Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish is the first mission undertaken by the MSFS missionaries in Tamilnadu in the year 1985. Vaniyambadi, Kodaiyanchi, Ambur, and Alangayam were originally the sub-stations belonging to the parish of Udayendiram. It was Most Rev. Dr. R. Anthony Muthu, DD, the bishop of Vellore bifurcated the four villages from the main parish Udeyendiram and erected a new parish with Vaniyambadi as the main centre on May 31, 1974. There was already a small church at Vaniyambadi dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, which was blessed on May 24, 1964. Fr. Jose Lawerence from the diocese of Vellore was appointed as the first parish priest of this new parish. Fr. V. C. Joseph succeeded Fr. Jose Lawrence and took charge as the parish priest on 29 May 1976. It was he who built the old presbytery. After Fr. V. C. Joesph, Frs. Amalraj, Amalorpavadass, Wilfred Daniel and Y. Antonyraj from the diocese of Vellore succeeded as parish priests. It was Fr. Y. Antony Raj as the parish priest initiated to negotiate with the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales to take up this mission. Most Rev. Dr. Michael Augustine, the Bishop of Vellore had known and had a good relationship with the MSFS fathers from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore. The MSFS fathers too had a good rapport with the diocesan clergy and the bishops from Tamilnadu. On this account of the good relationship and personal contact, the bishop gladly invited the MSFS fathers to take up a mission in his diocese. Fr. Anthony Mookenthotam, msfs as the Provincial of Visakhapatnam province was ever ready to take up the first mission in Tamilnadu. Consequently, he designated Fr. Johny Kanjiramparambil, msfs to the bishop of Vellore and he was appointed as the first MSFS priest to take up Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish.
Developments undertaken at various Times
Fr. Johny Kanjiramparambil, msfs as the pioneering MSFS missionary in the state of Tamilnadu worked with enthusiasm and pastoral commitment to organize the parish activities and regularized the sacramental celebrations in the parish and the substations. He laid a stable foundation for the growth of the parish. Fr. George Puraidam, msfs succeeded Fr. Johnny, msfs as the second parish priest along with Fr. Joseph Francis Britto, msfs as his assistant. They worked hard and initiated introducing and organizing a lot of activities for the spiritual and economic growth of the people and the parish. Fr. George as the parish priest started a milk farm with milking cows to generate some kind of local income to support the parish and the priests. He also started to raise some funds to build a small church at Kamarajapuram. The diocese of Vellore had already given over three acres of land to the parish for starting new ministries in the nearby town of Alangayam. Realizing the prospects of ministry extended to this small town, he initiated the process and bought one and half acres of land, adjacent to the present school land in Alangyam. There was already half an acre of land where Fr. George made the initiative and built a small rectory with three rooms and a small church connected to the presbytery, where he started the first matriculation school. The project of buying land, constructing the presbytery and the little church was supported by the provincial of Visakhapatnam province.
Fr. Joseph Britto Francis, msfs was appointed as the parish priest to succeed Fr. George Puraidam, msfs. He attracted the parishioners by his people-oriented, and down-to-earth approach. He was very simple in personality and dedicated to the core in his pastoral ministry. People loved him dearly as he was always available to the needs of the people at any time of the hour. He was truly a committed pastor to his people. He organized the people and raised the funds needed and built a small church at Kamarajapuram dedicated to St. Antony of Padua. After three years of ministry here, he was transferred to take up the first mission in Kelampakkam in the archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore.
Fr. A. Dharmaraj, msfs who was the assistant parish priest with Fr. Britto Francis, msfs was promoted to become the parish priest succeeding Fr. Britto Francis, msfs. During his time, there was a Grotto on the side of the national highway, and it was destroyed in a lorry accident. Therefore, as the parish priest took the initiative to build a new Grotto with the help of the parishioners. The new Grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception was blessed by Msgr. A. Nambikairaj, the Administrator of the Diocese of Vellore on September 2, 1993. He also made efforts to organize the parishioners and mobilize funds to build a new parish. He demolished the old church and started the church construction work with the support of the province, the diocese and the people. He had put up a thatched shed with coconut leaves to celebrate mass and other sacraments. It was in this shed that SFS matriculation school was started at the initiative of Fr. A. Dharmaraj, msfs. Then, Fr. Mani Panthalani, msfs the provincial transferred him from here with the plan of sending him to the US for pastoral ministry.
Fr. S. Joseph Henry, msfs was the parish priest succeeding Fr. A. Dharmaraj, msfs and continue the construction of the new parish church and completed the project. The beautiful new church was consecrated on May 14, 1998 by Most Rev. Dr. M. Chinnappa, SDB, the Bishop of Vellore and it was opened by Fr. Mani Panthalani, msfs, the Provincial of Visakhapatnam.
Fr. A. Arockiam, msfs was appointed as the parish priest to succeed Fr. S. Joseph Henry, msfs. As there were some more works remaining unfinished in the church, he completed the rest of the work and got it ready to carry out the liturgical services in the new church. He motivated and animated the parishioners with love and dedication, always available to take care of the people’s spiritual and pastoral needs. He attracted and influenced the people by his down-to-earth approach and simplicity of lifestyle.
Fr. D. Robert, msfs became the parish priest, succeeding Fr. A. Arockiyam, msfs. Realizing the need of the parish, the diocese initiated constructing a shopping complex in the parish on Alangayam road with 9 shops and a Community Hall in 2004. Fr. D. Robert, msfs as the parish priest looked after the construction work with diligence. He was actively involved in organizing various pastoral activities in the parish, forming the people to be a vibrant faith community and committed to the development of the parish.
