1923

The Diocese of Tuticorin is born

In 1923 the Diocese of Tuticorin was erected, and Vadakkankulam passed out of the old Diocese of Trichinopoly into the new see under its first bishop, Francis Tiburtius Roche SJ. The Catholic Directory of the following year sets the parish down: “Vadakankulam (Tinnevelly Dt.) — Revv. Y. Ignatius, G. Michael, Asst. — Cath. 4,765, vills. 17: Churches: brick 1, clay 4.” Neither priest is a Jesuit: the parish’s care had passed to the diocesan clergy.

DocumentedThis moment rests on 3 sources.
Catholic Directory 1924p. 174
ttrilC O R IN . ni P eriataiai ( l’ i n n e v e l l y D t . ) — R e v . A . G n a n u s w a i n y , C a th . 2,105 ; v ills. 4 ; C h u r c h e s : b r i c k 3. Pragasapuram (N azareth P.O., Tinnevelly D t.)— R ev. A . A daikaîasam y, Cath. 3,191 ; vills. 23 ; Churches : b rick 12, d a y 7. Funnakayal (A uthoor P.O., Tinnevelly D t .) — Rev. M. F e r n a n d o , — Cath . 4,003 ; vills. 35 ; C h u r c h e s : b r i c k 15, c l a y 11. Satankulam (T in n e v e lly D t .)— R evv. X . G abriel, Singarayan . Ca th. 5,426 ; vill. 77 ; C h u r c h e s : b r i c k 13, c l a y 18. Sokkenkudiruppu. (P a d u k k a p a ttu P.O ., Tin n evelly D t.) — R ev. D. Sam inather.— Cath. 4,820 ; vills. 17 ; Churches : b rick 3, clay 6. Taruvaikulam ( Via T u t i c o r i n ) — R e v . J. S. L o u r d e s — Cath. 3 , 6 4 0 : v ills. 27 ; C h u r c h e s : b r i c k 14, c l a y 7. Tuticorin.— R evv. G nan agragasam , V ic a r G eneral ; Rev. Jaganather, R e v . S. B a n g a r, R ev . J. R o c h e : St. Fr. X a v ie r fi. S ch ool, M. A m a lo r p a v a n a t h e r , s.J., Cath. 6 ,3 4 6 : B o y s ' High School. Vadakankulam (T in n e v e lly D t .) — R evv. Y. Ignatiu s, G. Michael, A sst.— Cath. 4,765, vills. 17 : Churches : brick 1, cla y 4. Vembar (T in n e v e lly D t .) — Rev. J. M ariadas— Cath. 5,003; vills. 43 ; Ch urch es : b r ic k 13, clay 11. Virapandianpatnarn (T in n e v e lly D t .) — R ev. P erian ayagam , — Cath. 1,213 ; vills. 3 ; Churches b rick 2. Summary : Dt. o f the Fishery Coast : — 289 b rick Churches, chapels clay 167— boys’ elem. sch. 87 ; 4,355 ; g ir l s ’ elem. sch. 25 ; 2,602. ' Î Castes. Bharathars, 29,835 ; Idyars, 2,262 ; K am m alars 5,650 ; K allars, 3,045, M arvars, 2 444 ; Odeyars, 34,404 ; Pallars, 22,349 ; Pancham as, 43,707 ; Shanars, 56,933 ; Vann ia r , 35,759 -, V e l l a l a r s , 24,835. O th er c a s t e s 16,171, B r a h m in s 95. O /tô f ^ 0-v~ p> H~7
174

The Catholic Directory of India, 1924Diocese of Tuticorin, pp. 173–174

Published before 1930. In the public domain, and reproduced here in full.

What this source establishes

The parish counted, two years after the diocese was erected — and listed under the DIOCESE OF TUTICORIN, under two priests who carry no "S.J." The Directory marks Jesuits; neither Y. Ignatius nor G. Michael is marked. The parish's care had passed to the diocesan clergy. Note the Directory gives no date of erection at all.