1838–1855 — Parish history 2026

The benefactors the parish remembers

To the years of gathering, the parish's own history attaches a story of gratitude: the Bilderbeck family — the name reaching the parish books garbled as "Hentriett Belderk" — childless through twenty-seven years of marriage, prayed to Our Lady of this church, were granted a child, and gave generously toward the new building. The jubilee souvenir keeps the same memory in Tamil: within a year a son was born, and their joy passed all measure. It is memory, and this page records it as memory: no printed history we have opened names any benefactor of this church — Auguste Jean credits it to Fr Grégoire's "persevering energy" alone — and Christopher Bilderbeck himself had died in 1817, thirty-eight years before the foundation stone. Whether Besse's unread chronicle records the family's gift is one of the questions his book still holds.

Parish traditionThis moment rests on 4 sources.

Parish history 2026p. 6

This historical apparition was later recorded in La Mission de Maduré – Leon Besse S.J. Page 730 the Jesuit chronicle of the Madurai Mission. 1838 A.D. – Amalgamation with the New Madurai Mission From the year 1838 onwards, the church at Vadakkankulam became amalgamated with the New Madurai Mission. 9 August 1855 A.D. – Foundation Stone of the Present Church On 9th August 1855, Bishop Canoz blessed the foundation stone for the construction of the new present church at Vadakkankulam. On the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, Rev. Fr. Marianantha, also known as Fr. Brunif, composed in Latin a commemorative verse marking the beginning of the construction of the new church structure. After 1838 A.D. – Arrival of the Jesuit Missionaries from Toulouse, France After 1838, Jesuit missionaries from Toulouse, France, arrived at Vadakkankulam and undertook the development of the growing Catholic center. The former church was demolished and a new spacious church was planned and constructed with financial assistance from the French royal family of Mr. Hentriett Belderk. According to tradition, the family had prayed to Our Lady of the Apparition and, after twenty-seven years of married life, were blessed with a child through the intercession of Our Lady. In gratitude, they contributed generously towards the construction of the new church at Vadakkankulam. 9 August 1855 A.D. – Foundation Stone of the Present Holy Family Church The foundation stone for the new present church was laid on 9 August 1855 and was blessed by Bishop Canoz of Madurai. Rev. Fr. Gregory served as the parish priest during this important phase of construction and development. 29 June 1872 A.D. – Blessing of the Newly Constructed Church The newly constructed spacious Holy Family Church at Vadakkankulam was blessed on 29 June 1872 by Bishop Canoz of Madurai, marking the completion of one of the most significant church structures in the southern mission territories.