The very existance of the old Jesuit Madurai Mission is traced back from the time of St. Francis Xavier himself in 1552. Traditionally believed that the saint paid a visit and baptized a few people of Manalur, Mathur, Kandamangalam before he set out a plan of expanding his horizon of evangelization to China. In 1646, the first Portuguese Jesuit Fr. Balthasar da Costa came to do his missionary work at Vandalai. Followed him the eminent and veteran missionaries like Antony de Proenza, Immanuel Alvaris, Andrew Freyere, John de Britto, Constantine Beschi and Antony Francis Recardi and others tirelessly worked hard and sowed the seed of faith in this area till the suppression of the Society of Jesus came to effect in Portuguese colonies in the year 1759.

The re-entry of the Jesuits to this diocese as pastors was held in the year 1984. Fr.Joseph Panoor S.J worked for 7 years in Viragalur Parish and then later Frs. X. Savarimuthu and Maria Arulraj were asked to go around the diocese with spiritual renewal programmes in 1989. As mobile pastors, they went around and stayed at Thirumanur. It was raised up to the status of a parish on 08 July 1990 by the Most. Rev. Dr. Peter Remigius D.D., the bishop of Kumbakonam diocese. Fr. X. Savarimuthu was appointed as the first parish priest of Thirumanur. The Jesuits have been working in this parish for the past 35 years.

Socio-Economic Profile:

The parish has 360 catholic families and at present the total number of catholics is 1612. Our catholics live in nine substations. Most of them are very poor and they do not have decent houses. A few attempts are made to provide with houses for the poor. It is predominantly a Dalit parish accounting nearly for 92 percentage and still they carry along with the social stigma of untouchabilty and are kept low in the social rung of the society at large. People are struggling to stand on their own leg asserting their human rights and dignity. The Catholics are numerically few in number and they live along with other caste and religious communities. The social role of catholics in their respective villages is almost nil.

They are mostly landless and so are forced to work hard to eke out their living. Their dependent economy made them subservient and ultimately no people. In general, They go for seasonal and unreliable agriculture work. Other times they go to work in sand quarries and brick kilns and some work as masons, carpenters, painters and casual labourers. A few own small pieces of land. As the source of livelihood in their respective villages is increasingly decreasing, they are forced to migrate for work towards big cities like Thirupur, Namakkal, Chennai and other neighbouring states, especially Kerala and Karnataka.

Educational Profile:

The old generation had a low profile in literacy a few of them here and there have crossed schooling and others are drop-outs. Now a new awareness has come. The literacy rate has shooted up. Among the present generation, the percentage of literates is nearly 70. It is interesting to note that nearly 35% - 40% of students of today have crossed over their secondary education and apply for technical, professional and diploma courses and some try for higher learning and seeking jobs. Therefore, the drop-outs have decreased very much.Now they seek for decent jobs and move towards big towns.

The Present scenario:

The parish of Thirumanur is gradually experiencing an all-round growth in the past 35 years. The youths are getting organized. Village leaders are steadily motivated. The participation of women in the pastoral work is consolingly increasing. Children are motivated and formed through evening study centres. De- addiction programmes are conducted for youth and men periodically. Leadership training, Skilled based training and career guidance programmes have successfully initiated for the youths. The parish is also experiencing spiritual renewal. A good number of catholics are slowly coming to the church.

The Need of the hour:

In this juncture the people of faith in the parish express to renovate the church since the present church was constructed nearly 45 years ago. Jesuits have come here 35 years ago and nearly 18 Jesuit pastors have worked in the parish to instill and impart christian values among people and motivate them into the christian way of life. At this juncture, it is more fitting to do something concretely for the people. Along with our various renewal programmes, if the construction of a new church and a compound wall takes place, the parish can certainly enjoy a better face-lift. It will also stand as a witness value.

THE PROFILE OF THIRUMANUR JESUIT PARISH, KUMBAKONAM DIOCESE