Vellore Diocese

The Parish of Arokiamadha (Our Lady of Health) was established in 1636 in the land donated by the Nawab of Arcot (the ruler of the small Kingdom comprising the area of the present North and South Arcot Districts) to the French suiters of the area to build their own Church and School. The spiritual needs of the Christian community settled down in this place, was looked after by priests from Pondicherry, who occasionally visited them. According to the chronicles of the Jesuits, St. John De Britto has stayed three days in Atokia Madha on his way to Pondicherry. From 1928 to 1952, thin Parish was administered as part of Vellore Parish. In 192, Arokjamadha way given a separate Parish Priest in the person of Rev. Fr. Theo M. Andres S. He inherited a very dilapidated presbytery and still worse a dilapidated Christian community long left without adequate spiritual ministrations. But the good Fr. Andreas worked hard with patience and perseverance and a courage all his own, backed by generous help from his native Germany and by the time he died prematurely in 1968 he had renovated the presbytery, built Don Bosco Youth Centre and the Arokia Tam, which now houses a creche for the children of working mothers, a Kindergarten school for poor children, a Tailoring school for its and Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, Madras, He also built Soosai Illam, St. Anthony’s Cottage and Savio IIlam which are rented out us a means for maintaining the Parish. Above all be built up a good Christian community of about 1200. After the death of Fr. Andreas Fr. Francis Perez S.D.B., looked after the Parish for a year. In 1969, Fr P. J. Xavier succeeded Fr. Perez, S.D.B. A year after the taking up of the Parish Fr. Xavier thought it necessary to start a Nursery School in the area and a place was bought at Utbariata dha Street, and building was put up. Arokiamadha Nursery School coaches’ students up to Vth Standard in English. The Sister of Arokia illam Convent are in charge of the school. Last year the adjoining land was purchased and now the school has a good play ground as well. La 1972, he started the work of constructing a new Church in honour of Arokia madha, which was the cherished wish of Fr. Andreas. The corner stone was blessed on 2-1-1974 by Most Rey, John Gordon Pronuncial to India. Though the work was started with very little money, donations from friends came in and the Church was blessed on 23rd December 1976, by His grace the Most. Rev. D. S. Lourdusamy, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for evangelization of Peoples, Rome. While the Parish Priest was interested in the building of the Parish Church, he did not forget the expansion work. In February 1972, be bought an area of 10 acres of land Sathuvachary which has a fast-growing township. On 16tb July 1975, the sisters of Holy Cross, Trichy, established their convent at Sathuvachari in an impoverished shed. The new king of the convent due to the benevolence of “Missio”, Germany, was built in a short time and the sisters moved into the new building on 7th December 1975. The work for a Priest House at Sathuvachari was taken up immediately afterwards of was blessed on May 24th 1976. The now building was put at the disposal he Bishop for the accommodation of retired Priests and the work for a similar building was started. While the work was in progress the need of building a Health Care at sathuvachary was felt and that work also was started Both the Priest House and Health Centre were ready for blessing on 23-12-1976, and the Most Rev. D. S. Lourdasamy bleu ed and opened the buildings in the presence of Very Rev. Mother General Constance of the Holy Cross Sisters: Sathuvachari can boast of another building which is put at the disposal of the public as a free library. The work for an English Medium School is in progress. At Arokiamodha the Sisters conduct a Mother and Child Welfare Centre in their convent basement. The place was found inadequate, and thanks to the generosity of Memina Helland, a new building for the same is under construction. The mission gives free midday meals for about 400 school children from the slum who attend the Uthariyamadha middle school, who otherwise would not have seen the four walls of the school Seeing the sad plight of some parents and children, the mission conducts an orphanage in memory of lute Rev. Fr. Andreas, a Thie Parish alio plans for the establishment of an Adoration Convent of Clarist Sisters at Sathuvachary. The foundation stone for the Chapel was blessed and laid on 13-11-1976, the beginning day of the silver Jubilee year of the Dio.com, by cur dear Bishop, the Rt. Rev. R. Anthony Muthu. The Vatican activities of the Parish are made possible ty the uniting gunport of cur dear Bishop and the generosity of our friends and cooperation of the Convents and the parishioners.