History

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH – AROKIA MADHA – VADUGARPET

PROLOGUE

Mother Mary said, "My heart praises the Lord……. From now on, all people will call me blessed" Lk. 1: 46-48.

The prophetic words of Mary, the Virgin Mother, phenomenally, had come true all through the twenty centuries. Already during her time, Elizabeth greeted her saying, "You are the most blessed of all women" Lk. 1: 41. This simple greeting is echoing from all nook and corner of the world.

The 'Magnificat' – the famous song of Mary, is resounding from all quarters. The honour of Mother Mary is corroborated by her gracious apparitions in the chosen places – Lourdes – Paris, Fathima – Portugal and Guadaloupe – West Indies etc.

How many Churches, Chapels and Memorials had been built – some are in the process – in honour of Mother Mary! How many devotions are in vogue among the people! It is heartening to go through the long list of the official and traditional nomenclature with which she is christened. We are, also, awestruck by the profound and spontaneous devotions of the people to Mother Mary. Is it not most thrilling to see people trekking on long and arduous journey by foot and other conveyances to visit the Shrines dedicated to Mother Mary! e.g. Foreigners visiting Vailanganni. Tamil People go on foot to Vailanganni during Lenten Season, carrying their little ones all the way, night and day, braving the scorching sun and the chilling cold of the night!

It is God the Father who honours His Beloved Daughter!

It is God the Son who extols His Beloved Mother!

It is God the Spirit who exalts His Beloved Spouse!

VADUGARPET – THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH

Of the Churches and Shrines dedicated to Mother Mary, here is one at Vadugarpet. It is historically and traditionally renowned because of the great missionaries and visionaries such as St. John De Britto and Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi. Vadugarpet Shrine is crowned with the patronage of these two missionaries par excellence.

THE DAWN OF A NEW PARISH

The year 1640 was the commencement of a new era at Vadugarpet. The unflinching zeal and the untiring work of Fr. Baltasar D’Costa and the Catechist Mr. Dairianathan brought the people of Vadugarpet to the true fold.

‘VADUGARPETTAI’ : ‘Vadugar’ was the ethnic nomenclature of the Denizens and ‘Pettai’ denotes ‘village’. As the number of Catholic Population burgeoned considerably, the creation of a new parish was a vital need for the effective administration of sacraments and for the constant care and strengthening of the faith of the newly baptized Catholic Christians. The new parish of Vadugarpet was canonically established in the year 1674 and Fr. Vincent Duard S.J. was the first parish priest of the new-born parish. A small church was also built and in subsequent years, bigger and more spacious building was put up and that Church stands magnificent to this day.

THE TWO PILLARS OF VADUGARPET SHRINE

Vadugarpet is twice blessed by two celebrities; the one is a Church-declared Saint John De Britto and the other unsung Hero and missionary Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi, fondly called ‘Veeramamunivar’.

The former, St. John De Britto, visited the parish of Vadugarpet in the year 1677 and revisited it as parish priest from 1680 to 1681. Vadugarpet is mightily blessed by the sojourning of a Saint. It is with immense joy that we reminisce that the parish had been sanctified by the treading of the holy feet of St. John De Britto.

The latter, Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi, came in the year 1717 and served as parish priest till 1720. He brought a miraculous statue of Our Blessed Mother Mary from Manila, Philippines, installed it in the Church and christened it 'Virgin Mary, Mother of Good Health' or in Tamil, 'Arokia Madha'. Since the installation of the statue of Our Lady of Good Health, the non-descript and insignificant village, gradually gained name and fame among the people of different faiths. It is worth mentioning that Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi alias 'Veeramamauniver' was a great Tamil Scholar whose invaluable service for the cause of Tamil language had, long ago, been recognized by the Government of Tamil Nadu and in honour of whom a memorial life-size Statue has been erected on the Marina Beach - Chennai along with other celebrities. Mother Mary of Good Health attracted all people, surmounting the barriers of caste and creed. Later on, Fr. M. P. Chinnappar, a profound devotee of Blessed Mother Mary, became parish priest of Vadugarpet in 1945. He toiled and moiled to spread the devotion of Mother Mary. In the whole of India, it was Fr. M. P. Chinnappar who was the one to pioneer MOBILE MISSION to spread the Word of God through the devotion to Mother Mary as the adage goes: "Ad Jesum per Mariam " i.e. To Jesus through Mary.

MADURAI JESUIT MISSION AND OTHER MISSIONS

No other parish enjoys the unique privilege than Vadugarpet, of having been cradled and cuddled by the loving hands of four different missions.

• The Jesuits from Madurai Mission established their headquarters at Vadugerpet and from here they started their mission work in and around Vadugarpet from 1674 to 1756.
• And again, from the year 1756 to 1845, the mission was handed over to the Goa Arch-bishop.
• And from the year 1845 to 1899, it was transferred to 'Mission Etranjeres De Paris – The Foreign Mission of Paris, France – It was called ‘Puducherry Mission'.
• Finally, when the Diocese of Kumbakonam was bifurcated from the Arch-diocese of Puducherry-Cuddalore in the year1899, the mission of Vadugarpet was placed in the hands of Kumbakonam Diocese. From the year 1899 to this day, Vadugarpet is under the maternal care of Kumbakonam.

