Parish Priest                   : Rev. Fr. A. Maria Joseph

Address :

The Parish Priest, St. Thomas (R.C.) Church, Thomaspuram, Avinashi P.o, Tirupur-641654.

HISTORY

Avinashi, is one of the famous temple towns of Kongu Nadu, dating back to Karikala Cholan, dominated by Palai Veilala Goundars. Chevur is also an ancient town of the chieftains of the same caste, with ancient stone inscriptions. It is very strange that the large area, so close to the Mother Church of Karumathampatty, upto Perundurai and from Puliampatti( Kannuvakkarai ) to Dharapuram seems to have been by-passed by the earlie missionaries till 1930. Tirupur, which became a separate parish in 1934, became the center of a belated missionary activity in this region and the credit for the first conversion in Avinashi area goes to Fr. T.C. Adaikalam (1935 - 1936) when he converted a few Korava families at Avinashi, Pappankulam and Naduvacheri,originally contacted by Fr. Audiou, were converted and later looked after from Tirupur by Fr. Legrand (1 936- 1938). He continued the conversion of some more of the same community. His successor Fr. Maria Soosai (1938 - 1950) converted many at Kannur, Goundampalayam and Veerapandi. At Veerapandi, the Lutherans converted many Adi-dravida families, but in 1940 they were converted to the Catholicism and they bought the Lutheran’s a chapel for Rs 40. In December 1941, Avinashi was made a separate parish and the first parish priest was Fr. S. Amirdham (1942 - 1944). He lived in a rented house and on 13.7.1942 a land called Chengadu (red land), ten and half acres, was bought by the then procurator of the diocese, Fr. Savarimuthu (who became the Bishop in 1950) for Rs. 5250. Fr. Amirdham constructed the church in honour of St.Thomas the Apostle and Bishop Ubagarasamy blessed it on 6.6.1943. Fr. A. Soosai (1944- 1949) was the main spring of the mission work in this area Due to his untiring efforts, some Vaiayars at Avinashi and others at Thandukaran Palayam, Valayapalayam, Alathur, Kuttai puthur were baptized by him. He bought the land (now Lourdupuram) near Thandukaran Palayam for constructing a church. He also started an Elementary School. at Avinashi in the church premises in 1943. Fr. S.M. Royappar (1949 - 1954) upgraded it into a Higher Elementary Schod and built the school building with government and diocesan funds. The school was handed over to F.M.M sisters in 1960 and they raised it to a High School and put up new school buildings and an orphanage for girls was started. There is also a Basic Elementary School. Fr. Royappar also converted some families at Koneripuram and Pacham Palayam. Fr. M.Ignatius lrudayam (1955 - 1960) converted 20 families at Sedapalayam and he built a chapel there in honour of St.Antony and it was blessed on 6.08.1956. Fr. P. Irudaya Samy (1961-64) with the help of the diocese constructed new houses for the new converts at Avinashi and a work-shed at Sedapalayam. Bishop Savarimuthu also gave 40 house-sites to the new Christians from the church land at Naduvachery (now called as Siluvaipuram, at Chevur) free of cost. At Avinashi a small sacristy-cum-presbytery was built, then it was extended further with an additional thatched shed. Finally a permanent prcsbytery was constructed in1988 by Fr. Joseph Pragasam and blessed by Bishop Ambrose. A new parishchurch, with an elegant belfry’ was constructed by Fr. Joseph Pancras and was blessed on 2.7.1994 by Bishop Ambrose. The F.M.M sisters were invited in 1950 to start their convent and adispensary on a small scale at the building that was used as presbytery. In 1960 their separate convent was built. In 1950 they started th Assumption Hospital that grew into a full-fledged hospital with 60 beds and with modern equipments. They have specialized in treating snakebites and also have a Sidha dispensary. Since I 98 they started training girls from the villages for medical nursing and an eleven-month course in Auxiliary nursing. The Assisi sisters of Kerala have started a convent, producing garments near by on the road to Tirupur and their chapel was blessed on 2.7.1994. Lourdupurarn was bi-ficurated as a separate parish from Avinash in 1956. In Pacha Palayam one of the sub- station to Lourdupuram only a chapel is standing with out any Christians as they had migrated to other places. Avinashi is the first mission where the Indian priests had started conversions, though some spade work had been done by Fr. Audiou in some of its sub - stations.

Main Staion

Distance from the Cathedral Church : 45 K.Ms.

Total No. of Catholic Families both in the Main & Sub Station : 250

Total No. of Catholic Families in the Main Station : 150

No. of Catholics in the Main station : 650

Mass Timings

Weak Days : Mon, Wed, Fri 6.30 a.m

: Tue, Thu, Sat 6.30 p.m

Sunday : 8.00 p.m

Religious Houses :

1. EM.M.Convent 04296 - 272267

Religious Institutions :

1. St. Thomas Girls Hr. Sec. School 04296 - 273467

2. St. Thomas Elementary School 04296 - 273467 (Con)

3. Assumption Hospital 04296 - 273367

Lay Association :

1. Legion of Mary

2. Vincent De Paul Society

3. Altar boys association

4. Prayer Groups

Patronal Feast : First Sunday of July

SUB - STATION

1. SILUVAIPURAM

Distance - 5 K.Ms

Families - 100

No. of Catholics - 400

Mass Timings - Thur 7.00 p.m