St.Jude's Church Tirunelveli

The central office of the TNEB was established along the Sivanthipatty road at Thiagarajanagar during 1970. Due to its establishment many new colonies like the EB colony, Thiagarajanagar, TVS Nagar, LIC Colony, P&T Colony etc. sprung up around this office. Many catholic families also bought the house sites in this area and they settled in their houses. But as there was no Catholic Church in this area the catholic had to go by bus or other way for Sunday Mass and other religious functions to St. Xavier’s Cathedral, St. Xavier’s College Church, and Sacred Heart Church of the Brothers Union etc. So the faithful approved the parish priest of St. Xavier’s Cathedral Rev. Fr. Maria Michael and asked him to say mass in that area. The father said he was will to say mass provided there was a proper place in that area. It was almost the end of December 1981. They were looking for house and came across a small house, which was owned, by the diocese. And one Mr. Rayappaan a catholic was staying in the house. When the faithful approached him for saying holy mass he was ready to vacate the house. So he extended the area of the house by erection of the thatched roofing pandal and got electric supply to the premises within three days. Father was very happy about this activity and the First Mass said in the thatched roofing Church was the Christmas Mass and Rev. Fr. Maria Michael said it at 2 am on 25th December 1981. From then onwards the regular Sunday mass in the morning and novena in favor of the patron of St. Jude followed by holy mass said at 6.30 pm on all Thursday. Many miracles took place to devotees. One of such incident was a boy was admitted to the Govt. Hospital at the high ground and he was almost sinking. His father came to the church washed the foot of St. Jude’s Status and gave the boy to drink the water. To his surprise the boy recovered miraculously and finally he was discharged from the hospital in a healthy condition. After Fr. Maria Michael, Fr. Susai Marian who the Procurator of the diocese saw the response of the people, and said the mass in that church on all days of the week except on Tuesday and Fridays. As church was overflowing on Sundays, he extended the church with RCC Roofing to accommodate about 400 people. At the time a carpenter by name Madasamy has swelling on both his knees and he was unable to walk. He plucked some neem tree leaves in the neem tree, which is in front of the church kept in the foot of St. Jude’s Statue and then applied on his knees. To his surprise the swelling disappeared and the following day he was to walk. Many miracles have taken place. Rev. Fr. Susai Marian was made the 1st Parish Priest on 1st June 1998.

Succession of the Priests

1. Fr. Susai Marian

2. Fr. V.K.S. Arulraj

3. Fr. Antonysamy S. 4. Fr. Jeyabalan

Substations With Churches

Rajagopalapuram

Sivanthipatty

Parpanathapuram