ST. MARY'S MINOR SEMINARY
 Diocese of Thanjavur

A Brief History of the Diocese of Thanjavur:

              The Diocese of Thanjavur was created on November 22, 1952 through the papal bull “Ex Primaevae Ecclesiae” when it was bifurcated from the ancient See of Mylapore. It had to wait for four more months for the nomination of its new bishop. Most Rev. Dr.R.A.Sundaram, an illustrious son of the soil, was nominated the first Bishop of Thanjavur on February 4, 1953 and was consecrated at Chennai on 19th March 1953. It is interesting to note that in 1843 itself, the then Apostolic Prefect of Pondicherry, Msgr.Bonnand proposed that Thanjavur be erected an Apostolic Vicariate.

 

Historical Notes:

           Mylapore had become a diocese in 1606 and was the third oldest diocese of India till it was amalgamated with Madras in 1952. Its jurisdiction extended from the present Diocese of Thoothukudi in Tamilnadu to what is now known as West Bengal. Many missionaries including Franciscans, Augustinians, Dominicans and Jesuits like Robert de Nobili (the Father of Tamil Prose), Balthasar da Costa (the founder of Thanjavur Mission), John de Britto (the first Jesuit saint in India), Antam de Proenca (whose Tamil Portuguese, Dictionary was the first of its kind to be printed) and Costanzo Giosseffo Beschi (fondly called by the Tamils Veeramamunivar, who was the author of the Tamil Catholic epic Thembavani, the first European scholar to scientifically study Tamil grammar and compose new Tamil grammar both in Tamil as well as in Latin and the first to compile a Tamil Tamil Dictionary called Saduragarathi) had toiled laboriously in the area presently covered by Thanjavur Diocese.

 

Initial struggles of the New Diocese & Origin of St. Mary’s Minor Seminary:

                With such a hoary past and rich missionary traditions, the new diocese came into being with the Sacred Heart Church in Thanjavur as its Cathedral. It is to be noted that the new bishop was a Parishioner of this Church. As there was no Bishop’s House, a portion of the Cathedral Presbytery served as the Bishop’s House and the Diocesan Office. After eight months, the Baroda Villa on the Tiruchi Road was purchased and converted into Bishop’s house. In 1957 a new Bishop’s House was constructed in the adjacent land.

              When the Diocese was started, it had only 41 Parishes served by 51 Priests. Though a good number of them were advanced in age, there was no dearth of zeal and pastoral commitment among them. There were a good number of Goan priests serving in the Diocese at the beginning so much so two of the four Vicars Forane in the Diocese used to be Goans. To foster vocations in the new diocese, the Bishop started St. Marys Minor Seminary in a small room in the St. Xaviers Boys Home in 1953. It was then shifted to a rented house in New Town (presently VOC Nagar) and when a new Bishop’s House was constructed, the Baroda Villa became the Minor Seminary. It is a matter of notable pride that practically all the Priests serving in the diocese today, including the Present Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Devadass Ambrose, are the products of this Minor Seminary. Since 2002 a new building at Bishop Sundaram Campus, Arulanandammal Nagar in Thanjavur, houses the Minor Seminary.

           Frs.R.Savarimuthu and S.T. Amalnather (former Bishop of Thoothukkudi), who were serving in the Seminary in Mylapore as well as Fr.Paul K.F. Belevendram, then serving in Kovalam, joined the new diocese. Similarly Brothers S.A.Arulaiah (former Bishop of Cuddappah), P.M. Joseph and Y. Leo Michael, belonging to the Archdiocese of Madras – Mylapore and studying in Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee joined the Diocese later. This helped to solve the problem of the initial scarcity of Priests. The Diocese now has 184 Priests and 94 Parishes. There are 5 Bishops who were ordained from this Diocese.

 

Religious Congregations:

                   There were only a few convents in the new diocese in 1953; but over the past 65 years, many new congregations have established their houses and have taken up new ministries. This has contributed to the establishment of many educational and other institutions in the diocese. It is to be noted that, in addition to many convents, quite a few men religious congregations are functioning in the diocese. At present, 10 men religious congregations and 43 women religious congregations are working in the diocese.

       

The Bishops:

                Most Rev. Dr. R.A. Sundaram served as the first Bishop of Thanjavur from 1953 to 1986 and has left a long record of great achievements. Archbishop Packiam Arockiasamy succeeded him in 1986. He created many new parishes and constructed necessary parish churches and other necessary infrastructure in the rural areas.  Dr. M. Devadass Ambrose, who hails from the Diocese of Thanjavur, was nominated the Bishop of Thanjavur in July 1997 and was consecrated in September of the same year. He continues to tread the path paved by his predecessors and concentrates on the overall development of the people. He has erected new parishes. He has sent many priests for both religious and secular studies within India and abroad. He has started an Educational Fund and asks the people to contribute to it monetarily instead of honouring him with shawls and garlands during his visits to parishes. Bishop also had upgraded many schools according to the need of the people. Realizing the need for higher education for the youth, he started six institutions of higher education which is very much appreciated by the people. In order to have decent place of worship for the villagers, Bishop has been constructing many village chapels. Bishop is putting up a great effort to lead and develop the diocese in all the levels.

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Conclusion:

              In fine, the Diocese of Thanjavur, under the patronage and protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Health, Vailankanni is making great strides in spreading the kingdom of God in the area entrusted to it by the Divine Providence. It has contributed its share to the growth and development of the Church in the region of Tamil Nadu and India by generously lending the services of its priests. It is extending its ministry in educational, cultural, social, economic and pastoral fields, thus contributing to the overall growth and development of the people of the area, irrespective of caste or creed.