Like a river originating so humbly and meekly as a brook, flowing incessantly and gathering many more brooks, gradually becoming a very big one, our church, Lourdes Forane Church originated from a congregation of merely 25 Catholic families, has become, a great and big parish, gathering many more families in the course of its growth. Today there are 1100 families, around 5000 parishioners in our church.Centuries back, Kottayam was a Christian centre. But after the ‘Koonan Kurishu Sathyam’, the church was split into various groups. There was a large-scale migration to the high range regions. They realised the prospects of the wonder tree ‘rubber’, planted rubber trees and became prosperous plantation owners.The Christians who settled in Kuttanad regions also became rich by paddy cultivation. They worked hard in the rice fields and earned money. These farmers could afford to provide good education to their children; as a result, the next generation saw many efficient lawyers and professionals, among these Catholics.Kottayam was the centre of Kottayam district, with the Civil Station and the District Court. The heads of church, identified the prospects of this place. ‘Sabhabhasuran’ Rev. Mani Nidheerickal selected this region as the centre of his activities related to ecumenism. His follower, Rev.Fr.Thomas Kurialassery, became the first local Bishop of Changanassery. He purchased 16 acres of land near the Civil Station and shifted the minor seminary (which had been functioning in the Bishop’s house at Changanassery) to this place in 1919. But this started to function fully in 1922 only.In the meanwhile, the lawyers who preferred to live in the vicinity of the District Court and the rich Catholics who wished to send their children, to the prestigious educational institutions in and around Kottayam settled down in Kottayam. They attended the Holy Mass at the Seminary Chapel.This Chapel was a ‘Bernadette’s’ Church in the beginning; and later the present name ‘ Lourdes Church’ was adopted. It was Mary Bernadette’s visions of the Virgin Mary, which led to the founding of the Shrine of Lourdes in France. His Holiness Mar.Mathew Kavukattu was the Vice-Rector here for a short period. There was a press attached to the Seminary.The foundation stone for the new church was laid on 18 th March 1934. The construction of the renovated church was completed on 16 th April 1938. The petty seminary was shifted again to Changanassery in 1945. In the meantime, our church has grown into a well-established Christian fellowship. In 1954, 5 acres of land was given free of cost to the Medical Mission Sisters, as they wished to start a training institute for the nuns. The result was a ‘Noviciate’ instead of a seminary- a convent and a school along with a church, is the usual concept of a catholic community.The construction of the Lourdes Parish Hall began in 1976. On 10 th October 1978, Arch Bishop Mar.Antony Padiyara inaugurated the new parish hall. On 25 th April 1982, the renovation of the church was completed. On 13 th December 1982, the parish was raised to a ‘ Forane Church’. On February 23,1992, the Vadavathoor church was inaugurated. On December 12 th 1993, Bishop Mar. Joseph Powathil inaugurated the Lourdes Forane Centre- a glittering chapter in the history of the church. The Platinum jubilee of the church was celebrated from January 29 to February 12, 1995- an occasion for spiritual renewal. Lourdes Public School was started in May 1996. On 30 th January 2000, the blessing of the Lourdes Public School was done by Mar.Joseph Powathil.Today Lourdes Forane Church is one among the excellent, model and rich parishes of Changanassery Arch Diocese. It is a supreme example of God’s mercy showered on a devoted community; renewed to create wonders, among the poor, suffering fellows; it is a community, blessed with Mercy, Love and Concern; it is a communion recharging themselves from the Holy Communion-the Eucharist; holding high the Eucharistic Culture; following the formula-the sum and substance of Pope John Paul II’s Encyclical letter- E.C = 4S + 3L, where E.C = Eucharistic Culture, 4S = Sharing, Silence, Suffering and Surrendering. 3L = Love, Life and Light.Rosamma RajanMethikkalamKalathilpady.

The Parish church at Pavaratty is dedicated to St.Joseph. The neighbouring churches which had been founded earlier are dedicated to St.Thomas (Palayur), St. Sebastian (Chittattukara), Lady of Mt.Carmel (North Pudukad) and Good Shepherd (Mullassery) respectively; and so the ancestors might have dedicated the church to a special patron, viz.St.Joseph. In Holy Bible, We read of St.Joseph as the just man (Matt 1.19) and as perfectly loyal to the Divine Will (Matt 2.13,20).

Ma’dinu Ssaquafathil Islamiyya, which started in a humble way 8 years back, has now grown into a mass movement with more than 15 educational and other institutes under it.Ma’din also offers help to the poor and down trodden in society, besides acting as a source of help to the hapless victims of natural calamities.Ma’din is the testimony of truth and righteousness in the moral vista of social and spiritual renaissance.The word Ma’din means ‘source of origin’, the source of love, empathy and all virtues.Those who are in miseries and are crying for help, walk in to the soothing shade of Ma’din, as if they have found a new path of survival.It is a source of hope for those who grope in the wildness of sufferings.Ma’din promises them fresh dawns of hopefulness. The compassionate hands of Ma’din reach out to make thousands of orphans and destitute feel safe and secure under its consoling wings.Deaf, dumb, mentally challenged and physically disabled all get the soothing touch of Ma’din.Setting unique examples in the dissemination of education, this movement is ascending the ladder of eventual success. Ma’din is a unique centre of education that provides a distinct blend of worldly and spiritual learning.It offers education facilities from the primary to the postgraduate level.The unending flow of hundreds of thousands of people on to Ma’din campus every month is more than enough to prove the psychological impact Ma’din has made on people.The monthly prayer meeting on the campus is a rare union of hearts to assimilate lessons in spiritual wisdom.