St. Xavier’s Church, Kodaikanal
In 1895-96 the Jesuit Scholasticate was transferred from
the plains to Shenbaganur Sacred Heart College. It was called Shenbaganur
College because of the sweet smelling Shenbaga flower tree grove existed at
this site. For the sake of the people of Taikkal, Shenbaganur and Korappur a
small chapel was built on the grounds of the College, in a site that has now
become the garage of the College. There the people gathered for Mass,
instructions and reception of the Sacraments.
When in 1922 Fr. M. Munch S.J. was given charge of the
juniorate and the parish of Shenbaganur, he found that the chapel at the
College grounds was far from the people and decided to erect a church in the
centre of Shenbaganur settlement.
When he left for his Tertianship, his successor, Fr.
J.P. Leonard, as the superior of the Community formed a committee for settling
disputes and bringing about peace and order. In 1926 the work of the church
dedicated to St. Francis Xavier was started under the supervision of Br.
Azarolla S.J. When Fr. Gnanadickam S.J. took charge of this parish in 1926 he
gave new life to the parish associations; he introduced the Marian devotions in
May and the feast of St. Francis Xavier preceded by a Novena. Fr. J.P. Leonard
became the parish priest again in 1929. The subsequent parish priests were Fr.
Vignon S.J., Fr. Mares S.J. who built the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes as a
thanksgiving offering for the cure of his mother at Lourdes in France, Fr.
Maria Michael, S.J., Fr. Hagen S.J., Fr. Simon S.J., Fr. Lay S.J., Fr. Lemahieu
S.J. who invited the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1946, Fr. R.
Gnanapragasam S.J., Fr. Picard S.J., 1949, Fr. Billing S.J., who celebrated the
silver jubilee of the church with a triduum and arranged a reception to the
first priest from the parish, Fr. Sebastian, ordained in March 1954; he too
built a new chapel at Pragasapuram and he is still remembered for the innovative
ministry for nine years.
Since Pragasapuram, which is two miles away from Shenbag
parish was developing into a sizable settlement, the Sisters of Gonzaga were
invited to start a school with a boarding and a dispensary. In 1972 Fr.
Asirvatham S.J. took charge of the parish. Enthusiastic and bold, he built a
new Kurusadi at Koyya Parai, another at Sahayapuram; planned for St. John de Britto community centre and
invited Fr. Ary S.J., the Secretary of the Missions at the Jesuit Secretariat,
Rome, to lay the foundation stone for the centre and had it blessed by Msgr
Diraviam on 16 February 1975.
St.
Xavier Home of Love:
Fr. Asirvatham started a home for ten poor children and
with his indomitable zeal soon managed to get funds, from friends in India and
abroad and put up a huge building which now houses 300 Tribal children of Upper
hills and lower hills of Kodaikanal. He constructed a two storied building for
the middle school.
Fr. Arockiaraj S.J. succeeded him and procured a car for
the use of the Home. In 1985 Fr. R.G. Zacharias became parish priest. His rich
experience as parish priest in different places helped him instill a new life
to the parish activities. Perumalmalai was bifurcated during his period. The
dormitory of the boys was extended. The Parish church was renovated and the
altar was consecrated on 18 September 1988.
St. Xavier’s Home was further developed by Fr. Z. Joseph
Selva Raj as he took charge of the parish in 1991. To usher the participation
of the people in the pastoral ministry the parish council was started. In order
to settle disputes between individuals, families and couples of the parish
community a Justice and Peace committee was formed. A farmer’s society was
started to encourage cultivation through supply of fertilizers, pesticides and
seeds at lower cost. A saving scheme for men and women and Self Help Groups for
women were started and bank loans were availed for people. With the personnel
assistance from Medical Mission Sisters a Dispensary was opened for the
children and the parishioners.
With the aid of RED BARNA and MERTERFELLETTE SCOLE of Norway
facilities such as a new block for Orphanage girls, kitchen, bathing rooms and
toilets for boys and girls, rain water harvesting system, supply of good
drinking water and Power Generator were established. With the assistance of
Manos Unidas a new school building was constructed in the pear garden and the
High School was upgraded into a Higher Secondary School. He was also working as
one of the teaching staff in the school.
REDD BURNA agency stopped helping the students from 1999
at the year Fr. Louis took charge of the parish. With the support of Archbishop
Arokiasamy, Fr. John Britto Packiaraj and Mother Noemi, Fr. Louis received the
financial assistance for education of the children from CARITAS PRAHA in 2000
through sponsorship programme. SERMIRR and SERMIT, the Italian agencies too
supported the Home financially. Since then not only the students of the Home
but also the day-scholar students benefitted from this sponsorship programme.
Moreover, they are supported for their higher studies too. During the
period of Fr. Louis the following developmental works were carried out: i)
installation of solar water heating system, ii) construction of separate
toilets for the students of Home and school children, iii) construction of
Boys’ Dining Hall and the Girl’s Dormitory with the help from FRATELLI
DIMENTICATI, iv) construction of store room and garage with the help of Italian
friends, v) purchase of precious 2.10 acres of land for the support of Home,
vi) construction of Dr. John Antony Consoli Dispensary for the students and the
parishioners as well, (This project was supported by American friend of
Archbishop Peter Fernando who blessed it in 2004) vii) Upgrading of St.
Xavier’s High School into Higher Secondary School in 1999, viii) Installation
of computers and the beginning of computer education and ix) Construction of
additional school block with an Auditorium. It was supported by the Italian
Agency, FRATELLI DIMEMTICATI.
Succession of Parish Priests:
Fr. Joseph Maries S.J. (1938-40), Fr. George Simon S.J.
(1940), Fr. James Lay S.J. (1941-42), Fr. Lemahieu S.J. (1942-48), Fr. Joseph
Gnanapragasam S.J. (1948), Fr. Billing S.J. (1948-58), Fr. P. Veaux S.J.
(1958-69), Fr. Pujo S.J. (1969-71), Fr. P. Asirvatham S.J. (1971-81), Fr. P.
Arockiaraj S.J. (1981-82), Fr. V.S. Raju S.J. (1982-85), Fr. K.G. Zacharias
(1985-91), Fr. Z. Joseph Selvaraj (1991-99), Fr. Louis A. (1999-2004), Fr. N.P.
Alphonse (2004-06), Fr. V. Antony Samy (2007-12), Fr. A. Xavier Raj (2012-Till
date)