Fr. C. Sebastian Robert, msfs succeeded Fr. D. Robert, msfs as the parish priest and continued to oversee the construction work of the shopping complex and the community hall, and now both buildings belong to the diocese of Vellore, and they are maintained by the diocesan administration. He also was very simple and guided the people with commitment and love, caring for their needs.
Fr. S. Alphonse, msfs became the parish priest, succeeding Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, msfs. He was very enthusiastic and actively organized the people and coordinated various activities in the parish. As the presbytery in the parish was very old, he took the initiative to renovate it with the help from the province. He also made efforts to construct the compound wall around the parish cemetery in 2008 with the help of the people, but it was not completed.
Fr. M. Sahaya Raj, msfs was appointed as the parish priest, succeeding Fr. S. Alphonse and continued the construction work of the compound wall around the cemetery and completed it in 2010. He also made efforts and renovated the presbytery in 2012 with the support of the province.
Fr. Maria Francis Britto, msfs succeeded Fr. M. Sagaya Raj, msfs as the parish priest. During his period, he initiated to construct the Stations of the Cross with the help of the parishioners, and they were blessed by Most Rev. Dr. P. Soundaraj, SDB, Bishop of Vellore and Opened by Fr. A. Dharmaraj, msfs the Provincial of South-East India Province on June 19, 2015. He constructed the Flagpole with the support of the people, and it was blessed by Msgr. I. John Robert, the Vicar General of the Diocese Vellore on May 15, 2019. He also organized the parishioners and paved inter-lock stones at the entrance of the church with people’s donations.
Fr. I. Jone Gregori, msfs took charge of the parish succeeding Fr. Maria Francis Britto, msfs and during his tenure, the new Presbytery was constructed in memory of the 400th Heavenly Birth Anniversary of Our Patron St. Francis De Sales. it was blessed by Msgr. I. John Robert then diocesan administrator of Vellore on 31 October 2022, and opened by Very Rev. Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil, msfs, the Superior General of MSFS Congregation in the Presence of Fr. K. Ignaci Muthu, msfs, the Provincial of South-East India Province. The Silver Jubilee of the parish Church was celebrated on May 24, 2023. The church was renovated, the altar was extended, and the statues of St. Francis De Sales and St. Antony were erected in remembrance of the Silver Jubilee. The celebration was presided over by Fr. A. Patrick Jayaraj, msfs the Provincial, and Fr. I. Clement Antony, the Vicar Forane of Thirupattur Vicariate. As the church at Kamarajapuram dedicated to St. Anthony was very old and in a dilapidated condition, he organized the people to raise the funds and constructed a new church in honour of the Jubilee Year of Hope, 2025 and it was inaugurated and blessed by Most. Rev. Dr. P. Ambrose, the bishop of Vellore on February 15, 2025. He was transferred from here and sent for studying MTh in Missiology at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore.
Fr. A. Innaci Muthu msfs, Succeeded Fr. I. Jone Gregori, msfs.
Participatory structures in the Parish: Parish Pastoral Council, Society of St. Vincent De Paul, BCC (anbiyams)
Associations in the Parish: Youth Group, Legion of Mary, YCS, and Altar servers.
Institutions under the Parish: There are two SFS Matriculation Higher Secondary Schools in its jurisdiction – one in Alangayam and another one in Jaganathapuram.
Succession of Parish Priests
Fr. Johny Kanjiramparambil msfs 1985 – 1986
Fr. George Puraidam msfs 1986 – 1990
Fr. Joseph Francis Britto msfs 1990 – 1993
Fr. A. Dharmaraj msfs 1993 – 1996
Fr. S. Joseph Henry msfs 1996 – 1998
Fr. A. Arockiam msfs 1998 – 2000
Fr. A. Arockiasamy msfs 2000 – 2001
Fr. D. Robert msfs 2001 – 2003
Fr. C. Sebastian Robert msfs 2003 – 2006
Fr. S. Soosai Raj msfs 2006 – 2007
Fr. S. Alphonse msfs 2007 – 2009
Fr. M. Sagayaraj msfs 2009 – 2013
Fr. M. Francis Britto msfs 2013 – 2019
Fr. I. John Gregori msfs 2019 – 2025
Fr. A. Innaci Muthu msfs 2025 –
Assistant Parish Priest:
Fr. Joseph Francis Britto msfs 1985 – 1990
Fr. Sebastin Conrad msfs 1990 – 1992
Fr. A. Dharmaraj msfs 1992 – 1993
Fr. Arulanand msfs Pune 1993 – 1994
Fr. C. Sebastian Raj msfs 1994 – 1995
Fr. R. Mathias msfs 1995 – 1996
Fr. S. Joseph Xavier msfs 1996 – 1997
Fr. K. Ignaci Muthu msfs 1997– 1998
Fr. J. Packiya Sathis Kumar msfs 2018 – 2019
Fr. Tharsius, msfs (South West) 2010 – 2012
Deacons/Regents:
Br. A. Lawrence msfs (Regent) 1989-1990
Dn. A. Arockiyasamy msfs 1993-1994
Dn. C. Sebastian Raj msfs 1994
Dn. D. Robert msfs 1994-1995
Dn. K. Ignaci Muthu msfs Regent 1991-1992 and Deacon 1995
Dn. A. Santhiyagu msfs 1995 1996
Dn. J. Packiya Sathis Kumar msfs 2018-2019