Semmedu is an interior village on Kolli Hills, located on a range of beautiful hills which form parts of the Eastern Ghats. Realizing the conducive atmosphere for social ministry and the passion to serve the tribal people on this mountainous region, the SMMI Sisters took the initiative and already had formed their community at Cholakkad in 1999. They initially lived in a rented house and later they bought their own land and built a house for their residence, establishing a social service centre. Fr. M. S. Martin, who was the Vicar General of the diocese of Salem, invited the MSFS fathers through his contact with Fr. S. Antony, (sr) MSFS. Fr. Thomas Perumalil, MSFS, the provincial superior of the Visakhapatnam province, responded to the invitation of Rev. Dr. Singarayan, the bishop of Salem and designated Fr. S. Antony MSFS who took charge of the mission on 12 June 2001. As a pioneer of this mission, he first stayed in a rented house at Cholakkad and studied the ground reality of the situation, initiating various social ministries. As a result, he made efforts in looking for the availability of land and finally with the help of the province, he bought 4.18 acres within a short time and registered it in the name of the province on 9 October 2001. Later, a few more cents of land were bought for the province. He worked tenaciously and tirelessly to establish a social service centre and to create a farm estate, planting money crops like pepper plants, gloves, cardamom, oak trees and fruit plants.
Developments at various Times
Fr. A. Antony, MSFS (Tony) as the director of the centre found out that there was a government scheme to provide scholarship assistance to the poor children studying in the residential schools run by the Non-Government Organizations, who would take care of the educational needs of the tribal children. Understanding the essential need to care for the poor children in this region and to make use of the government scholarship scheme, Fr. Tony, MSFS took the necessary steps to build a children’s boarding with the support of the province to accommodate and provide education to the tribal children. This hostel is named as “Betty Boys’ Home” after the name of the donor from Italy. The boarding house was blessed by Rev. Dr. Singarayan, the bishop of Salem and was inaugurated by Fr. A. Lawrence, MSFS, the Regional Superior on 07 December 2007. There used to be about 25 inmates every year who were provided free boarding and education. Fr. Tony took various initiatives to develop the centre and care for the students. Meanwhile, he also created a parish community organizing the few Christians living there and it was later established as a separate parish. He served the mission with perseverance and dedication. After eight years of dedicated service, he was transferred to take up the parish of Kodungal.
Fr. D. Robert, MSFS who was the parish priest of Kodungal parish was appointed as the director of the Betty Boys’ Home and the parish priest of Infant Jesus parish.
Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, MSFS succeeded Fr. D. Robert, MSFS as the director of the centre and the parish priest of Semmedu parish. During his time, through his efforts the province bought 6 acres of land at Othakadai, which is 35 km away from Semmedu and registered the land in the name of the province in November 2010.
Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS took charge as the director of the centre and the parish priest. He was actively involved in serving the mission for two years.
Fr. M. John de Britto, MSFS succeeded Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS as the director and the parish priest. He made efforts to get government aid for the children and successfully ran the boarding. Realizing the students’ needs, he built a shed with tin sheet as a multipurpose hall, and he also got separate electric meter connection for the boarding from the electricity board. He worked with the government officials and got the building license in compliance with the JJ act to run the boys’ home, and he cultivated spices in the land with enthusiasm to generate income for running the boarding. After two years of service, he was transferred to pursue engineering studies.
Fr. A. Edward, MSFS took charge of the boarding as the director and parish priest, succeeding Fr. M. John de Britto. He was actively involved in systematically organizing the classes and successfully running the boarding. He also worked hard to organize the people, motivating them to be committed to the development of the parish. Despite his pastoral and social ministry, he showed his personal interest to translate the Introduction to Devout Life from English edition to Tamil and successfully completed it. He served the centre for one year and then he was transferred.
Fr. V. Ferdinand Selvan, MSFS took charge as the director and parish priest. He served the mission for only one year.
Fr. S. Antony, MSFS (Tony) succeeded him as the director and parish priest of the parish at Semmedu for the second term. He made efforts and reorganized the whole situation at the center. He worked tirelessly and cleared the new land and made it cultivable, planting oak trees, and prepared the road accessible to the land with the support of the people. He prepared the playground in the campus for the children to play games and do exercises, and dug an open well, protecting it with concrete wall around it. The sponsors and the province had generously supported all these projects. Though the government stopped the children’s grand during this period, he was still running the boarding with the support from the province and the sponsors from Italy. He successfully served the mission for five years.
Fr. A. Jerome, MSFS took charge as the director and parish priest, succeeding Fr. Tony, MSFS. As the present land at Semmedu had got up with the issue of illegal encroachment, he made efforts to redeem the land by taking legal steps, dealing with the government officials. During his time, there were no students at Betty Boys’ Home. He served in the centre for three years and then as he was transferred, Fr. Sagaya Antony Tharscius, MSFS was appointed as the director and the parish priest.
Succession of the Directors / Superiors
Fr. S. Antony (Sr), MSFS 2001 – 2009
Fr. D. Robert, MSFS 2009 – 2010
Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, MSFS 2010 – 2011
Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS 2011 – 2013
Fr. M. John de Britto, MSFS 2013 – 2015
Fr. A. Edward, MSFS 2015 – 2016
Fr. V. Ferdinand Selvan, MSFS 2016 – 2017
Fr. S. Antony (Sr), MSFS 2017 – 2022
Fr. A. Jerome, MSFS 2022 – 2025
Fr. Sagaya Antony Tharscius, MSFS 2025 –
Succession of the Regents
Br. Benjamin Sundar, MSFS 2002 – 2003; Br. Antony Raj (jr), MSFS 2011 -2012; Br. Jayaraj, MSFS 2012 – 2013; Br. John Peter, MSFS 2013 – he was sent to Perumpakkam; Br. J. Packiya Sathis Kumar, MSFS 2013 – 2014; Br. Motcha Richard, MSFS 2014 – 2015; Br. P. Arokia Chinnappa Raj, MSFS 2015 – 2016; Br. T. Anto Prabin, MSFS 2016 – 2017; Br. A. Mahimai Arockia Raj, MSFS 2017 – 2018; Br. C. Arun Raj, MSFS 2018 – 2019; Br. Arockia Renold Anand, MSFS 2019 – 2020; Bro. I. Joseph Manicka Raj, MSFS 2020 – 2021; Br. Thomas, MSFS 2021 – 2022; Br. Ashok, MSFS 2022 – 2023; Bro. A Suresh Kumar, MSFS 2023 – 2024; Bro. Felix Salamon, MSFS 2024 – 2025; Bro. A. Henry Anish, MSFS 2025 – 2026.