head quarters of Karur Christianity, but was always called as Karur and never as Pasupathy Palayam, because the Christianity of Karur was more ancient by 150 years.

Around the year 1 800, 1 5 catholic Vellala families from Purathakudi (now in Kumbakonam diocese), 10 families from Kalkaveri ( Salem diocese) and 6 families from Trichy settled down at Pasupathypalayam. In 1855 a small church and a presbytery were constructed here by Fr. Tassay and there were 40 Catholics at Karur (a hut used as chapel) and Pasupathipalayam with 50 Catholics and a poor chapel, whereas Nerur had at that time 250 Catholics. Though officially it was part of Dharapuram center it is learnt that the Jesuits from Trichy and Marambady (Dindigul) used to visit this area, specially to help during the feast days and other important days. From the beginning of the 19th century, there were many old Christians of the depressed class at Nerur and they had a close relationship with the Christian village of the opposite bank of Cavery (Pettai Palaym). Though there was no chapel, in 1855 Nerur numbered 250 Christians. However in 1862 a chapel was built there by Fr. Pottiere. In 1 884 Karur became a separate parish from Dharapuram, with Nerur and Chinna Dharapuram with its sub-stations Pasupathypalayam as head quarters Pasupath Palayam continued to be the head quarters, a chapel and presbytery were built in 1884. From then on the parish priest was residing at Karur for 3 months and for the next 3 months at Chinna Dharapuram, thus alternating between them. The old presbytery at Pasupathipalayam existed till recently and was used as a classroom. In 1891 Fr. Ignatius bought 3.4 acres of land during the time of Bishop Bardou at Pasupathy Palayam.

From 1900 old Catholics from K.G.Valasu, Komarapalayam, and Palayakottai began settling down at Karur. Since they were all weavers they found greater opportunity of coming up economically at Karur (which was then developing into an important textile center) and they became prosperous with Gods help and by their own industry. Very quickly some of them, from being weavers became cloth producers and merchants. The increasing population of Christians at Karur added with the difficulty of crossing the river Amaravathi for the church purposes, a separate church at Karur became a necessity. In 1928 the diocese purchased a land for the new church and a temporary church was first constructed and then the permanent church with the generous help of the local Catholics was constructed by Fr. C.S. Maria Arokiarn in 1930 . A new presbytery, using the materials saved from the temporary chapel, was also soon built with Rs. 10,000 from the diocese. Thus Karur which was the parish only in ‘name’, finally in 1930 became the parish head quarters infact!

Fr. E. A. Chinnappan can be considered as the most dynamic builder of this ancient parish. During his long stewardship (1940 - 1954) the parish saw developments on all fronts. He brought the Presentation sisters convent on 25.05.1945 and started an Elementary School, which was raised to high school. He built the impressing High school building and also the beautiful Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes with the help of Mr. Mariapragasam. He built chapels at Venkittapurarn and Sendampatty. He also constructed an Elementary school at Nerur. The Silver Jubilee of the parish church was celebrated duly in 1955 by Fr. Sadhanantham (1955-1960) and the portico was built in remembrance of the event. Fr. Ignatius Irudayam ( 1961-1962) arranged for the management of the Elementary school at Pasupathypalayam, run by a local catholic layman in the church premises to diocesan management. Fr. John Xavier started the ambitious construction of the present new church, during the time of Bishop Savarimuthu, but which was completed and blessed by Bishop Visuvasm in 1972. This church contains a unique architectural marvel of having two under-ground chapels one below the other, making use of the natural slant of the ground to some extent: the upper underground chapel, is really a mass of concrete pillars upholding the church flooring above, but in an artistic curves, in honour of Sagayamatha and the second underground chapel, depicting the tomb of our Lord. A natural underground source of water sprang up at the 3rd level, considered ‘miraculous’, but it dried up later.

A new school building at Pasupathypalayam was blessed on 6.5.1976. A new church was built at Nerur and blessed on 27.05.1992. At Pugalur a new ecumenical chapel (shared by C.S.I) was blessed on 22.12.1992. The new presbytery was completed and was blessed on I .5.1988.The parish church was furthei beautified with false ceiling and concealed lighting the first in the diocese and a marble altar as a memorial of the Golden Jubilee ol the church in 1980. A spacious presbytery was started in 1982 and was completed and blessed on 1 .5.1988 with an additional floor. At Puliur land was bought and a shrine of Infant Jesus was started and new a Church was constructed and blessed in 1996.

Every Thursday the Novena is conducted and it draws large number of devotees. In June 2002 Puliur was reattached to Karur; an additional land was bought and the church is under construction by Fr. A. Loudu lrudaya Raj.

Main Station

Distance from the Cathedral Church : 1 35 Kms.

Total No. of Catholic Familics both in the Main & Sub- Stations : 622

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 463

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 1852

Mass Timings

Weekdays Mon, Thurs,& Sat : 6.00 a.m

Tue, Wed, & Fri 6.00 p.m

Sundays : 6.OO a.m 8.l5 a.m & 5.30 p.m

Religious House :

1. Presentation Convent

Religious Institutions :

1. St.Theresa’s Mat.School

2. St Theresa’s Elementary School

3. St. Theresa’s Tailoring Institute

Lay Associations :

1. Legion of Mary

2. Sirumalar Mandram

Patornal Feast : 2nd Sunday of October