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.

Mercy homes are Christian homes for the poor and orphans in India .This ministry is started by Pastor Daniel under the Voice of Gospel Ministry, a Charity mission in India.It was an awesome experience that pastor Daniel had on September 14th 2000 with God. He spoke to him very clearly to take an adventurous step to redeem the children in India who are thrown into the streets everyday leading them gradually into slavery, death and prostitution. According to the census, more than 100,000 children are aborted every year because of the major reason that the parents couldn't feed the newborns due to poverty. Thousands of children are killed and sold to sex trade and slavery because of debt and poverty. Millions of children are dying due to malnutrition and sickness. Millions still live in darkness and deception of Satan and witchcraft; as they are illiterates and ignorant. God's answer to these problems as revealed to Pastor Daniel is "Mercy Home."Mercy Home is a God-given project to minister to the needs of the under- privileged and uneducated orphans and the poor children. Mercy Home is the place where these children are offered proper care, good food ,education, shelter and spiritual upbringing with Christian character. This is not at all an orphanage but a home concept where children grow in love, peace and responsibility.Ten children are brought up in a home under the committed spiritual family (parents) .VOICE OF GOSPEL ministry meets all their physical and spiritual needs. The result of this endeavor is a generation of faithful, responsible and God-fearing men and women of God.An invitation for partnership to save the children in India. Through Mercy Homes.Pastor Daniel was born in India in a Bible believing missionary family in 1955 and had his secular and theological education in India. When God called him into the ministry of serving h hungry and the needy he obeyed the call and committed his life for the ministry in 1976.In 1975 pastor Daniel established Voice of Gospel ministry with an intention to reach the unreached in India with the gospel of compassion and love of Jesus through training, education and helping the poor and needy. Since 2001 Voice of Gospel has planted more than 49 Mercy Homes for the poor and destitute in India . Compared to the needs in India it is nothing.India is the home to the largest number of hungry people in the world. 233million hungry people live in India. There are 100,00000 child laborers in India. The average income they make is less than $5.In September 2000 while Pastor Daniel was in Boston MA, God spoke to him through a vision to take care of the children in India and world. The vision goes as follows: I saw trucks filled with the dead bodies of the children are being dumped into a pond. There were newborns and aborted kids from all nations. I saw one after another truck coming and unloading them into this pond. Then I heard The Lord speaking to me.These are my next generation church. These are my apostles, prophets, priests, evangelists, pastors, teachers, missionaries, statesmen, and diplomats. There is no one to care them and love them. I want you to save them and love them and raise them. I asked to the Lord," Lord how is this possible" The Lord said I will give you people and resources to open Mercy Homes. Take ten kids in to a home and put them under a pastor or Christian family and let them raise these children with responsibility and care. You support them for their food and education. I agreed.Mercy HomesMercy homes are not orphanages. It is a home concept where kids grow in the personal attention of the Pastor and his wife. There will be ten Kids in every home. Pastor and his wife will be the parents of these kids and take care of every matter. The kids help each other grow in love. The kids work together and grow with a role model in their life. The pastor will be supported with enough money to raise the kids. The kids can study as much as they can and will be trained in a trade like welding, carpentry, tailoring, refrigeration, plumbing, mason work, electrical works, automobile mechanism, cycle repairing and two wheeler mechanism those who want to do higher education in universities will also be helped for that. They leave the mercy Home only they are independent or married.

The Kannur Muslim Jama-ath is a well-known charitable institution, which renders social, cultural and educational services to promote the welfare of the weaker sections of the society. Under the able leadership of Shri. O.Andhi Sahib, the then chairman of Kannur Municipal Council and statesman of that time along with certain Muslim believers, the Muslim Jama-ath came into existence in 1927. The philanthropic activities planned were very moble and impressive in those days. However, there were break down due to lack of activities till 1968. Though it was streamlined and modified under the guidance of Shri. Arackal Adi Raja Ahammed Koya Thangal during 1958 the result was far from satisfactory. Again by 1968 all out efforts have been made by stalwart like Justice V. Khalid Saheb, late Panakkat Aboobacker Saheb alongwith above named personalities and a new committee was formed under the Presidential Status of (Late) Haji O.K Mohammed Kunhi Sahib. This was really the Golden age beginning of the new era of the Muslim Jamath. This institute is registered under societies act and also under "WAKF ACT".The services of Kannur Muslim Jama-ath for the uplift of the poor sections of the society are done without looking up at caste and religion to promote the welfare of humanity. Such activities are done to maintain communal harmony and friendship enunciated by Islam.Islam is not a religion which is supposed to be concerned itself only with faith and worship and not with other spheres of life. Islam on the other hand in a complete system and way of life which provides guidance to every sphere of activities of individual and collective life.Holy QUR'AN remainds us of our duty towards our fellowmen and society. Sura "MAUN " and " MUNAFIQUN " teach us the virtue of social service. "Remembrance of God" includes every act of service and goodness, every kind thought and kind deed, for this is the service and sacrifice which god requires of us. If we fail in this the loss is our own, not any one else's, for its stunts our own spiritual growth, Moreover Islam is the only religion that has given social service the status of "Ibadat". Most of the people in our country especially Muslim are very poor. Thus following the principles enunciated by Holy QUR'AN, Kannur Muslim Jama-ath is doing unique service for the welfare and uplift of the poor and needy in the society.