SPECIAL FEATURES

The miraculous events worth recording is that the then reigning King Nawab of Tiruchirappalli, bounteously, donated fertile lands to Vadugarpet Mission. It is nothing short of a miracle that a Muslim King implemented this charitable deed. Besides, the tributary King Linga Reddy of Thuraiyur embraced Christianity and was baptized by Fr. Andre Benarare. It is also worth mentioning that the Kings of Madurai and Tiruchirappalli were in camaraderie with the Catholic Missionaries and the Catholic People.

Fr. Antoine Francois Ricardi was martyred by the Moghul Soldiers in the year 1735, and he was buried in the church premises, along with 5 more ardent priests of the parish.

Every year 'Paschal Play' (Passion of Christ) is enacted after the Easter.

Another specialty of the shrine is a big wooden car having the unique feature: It is 25 feet height and the important episodes of the Old and the New Testaments, beginning from genesis till Ascension are carved out in the car.

Since 1717 irrespective of caste and creed, through the intercession of Arockia Madha, all pilgrims are assured of fulfillment of their petitions.

Miracles and Wonders are daily occurrences.

The sick get cured in accordance with their faith.

The barren are bestowed with the much longed-for-grace of child-bearing.

Those who seek marriage alliance get the favour.

The drowning debtors are relieved of the clutches.

The possessed and those tormented by the spell of sorcery and witch-craft are saved.

Such is the glorious and successful history of Vadugarpet. Anyone can easily glean, from the above facts, the lofty position Vadugarpet was privileged to hold in the annals of the Church of Tamil Nadu.

THE INDEGENOUS MISSION

The great and illustrious Sons of the Jesuit Order, Goa Mission and ‘Misson Etranjeres De Paris’ are the architects of the Vadugarpet Mission. The most significant work they had done is the strong and unflinching faith they had instilled into the hearts of the people. To this day, the faith of the people of Vadugarpet and its neighbourhood, is so vivid and invincible that any visitors are wonder-struck at the marvelous foundation laid down by the missionaries. Now, it is the incumbent Diocese of Kumbakonam to shoulder the sweet burden and further the mission work. From the moment, the mission of Vadugarpet was handed over to the Diocese of Kumbakonam, the Diocesan Fathers worked no less hard to promote the interests of the mission. They vied with each other to further the mission and preserve the faith of people unsullied.

LANDMARK DEVELOPMENTS

The Old Church with its 80ft. spire stands as a magnificent heritage under which are found the stone inscriptions depicting the history of the shrine, the 33ft. statue of Our Blessed Mother Mary, the higher secondary school for girls and a middle school for children, the new parish house – all these are landmark monuments credited to the Bishops and Fathers of Kumbakonam diocese, who succeeded the foreign missionaries.

EPILOGUE

The long and weary years of the past ages and the lack of knowledge of the history had warped our vision and dimmed the brightness of the historical mission of Vadugarpet. It is our bounden duty to revamp the events and place them on record for our future generation. We wish that the bone-chilling sacrifices of the Missionaries of yesteryears are etched in the young minds and spur them on to preserve the faith intact and unalloyed and hand it over to their posterities. As our Holy Father once said , we shall not be narcissists and sit smug and snug as if we have fulfilled our mission. Far from it, we have a long way to go and contribute our might to complete the unfulfilled mission work. The mission work cannot come to a halt but should continue till the end of the age. As the present-day world turns into ultra-modern, we, the present generation have to find new vistas and avenues to make the Word of God attractive and acceptable and present it to the people through the instrumentality of Mother Mary. The memorable words of Our Mother Mary at Cana, “Do whatever He tells you” Jn. 2/5 are, continuously, reechoing at Vadugarpet and let us heed to the divine call and launch in to effective missionary activities. It is worthwhile for anyone loving Mother Mary to visit this historical place. The Shrine of Vadugarpet, dedicated to Most Blessed Mother Mary of Good Health beckons all her children irrespective of caste, creed and nationality.

• 1674 – 1756 : Madurai Mission – Jesuits’ administration(SJ)
• 1676 : Madurai mission Jesuits’ administrative head quarters. Madurai mission first superior,
  First Parish Priest,
  Fr. Immanual Rodrigues.
• 1680 – 1681 : St.John de Britto- (Arulanandar)
• 1717 – 1729 : Joseph Constantine Beschi (Veeramamunivar) Shrine’s Center Portion
  Statue of our lady of Good Health, brought from Manila.
• 1735 : Fr. Antony Francis Ricardi martyred by mogul soldiers, and buried at vadugarpet.
• 1756 – 1845 : Archbishop of Goa’s administration
• 1760 : Offering of lands by Navab of Trichy.
• 1831 : Shrine’s front portion
• 1845 – 1899 : Foreign Mission of Paris’ (MEP) administration
• 1850 : Shrine’s side portions.
• 1863 : Presbytery
• 1888 : Shrine's back portion.
• 1893 : Fr. Mette – The bell `Marialou` brought from France and fixed in the Shrine.
• 1899 : Kumbakonam Diocese’s administration (DC)
• 1904 : Fr. Barlon – Belfry
• 1966 : Fr. Soosai G – Belfry to its completion as tower.
  Fr. Antonisamy S – Arch at the entrance of the village.
• 1977 : Fr.Joseph T – New church,
  - Erection of the mysteries of the rosaries
  - Tank with our Lady’s statue & the stage.
• 2000 : Fr. Francis A – Relic of the holy cross
• 2004 – 2011 : Fr. Antony Joseph A
  - Grotto Presbytery renovated
  - Tower – inside plastered
  - Small grotto for Infant Jesus and St. Antony