This interior village of Semmedu in Kolli Hills is located on a range of hills which form a part of the Eastern Ghats. The original people living on this hill are the local tribals called “Malayala Gounders” who according to the legends were ruled by Valvil Ori. The presence of the Catholics here began with the arrival of Mr. Savari Muthu and his family in 1972. Realizing the conducive atmosphere for social ministry and the passion to serve the poor tribal people on this mountain, the SMMI Sisters took the initiative and formed their community at Cholakkad in 1999, and they initially lived in a rented house and later they bought their own land and built a house for their residence and a social service centre. Fr. M. S. Martin who was the VG of the diocese of Salem invited the MSFS fathers through his contact with Fr. S. Antony, MSFS and SMMI sisters also helped contacted our and thus the MSFS fathers entered into discussion with the diocese of Salem and took up this mission at the invitation of Most Rev. Singarayan, who was then the bishop of Salem. Fr. Thomas Perumalil, MSFS, the provincial Superior of the Visakhapatnam province responded to the bishop’s invitation by designating Fr. S. Antony MSFS who took charge of the mission on 12th June 2001.

Developments undertaken at various Times

Fr. S. Antony (Tony), MSFS as a pioneering missionary worked very hard to develop the parish, initiating various activities and social ministries to serve the needs of the poor people in this region. As there was no house for the priest’s residence, Fr. S. Antony, MSFS took the efforts to construct a house for the priests with the help from the province and through project from Pontifical Society for the purpose of enhancing the socio-economic development of the people in this mission. The new presbytery was inaugurated by Fr. Thomas Perumalil, MSFS the provincial and blessed by Most Rev. Dr. Singarayan, the bishop of Salem in July 2002. The diocese of Salem bought a piece of land with 60 cents in view of building a church and cater the needs of the Catholic population in this village. As it is a mountainous area, a revetment wall was built around this land to avoid any unforeseen mudslide. Fr. S. Antony, MSFS bought a few cents of land in Semmedu town with the help of the province and built a tuition center and started to provide tuition for the school-going children. In collaboration with the diocese and SMMI Sisters, he raised funds and built 9 houses adjacent to the church land for the catholic families. He also started the construction of the parish church in Semmedu with the help of Pontifical Society through the diocese of Salem.

Fr. D. Robert, MSFS was appointed as the director of the Betty Home and the parish priest of Infant Jesus parish after Fr. S. Antony, MSFS. He continued with enthusiasm with enthusiasm the pastoral initiatives of Fr. S. Antony, MSFS and was actively involved in organizing the pastoral ministries in the parish and finding new ways to manage and develop the boy’s home.

Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, MSFS succeeded Fr. D. Robert, MSFS as the director of the center and the parish priest of Semmedu parish here. During his time, the construction of the parish church initiated by Fr. S. Antony in 2008 took a serious start and it was completed by Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, MSFS with the support from Pontifical Society and the province. The church was consecrated by Most Rev. Dr. Singaroyan, the bishop of Salem and was inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Dharmaraj, the Provincial on 07 February 2011.

Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS was appointed as the director and the parish priest of Semmedu parish and the boy’s home after Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, MSFS. He made efforts and built a fence around the house with the help of the province. Betty Boy’s Home was entrusted to a lay person by our fathers for better management, but there was problem in running the home and so Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS took the initiative at the direction of the province and redeemed the Boy’s home from the third party. There were 25 cents of land in front of the church that was occupied by the people, blocking the road to the church. As the parish priest, Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS had worked with the diocesan procurator and redeemed the land and fenced with the help of the diocese around the church.

Fr. Ferdinand Selvan, MSFS took charge of the parish and the boy’s home after Fr. F. Emmanuel, MSFS. He served the parish and the centre for one year, doing his best to animate and develop the parish and taking care of the students.

Fr. S. Antony (Tony), MSFS succeeded Fr. Ferdinand Selvan, MSFS as the parish priest. As there was no proper road to the house, he took the initiative and cleared the road at Semmedu, paving stones and thus making it easily accessible to the house. He also constructed guest rooms and extra kitchen in extension with the house with the help from the province and the sponsors. As the parish priest, he organized the people and started to celebrate the parish feast annually.

Fr. A. Jerome, MSFS took charge as the director of the centre and as the parish priest, succeeding Fr. S. Antony, MSFS. As our land at Semmedu had got up with the issue of illegal encroachment, he made efforts to redeem the land by taking legal steps. As the house was in a bad condition, he took the initiative and renovated the house in the year 2022 with the help of the province. The parish church became old and in bad condition, and so he organized the people and renovated the church with the support of the people and the province in the year 2024. He also collaborated with the collector of Namakkal district along with the district child protection officer to implement the government scheme of visiting the villages and assessing the health condition of the people and thereby taking precautionary measures. He initiated organizing and conducting rural camps for the students of Social Work department from Loyola College in Chennai.

Fr. Sagaya Antony Tharscius, MSFS succeeded Fr. A. Jerome, MSFS as the parish priest.

Participatory Structures in the Parish:                  Parish council, Anbiyams

Religious in the Parish:                                            Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate Sisters

Institutions Under the Parish:                                 Resident School for the Students under MSFS fathers which is closed at present, social work centre under SMMI sisters.

Succession of the Parish Priests

Fr. S. Antony 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. Ferdinand Selvan MSFS                                       2016 – 2017

Fr. S. Antony MSFS                                                    2017 – 2022

Fr. A. Jerome MSFS                                                   2022 – 2025

Fr. D. Sagaya Antony Tharscius MSFS                      2025 –