HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF SEVEN DOLOURS CHURCH METTUPATTY, DINDIGUL

Mettupatty has a classical and age old history in the district of Dindigul. It is particularly known as “DINDIGUL METTUPATTY”. This place is so famous to the extent that there can be none who has no knowledge of Mettupatty. During the rule of Kalabhra interregnum Mettupatty existed as the home land of mother house of 96 villages. Thousands of Christians lived in this place Even before the emergence of Madurai mission, in the year of 1606 a church was built and worship has conducted by faithful. In 1701 a new church was built facing east and was dedicated to OUR LADY OF SEVEN DOLOURS. It is notable that in 1711 Mettupatty was declared as the first parish in the district of Dindigul. And the priests belonging to the Society of Jesus were appointed as parish priests of the first declared parish Mettupatty. Rev Fr John Alexander renovated the church in 1729 after 20 years, since the church had been built. During his time many baptisms were given. In1756 Haider Ali captured Dindigul and Christians were put into the lot of torture, houses were set fire yet the church remained at intact Rev. Fr. Shir created a parish in N. Panjampatty in the year 1836. There after Marambadi - St.Antony the Hermit’s Church and Dindigul - St. Joseph Church were established as well. In 1886 the diocese of Trichy got separated from the Madurai Mission and bishop has been appointed A bell fry was erected in 1902 beside the OUR LADY OF SEVEN DOLOURS CHURCH in Mettupatty. To this day the sound of the bell attracts the faithful. In 1907 REV FR M.V D’SOZA started learning centre in the name of ST.PHILOMINA’S MUTHIYOR ADHARAPALLI (school for the old people) near the church and started doing social work together with spiritual ministry Then REV. FR. MICHEAL the parish priest Mettupatty parish in 1945 sensed the need of education of the people of Mettupatty and started ST XAVIEAR’S ELEMENTRY SCHOOL, then he started the OUR LADY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL in Mettupatty. Besides he also started elementary schools in Kallupatty and Yagapanpatty. He also established Fatima teacher training school for women near the church . It was great work brought the people of Mettupatty from the darkness to the light of knowledge. The fruit of his hard work the field of education bore and bears much fruit that today lot of people work as Government officers teachers and many become priest and sisters to do the ministry of GOD. They all remain as the instruments of spreading the fragrance of the glory and fame of the Mettupatty all over the world.

On August 15-18, in 1957 the golden jubilee of ST.PHILOMINAL’S ADHARPALLI was celebrated in a grand manner. On 19 th July 1960 when REV FR MICHAEL was the parish priest, Most Rev. JAMES MENDONCA Bishop of Trichy diocese presided over the 50 th week of novena of OUR LADY OF PROPETUAL HEALTH. On 11 th October 1962 Most. Rev. Bp. JAMES MENDONCA Bishop of Trichy laid the foundation stone for the new church to be built in Mettupatty. In July 23 rd 1967 was an another significant day in the history of the Mettupatty that REV JAMES MENDONCA consecrated the newly built church at Mettupatty in the prencences of MR. D.BAGE from America (U.S.A) who contributed a great amount of the money for the building of the church. In 1970 July 12 th the marriage of M. James D. Bage and Ms. Atles Bage was solemnized in the new church.

The presbytery which was built by REV FR AMALA DOSS was blessed and opened by MOST REV PETER FERNADO the Bishop of Trichy in the presences of REV FR ERNEST ANTONY SAMY on 17 th August 1998.

In view of preparing the people for the celebration of Jubilee year 2000 on MAY 13,14and 15 the great bible convention was arranged by Rev. Fr. Ernest Antonysamy and it was conducted by Gurus Divakaran, Bangalore. On May 15, 2000 seven parishes in the Diocese of Dindigul joint together and celebrated the feast of Corpose Christi at ST JOSEPH CHURCH parish Dindigul.

At the end of the procession the auxiliary Bishop Madurai MOST REV P. ANTONY preached and MOST REV PETER FERNADO the  Bishop of Trichy brought the God’s blessing to more than 20 thousand people including priest and religious.

This Mettupatty OUR LADY OF SEVEN DOLOURS CHURCH has 300 years old history. it has been two hundred and ninety years since it was declared as parish. VERY MOST REV CARDINAL SIMON LOURDUSAMY came here and blessed the church and the people.

In 2011 the Church was renovated by the present Parish Priest Rev.Fr. V. Selvaraj, in view of celebrating 300 th of year of erecting as Parish. On 27.02.2011 three Bishops, Most Rev. Archbishop Peter Fernando, Archbishop of Madurai blessed the newly renovated Church and opened by Most Rev.Bp. Antony Devotta, Bishop of Trichy, in the presence of Bishop of Dindigul, Most. Rev. P. Antony. Around hundred priests and nuns participated in that grand event. More than 10,000 faithfuls from 96 surrounding villages received the blessings on that day. Parish Priest, Parish Council and Village headmen arranged a grand dinner for the priests, nuns and all the faithful.

In 2012 our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was renovated. 2014 was another significant year in the history of this church. New portico, Our Lady of Sorrow grotto with mast and Bell fry was constructed. It was blessed by Bishop of Dindigul, Most. Rev. P. Antony on 20.04.2014. The PASSCA stage was renovated and it was converted as Adoration Chapel. On the top of it statues of 12 Apostles are installed facing all directions of the Village. It was blessed by Very Rev. Mgr. K.S. Arockiasamy, Administrator of Dindigul Diocese.