About Parish

Sankarnagar is situated in the main trunk road of Madurai. There is a famous Sanker Cement Factory. Due to the job opportunity many people settled here. Good number catholic also came and settled here. In order to foster the spiritual life of these people. It was decided to Most. Rev. Bishop Irudayaraj to erect as a new parish. Parish was created on 22.05.1983. This was carried from Pettai parish. Three villages from Puliampatti Parish were added to the new parish. Rev. Fr. S.A. Annasamy was the first Parish Priest. From 1910 Puliyampatty was administered by the Pannerkulam parish priest. The active priests achieved many things by their aspiring activities. For instance Fr. Siluvai frequently visited Puliyampatty from Pannerkulam and said mass. In 1913 he put up a small mandapam with mud walls. In 1919 one thatched room for the priest was build by him. In 1920 Rev. Fr. Blasius took the charge of Pannerkulam. Knowing the importance of this shrine he did some tiresome deeds for its improvement. It 1923 Rev. Fr. B. Dilinger, S.J. bought a land and built up the presbytery with two rooms and a Veranda. Again a land was settled by him in 1931 where he built up shed for Chapparams. During the region of Kuruvilla, S.J. as he found a good number of pilgrims frequenting the shrine, he allowed his assistant Fr. S. Savariraj to stay at Puliyampatty from 1939. In 1943 Fr. T.V.D. Almeida, S.J. put up a mandapam for the pilgrims. Meanwhile the Pannerkulam parish was divided and the new Parish Alavanthankulam was divided and the new Parish included with the new Parish as a sub station. There after a priest began to reside here permanently. The important landmark took place in 1954. It was on the auspicious day of 15th Feb 1954 Puliyampatty became the separate parish with Ref. Fr. A. Mariadas as its first Parish priest. He started an elementary school for local children. In 1955 Rev. Fr. Arulanandam took charge, and he gave his sincere service more than 18 years to the shrine. During his time the elementary school was upgraded to higher elementary school. A branch post office was opened in the Church premises. Another most important event was the extension of the little church to the size of Cathedral Church, and it was blessed by the most Rev. J.P. Leonard S.J. D.D. the Archbishop of Madurai on 13.06.1961. After Fr. Arulanandam, Fr. T.A. Berchmans served here for 5 years. He did so many things for the convenience of the pilgrims including the Thar Road, and also the Bus convenience. At present this shrine is flourishing in so many aspects. The whole credit goes to Rev. P. Gnanapragasam, the present parish priest who can be well addressed.