Tondiarpet

St. John the Apostile Church

A Brief History
Tondiarpet once belonged to Kasimode Parish. With the financial help of Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias, SDB and the hard work of Rev. Msgr. John Kottaram, the Parish of Tondiarpet came into existence in 1965.
On 3rd December, 1965, the presbytery in this Church was blessed by Most Rev. Dr. Francis Carvalho. On the same day, this presbytery was given to Rev. Mother Teresa which became their first convent in South India.
The first Parish Priest was Rev. Fr. C.J. Mani. In 1984 Rev. Fr. James Panaparampil built a grotto of the Holy Family in memory of the Silver Jubilee of his ordination. In December 1990, the Silver Jublee of the Parish was celebrated and the then Parish Priest, Rev. Fr.Tondiarpet once belonged to Kasimode Parish. With the financial help of Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias, Thomas Simon started a Nursery School and a Primary English Medium school and a Tailoring school and remodelled the extended Altar which was blessed by the then Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. Casimir Gnanadickam SJ.
A dispensary was started and medicines were freely distributed by Drs. Adaikkalanathan, Sekhar and Mary Innocent. For 16 years, this parish stands first in paying the largest amount towards Mission Sunday collections. In 1999, Fr. L.C., Rayanna constructed the new Dispensary building and extended the school building and the then Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Arul Das James blessed them.
In 2004, the front portion of the church was renovated with granite stones and a grotto in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes was built by Rev. Fr. V. Henry Louis which was blessed by the Auxiliary Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Lawrence Pius Dorairaj on 14th May 2005.