Diocese of Ootacamund
Eight parish communities serve Talavadi and its surrounding villages in Erode district.
Teganare was a sub-station of St Joseph’s parish Soosaipuram until 1968. This was made a separate parish and the patron of this parish was St Martin de Pores. Rev. Fr E.J. Mathew was first parish priest. The new church was built by Rev. Fr R.C. Devaraj in 1976. In 1977 it was dedicated to Annai Velankanni.
This was a sub-station of St Antony’s parish, Panakahalli. In 1977, Jora Hosur was made a parish but later on Chimitahalli was erected into a parish and Jora Hosur its sub-station. The church was built by Rev. Fr Thomas Maniangat.
Metalavadi was a sub-station of St Joseph’s parish, Soosaipuram. Rev. Fr Mathew Vakkayil was responsible for the construction of the church in 1971. It became a separate parish in 1977 with Rev. Fr Abraham Kuttilambil as its first parish priest.
Panakahalli was a sub-station of Soosaipuram, started by Rev. Fr P. D’Mello in 1968. It was made a separate parish with Rev. Fr James Melvattam as its first parish priest in 1968. He built the present church.
Around the year 1925, Rev. Fr Petit planned the foundation of a new centre for evangelization at Doddagajanur among the Kannada speaking farmers. In 1931, the church was built by Franciscan Brothers. In 1934, it became a separate parish. Rev. Fr Joseph Koovakal laboured tirelessly for putting up a beautiful church in 1980.
Till 1951, Soosaipuram was a sub-station of Doddagajanur. The founder of the parish was Rev. Fr Nouet. In 1963, it was erected as a separate parish. The new church was built by Rev. Fr Mathew Vakayil and blessed in 1967. The only Tamil parish in Talavady Vicariate is Soosaipuram. The sanctuary was renovated in 2008. A beautiful grotto of Mother Mary was built in 2011.
St Mary’s parish, Talavady was part of St John Baptist’s parish Doddagajanur. The present church was built in 1974 by Rev. Fr P.J. Joseph and it became an independent parish in 1977. Its first parish priest was Rev. Fr Joseph Puthiaparampil MSFS.
In 1962, it became an independent parish, which was until then a sub-station of St John Baptist’s parish, Doddagajanur. Rev. Fr P. D’Mello SJ was the first parish priest. The church was built by Rev. Fr Abraham Kuttilampel in 1967. Blessing of the newly erected altar and portico took place in 2004.